If God doesn’t change the situation, He changes us for the situation.
6:54 AM Posted by Unknown
We have fire in our hands, dreams in our hearts, and no concept of
limitation in our heads. And so we live.
We don’t have to wait to until we get burned. We can confess our limitations and the limitations of the things we have, the money we’ve earned, the stuff we’ve acquired. We can be honest and admit that a car will not make us invincible in bad weather, that a security system will not prevent a break-in, that a good investment strategy can’t guarantee retiring as a millionaire. All these things are good, and they increase the probability of your desired outcomes. But they make no absolute promises. The simple act of acknowledging that can free you from a reliance on the wrong thingsTo confess our limits, to surrender our dreams and embrace the ordinary, to hold power loosely and even turn down the chance to gain more—these are unlikely, uncommon spiritual disciplines that can help us remain God-dependent even in the midst of plenty. ~Glenn Packiam
Of late God has been dealing with me intimately and giving
me lessons that I wouldn’t learn otherwise. He was showing me, my own limitations
to myself. (Though at times I tend to believe in “All is possible”, “Unlimited
Potential” Bla bla bla) Its illusion.
Now I want to tell my blog readers few things..
- The things I was passing through in life revealed things about-me to me which is already known to GOD. The more I know my limitations; my dependency on Him grew. Often times the areas I think I’m good at got tested through circumstances and I realize i might be good at it but not that good. And that is why I need God. I found the trial of my faith as precious.
- If you think you won’t go through what other people go through. It might even make you arrogant. But when a time comes and stuffs hit you flat on your face, and bring you down on your knees. Now I understand God made me limited so that I couldn’t praise myself. Sometimes when I pray I say “God, Why did I go thought that? How come this part of my life doesn’t line up with that part of my life? Why didn’t you fix this?” The lesson for me is when I’m limited I lean on Him. When I am limited i depend on him. Because when I come out of this season He doesn’t have to be worried about me being arrogant/prideful because i know that if it has not been for the Lord I wouldn’t make it. That is why I wouldn’t look down on anybody.
- We all have to learn about dealing to delayed gratification. Slowly but surely God blesses us in His time.
When Only Love Could Make A Way
11:45 AM Posted by Unknown
You gave your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love could break these chains
You gave your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love Could make a way
You gave Your life In a beautiful exchange...
You were near, Though I was distant
Disillusioned I was lost and insecure...
Trading Your life, For my offenses
For my redemption, You carried all the blame...
Sachin’s 100th Century.
10:46 PM Posted by Unknown
If you don’t have few minuites, please don’t feel obligated
to read this long post
Sachin’s 100th Century.
Me
and my dear-friend (& Co-founder at FlyingCocoon) Joshua Chris were having
coffee at regular venue (Beyond Coffee) We get a coffee time pretty much most
of the weekdays when he isn’t in Bangalore. He loves Cricket. So i knew today’s
discussion point was somewhat important and relevant to what we’ve been going
through as partners for quite sometime. He shared an article with me that was
written few days back on yourstory.in about Sachin’s 100th century miss
and Nation’s anticipation. (Josh usually says, we don’t always get what we
want. We get only what God gives directly proportional to what we are capable
of) i’ll probably write about this another day. In general I love Joshua’s
insight on things, i don’t remember a single day i wasn’t inspired by him over
three years+ of our friendship. (though i’ve many good friends I can count on
for advice) He’s ONE person i know who connects with me in different level, may
be its because He understands technology, business and has balanced spiritual
life too. I learn a lot from him.(I hope he’ll learn few things from me too)
Coming
back to the article i mentioned he shared with me, the author talks about three
main focus points
1. You never know what’s going to happen next minute – Sachin has reached 100′s so easily till last year and since last 8 months it’s been such a struggle repeating the same thing. There are phases in your startup journey when all is going great and then the landslide starts but that doesn’t mean the commitment is low or you are doing something wrong. It’s just that you need to continue and stay put and pass the phase. I am sure Sachin will get his 100th century soon if not today some other day, and I think that’s the level of confidence and self belief that needs to be there.
2. New Day is always a new day – In last so many occasions we have seen Sachin play well and cross 50 but when he comes the next day the landmark seems to elude him. In a startup a new day is a new day. You got to start afresh, forget the good and bad of the last day and focus on what’s on hand.
3. Focus – We have seen so many startups starting wonderfully well but losing focus mid way especially when the BIG THING is nearing. Much like Sachin going just 6 runs away from what could have been a great great innings, slight loss of focus can lead to a sudden downfall in the fortunes of a startup.
For a young entrepreneur
like me who is trying to make it work
with unrealized ambition and probably with lots
of bills to pay. Josh had a bit of his
own commentary on top of the article I shared above. He said Just like sachin No matter how successful we become,
life always shows up with a surprise and mystery. Its in a times like this our faith will be
tested. Emmy when you find you self in this spot remember your faith is on
trial, but you've got a good lawyer. A person who pleads your case in heaven. He continued talking but I stopped listening
and went in to my own thoughts. Suddenly all my
previous small and big achievements & failures started to mean nothing in
the face of whats ahead of me and whats possible, its just like Sachin’s
failure at his 100th century. Previously I’ve tried and tried more to
get things back to the perfect track but i found it an uphill to get my way,
the way I want it.
“I
wanted the gold, and I sought it;
I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
I hurled my youth into a grave…”
I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
I hurled my youth into a grave…”
“Yet
it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting
So much as just finding the gold.” -Robert Service,
So much as just finding the gold.” -Robert Service,
Before my graduation i had to
work for internship for three months. At the office i worked in people loved
me, i was the youngest and nerdy and geekiest chap around so they wanted me to
say longer (i too wanted to stay because I was learning a lot in that environment)
And i ended up working there for a year. Last week I was immersed in deep five
years old nostalgia while i stumbled at the recommendation letter i received
from the CEO when i resigned. In those days I had all the energy, regularly
over-night i used to crush in the office on my desk. I ate on computers, breath
computers dust, slept on keyboard. I massaged(scratched) myself with mouse. While working in that office, though i enjoyed
every moment of it I knew from my
college days that my brains are wired differently( to work for myself). That is
why back in good old days 2004-5 I
launched a website and optimized it to earn from Adsense Ads, While my
classmates wanted to work for so and so multi-national companies. I knew that i
knew i’m never gonna work for anyone. (Though in college days i used to say i
wanna work ONLY for Google, later i outgrow that and wanted to build company
and sell it to google. I still secretly lust on that front.) Between then and now sooooo many things
happen, i saw myself evolved through tough situations. So FlyingCocoon is one
of those things that a happened in between then and now (started early 2008 and
much didn’t happen in between Josh left to Bangalore and i was busy trying out
there things). I’m lucky! I have many people
i love and value like Josh beside me. For many
entrepreneurs finding a co-founder has been likened to getting married and like
a marriage it can be the best or the worst thing to happen to you. Now am runing
a (Lean)scrappy startup I’m pushing myself, despite all the limitations,
swearing i have to make this work, no matter what. I don’t know how many people
understand the intensity but Running a startup
without any funding is definitely a hard life. Even with funding, it is a lot
of work. I remember Conan O'Brien's quoted what Nietzsche
famously said ‘Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’ But what he
failed to stress is that IT ALMOST KILLS YOU. You know, The stresses of running a
poorly performing company or the frustrations of not closing enough deal almost
kills you. I was absorbed so much, I stopped
caring about myself and things around me much. Few trusted friends came and told
me Emmy pls take care of yourself you
are underweight & you look like a shit. I still didn’t care much. Sometimes
dreams make us insane. And those who are around us who don’t know what’s going
on inside of us looks at as commenselseless-lunatic. That part has never bothered
me ever, because to some degree i’m iconoclast. What the society think doesn’t
bother me zilch while my dream is at stake.
I sipped my coffee, Josh also
sipped his coffee and continued talking i didn’t concentrate on what all he
said new he moved on to the second point what the guy wrote about sachin’s NEW
DAY, its is pretty much similar to what paul says But one thing
I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on
toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me. Emmy In God’s
kingdom Faith is your currency, Have faith in a new day. Its By faith gentile became a Jew. I hope you remember
Abraham’s story how he birthed a new nation. Because he believed God it was
counted unto him as righteousness. He was not right but he believed God is so
good. And guess what? God said if you believe me like that I'll go ahead and
i'll credit your account. And it was counted as righteous. Its like God saying I
know you are not perfect, but i'll take your faith as a currency. I'll bless
you. give you land and everything.
I know his
FAITH also told him he'll give him a son, funnily the case got on hold till his
wife passed child bearing age, now she was barren on top of that his body aged
too. When it was completely impossible in human terms, God gave them a son.
Emmy as
long as you can see you way clear God will do absolutely nothing. Its when absolutely
there is no way for you to get it, when all of you plans & plots are failed
and the budget is blown, the checks are over drawn. When you can see no way how
you can make it. No way to run your dream startup, no way to hire the kind of
talent you want. Its then God moves on your behalf and say I'm gonna bless you.
Like Abraham. When you reach to this stage you know whom to be thankful for. Credits
only goes to God not to anyone. Not even for yourself. Because you couldn't do
it.
While
we just have to trust God, often times we try to trace him. Trust is form of
worship. If you don’t want to worship him question your purpose why here on
earth you are here for.
Am
still listening while looking at the one of the paintings on the wall at
BeyondCoffee. I looked at my green tea cup I’ve realized i finished it without
realizing it. Both of us have finished our drinks the only thing left on the
table is French fries.
Josh
took hand full of French fries and continued about the article he was talking
about. He said the third point deals with really crucial issue. (Especially for
us) I believe there
is dime a dozen opportunities now than any previous generations ever lived on
this planet had. For the little guys to create wealth and be who they want to
be barriers to entry have been mostly removed especially for Tech companies;
the playing field has been quite levelled same way for a guy in Hyderabad and
for the guy in Silicon valley. This is something "very
liberating". As you are yet to be discovered, you haven't gotten your recognition. But at
the same time, you don't have expectations. You just have to Focus, and take Action while the
opportunities are still here. He looked me in the eye and said people
like you suffer because they think they can be everything(not one thing) they
want to be and when reality bitch slaps them. They’ll go out on full spree to
prove a point.
Truly speaking I’ve done all of that, trying to prove a point and all, knowing what i
know now,
"odds are highly stacked against start-ups” i’v nothing i
want to prove. I just let God, what He lets me to do. I’ve reconciled with the
fact that i can’t fight with that, even if i fight that. That is a losing
battle already from the beginning.
As
I mentioned earlier Me and Josh understand technology & business (local
business) that is what clicked between us and helped us to build this incredible
friendship over the years. We’ve been advising our friends on how to use the
social web to generate leads for their small business in a very casual way for
the last two year (very casually not for revenue). And For the past few months I’ve
been working on SocialCRM called “OppTube” and i never knew FlyingCocoon which
we started in 2008 will become serious and we’ll help more business to adopt
social Media to expand their reach.
The
plan is very simple for now. We do Social Media Consultation for local business
for free or for extremely nominal cost. Help them with execution. We nurture a
long term working relationship with them. At later stage when my SocialCRM gets
ready for beta testing they’ll be signed up. After their initial trial &
feedback period It will be priced rightly based on the value it provide. I’ll
talk about on that development on another post
As conclusion he said: It’s really scary to forsake everything and focus
on one thing. It’s ok, accept the fear: It is natural to be
frightened by unknown. Naturally you want to diversify. You might being a
situation making less money and working more because company you are working in decides suddenly
freeze salaries and increase working hours This has happened for several
friends in Indian IT companies. But
still focus is the only way-in only way-out
In a serious voice he
asked me: Em what’s the worst it could
happen to you? Quickly i said I’ll be completely bankrupt and start sleeping in
my car till I bounce back. He said think for a second Are you really afraid of
that. I mean really? After thinking for a second I replied: Actually not that
much. If you look at any successful Startup, many encountered situations where
most would throw in the towel, but they didn’t, they pushed through and
achieved their dreams.
Tweet
PS. I know my writing style is as terrible as it gets. Something tells me with practice i can write better in the future. This is written as a practice. When i become a better writer i’ll look back and laugh at this post the awful grammar and punctuation..
PS. I know my writing style is as terrible as it gets. Something tells me with practice i can write better in the future. This is written as a practice. When i become a better writer i’ll look back and laugh at this post the awful grammar and punctuation..
P.S.S On the flip
side i feel really happy, coz this is a testament of overcoming my two fears,
Fear of long post and showing off my insecurities as man. Sometimes opening up
ourselves to vulnerability helps us to reclaim our humanness and remind us we are not God.
The Best in the world at something?
3:39 AM Posted by Unknown
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Do you or your startup wants to be the best in the wold at something? Know this at least! :)
Long time ago my mentor thought me the following simple serinity prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference

So the qusetion is When to Quit and When to Stick??? According to Seth Godin, while quitting is often a poor snap decision made under stress, under the right circumstances it is a smart choice for turning around a dead-end situation.
Please watch 8min video summery of Seth's Book.
The reason that being the best in the world is worth so much is that only few can do it. Scarcity carries a premium. We fail when we give up too soon, or when we get distracted by tasks that we don't have the guts to quit. Seth says the DIP is the long stretch between beginner’s luck and real accomplishment.
Download The Dip Manifesto Here
Freedom Calling
10:25 AM Posted by Unknown
Freedom Calling - with lyrics
by CECILE DOO-KINGUE
Renew me - Avalon
8:42 PM Posted by Unknown
Why am I such a dusty window
For your light to shine through?
Why am I just a tiny star
In a sky already blue?
Why do I offer everything
With my heart closed like a fist?
I want to love You better than this
Why do I live like I'm in chains
When You have set me free?
And why do I have to break Your heart
Before I fall to my knees?
I know it's time to pray for change
Give all I have to give
I want to love You better than this
So renew me
Remake me
Undo me
Unbreak me
Come into the empty spaces
Of my broken places
And consume me
Complete me
Pursue me
Redeem me
Let Your Holy Spirit living through me
Renew me
I need Your power to renew me, Lord, yeah
I need to know You're moving through me, Lord
I need You as my refuge
My first and last resort
Be the river always running
Through my deepest thoughts
Keep me in Your arms
'Cause even when I drift
I want to love You better than this
So renew me
Remake me
Undo me
Unbreak me
Come into the empty spaces
Of my broken places
And consume me
Complete me
Pursue me
Redeem me
Let Your Holy Spirit living through me
Renew me
My life bending to Your will
Seeking You until I'm more and more like You
The prayer of jabez for teens
3:31 AM Posted by Unknown
The prayer of jabez for teens
He'll open up possiblities you've never thought of before. He'll ask you to do things you've never done before (and that you're pretty sure you can't do). it will feel like He takes you to the edge of a cliff and says, "let's go for a walk."
He'll open up possiblities you've never thought of before. He'll ask you to do things you've never done before (and that you're pretty sure you can't do). it will feel like He takes you to the edge of a cliff and says, "let's go for a walk."
*I'm looking forward for the camp... I wish this will be a time where God will say to me Let's go for a walk..... I really need to take that walk with him.... :)
PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
12:59 AM Posted by Unknown
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it a choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it political savvy.
We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the airwaves with profanity and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state. Grant them Your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your
will... Amen
*Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. According to an article in the Kansas City Star from January 24, 1996, his prayer stirred controversy, and one member of the legislative body walked out. Others criticized the prayer.
The controversy didn't end there. Later that year in the Colorado House, Republican representative Mark Paschall angered lawmakers by using Joe Wright's prayer as the invocation. Some members there also walked out in protest.
Paul Harvey got a hold of the prayer and read it on his program. He got more requests for copies of it than any other thing he had ever done.