And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. (Numbers 21:4 KJV)
It is truly a task being a role model.
The happenings of this week with regards to a key role model in the Federation of St. Kitts - Nevis, Masud Sadiki, who alledgedly took his own life has caused me to slow down, sit and reflect on my life too and my moving forward.
Now I'll tell you the honest truth. Being a popular, positive, optimistic figure is one of the hardest jobs on earth. Sometimes I wish I was just an ordinary gentleman and wasn't someone to be looked up to. It's Tough! To make matters worse, I write to encourage people through my ministry website, http://www.hopeisahead.com/ almost daily and I have a worldwide readership. I have clips from my NEVER GIVE UP theme sermons on youtube. I know I have an audience worldwide. How can I prove that? Tourists who pass through St. Kitts from different parts of the world call me or pass by just to see me and to see if what we're doing is for real. A tourist visit from Russia amazed me the other day and the gentleman said, "Mr. Wallace that Hope is Ahead Drama Video on Youtube is Awesome and Powerful. Your team is doing an amazing job." We get similar commendations from all across the world too.
Because of my positive spirit, many people cling to me and the ministry quite easily for encouragement. Therefore, I get calls and BlackBerry messages and emails and texts almost daily from all across the world to pray for and ecnourage people. Sometimes I have to do that even when I'm at my lowest. Imagine if you will, trying to cope with and be innovative in a challenging global economy as a business owner. I also have to cope with it for dozens of other youth and adults who just can't see their way because they can't find a job and pay their bills and mortgage and are ready to give up.
Then, just when I leave from encouraging one person, someone is diagnosed with a sickness and they need comfort too. I tell you, it's truly a task running a business and doing ministry and having to stay POSITIVE in the process.
Honestly, around this time, majority of my HOPE SESSIONS have to deal with getting many people to change their mindset from suicide. I have dozens of them across the world that I have to keep track of. I pay them special personal attention. These are the people who work next to you and who sing in church with you and who live in your communities. Then, when I get them, by God's grace to change their minds, I have to followup to ensure that they have fully discarded the thought. There are dozens who I know are reading this today - May God Bless You and may you continue to hold on and realize that there is HOPE AHEAD!
The truth is, society expects Positive Role Models to be IRONMEN and IRONWOMEN and have no troubles and issues of their own. Society forgets that we are just common people like anyone else.
I empower and encourage for hours each week, but need empowerment and encouragement and support too. People rarely ask us "How are you?" and wait to see our honest response. Whether we are down and out or up and happy.
Society just expects everything to be always well all the time with Popular Figures and Role Models. The honest truth is, we sometimes wish we can get away for a while or for good. The pressure of the eyes - the onlookers is challenging. Everyone's expectations are always so high that it is sometimes even stressing to relax and have fun. People watch your every move. Listen to your every statement. Comment on your every action. When you do good, very little is said, but when you slip up, everyone knows that you are the minister or musician or (and the list goes on)
Let me be frank. It's not everyweek that I write on http://www.hopeisahead.com/ or go on my Radio Program or step into a Hope Empowerment Session with a client that I am all excited and optimistic. I never show it though because my job is to stay strong for you.
My job is to empower the radio listener and keep him/her encouraged in the Lord. I can't tell a client how down I am when they are down too. I cannot ever let the overseas client that calls in for prayer hear my down spirit. This is a reality. If I'm not smiling, a passerby just passes and says - SMILE MAN and never checks to see why I'm not smiling.
Role Models and Positive Persons hurt too and need encouragement too - we have our down times too. We have problems on the job and with our family. It pains when our ideas and dreams and goals are not coming through as fast as we like or seem like they won't come through at all. We do have issues. We do get discouraged. We need a better response from YOU if you appreciate the work that we do.
It happened in Bible times too. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. (Numbers 21:4 KJV) People got discouraged too back then! Moses' People were discouraged greatly because of the journey. Job too. David at times. Paul begged God to remove the thorn in his flesh. He was a stalwart for Christ but he was hurting too.
Role Models make a significant contribution to the lives of youth and people in general, but it is my honest opinion that we DO NOT TAKE care of them while they are alive and leave all the good we have to say when they die.
Let's not let another wounded soldier die - another ambassador leave us, by not caring at all. Just as they empower, you empower and encourage in return too. Just as they help you and inspire you. You must do the same too. We NEED each other.
Among a handfull of people that encourage my team and I for the work we are doing, there are always those that stand out. I didn't ask Ms. Lydia Phillip of The Divinity Touch Gift Shop, Charlestown, Nevis (West Indies), a http://www.shopandshipskn.com/ client of mine if I could use her name because I got the inspiration to write this devotional in the wee hours or this morning while she's probably asleep. I know she certainly won't mind.
This week, having not received any devotionals via her email or gotten any texts and calls from me, she took it upon herself to send me an email to check up and a text too. When I called her, I started telling her about a package that was coming in for her. She quickly stopped me and said, "I wasn't calling for that. I was just calling to check up on you since I didn't hear from you for the week or didn't get any Hope Devotionals in my email box."
Friend, that made my day! That made my week too! God knew I was going through a very trying, stressful business day and week and all I needed was ONE EMPOWERMENT message from a concerned person to show that they were thinking about me and caring. Her called energized me for the rest of the week.
It was this week too, a restaurant owner invited me for lunch and said, you're a good man, and when ever you want to relax and eat for free, just come. Come everyday if you want, the owner said - Come and relax and break. For all you're doing, you need it!
It would be remiss of me to not say that my Dare 2 Be Different Team doesn't give me alot of encouragement, motivation and help. They actually keep me going. I must single out Kerese Dias and Joy Codrington. They are the extra fuel in my engine. They go the extra mile to keep me uplifted and to keep my visions coming to fruition.
Those simple things mean a whole lot to Role Models and Positive People. It's sad that many of them do not get the type of support they need though. Don't let another wounded soldier die. Encourage the Positive Ones. Don't just pray for your pastors and leaders and role models, but do something good to show you appreciate them all the time too. They need you in order to SURVIVE. It takes alot from WITHIN to pour out our all to you. You need to help us top back up too.
Send a text, a card, give a visit, bake a cake, send an email, carry them out for breakfast or lunch or dinner. Buy a gift. Or sometimes they just need more than a "How are you doing and a smile?" Sometimes we just want to talk and talk and talk and wait for someone to listen. That helps us detress ALOT. I hope you understand from now, that you have a task too.
It's truly a task being a Role Model. I think I'm going to slow down now. Do more ministry and do lighter things like running my new Caribbean Auction Site - http://www.caribbesales.com/ and use my printing machines more for Ministry Activities. This would help me to not have to stress and cope with deadlines and cursewords. I'll deal with customers that uplift me in the process and simply reject pressuring business. That will help me live a day longer.
When I am overworked and overstressed and then die, this role model that many people enjoyed listening to on radio or enjoyed reading his Hope Devotionals, will be remembered with a few tributes for a little while then it'll be back to normal society again - RIGHT?
Encourage, Empower, Motivate those that serve and make an impact around the world in theicr small and big ways. They help to ensure by their lives, their words and their positive spirits that Hope is Ahead! We need them! Take care of them!
Brother Khrystus V. K. Wallace
Dare 2 Be Different International - www.daretobedifferentskn.com
President & Founder - Since June 2008
Email: drkhrystus@kvklives.com
Whatsapp: 1-869-661-0118
Other Tel: 1-869-765-7270
SKYPE: kvkent
No comments:
Post a Comment