I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Lalene. I am 21. I am enormously ambitious. I never stop dreaming. Dreaming of the things I wanted to possess – I want to be a billionaire –own a big business, live in a palace, riding in a limo and enjoy all the riches of the world. I want to be featured by Forbes ranked number 1 as the richest woman in the world. I want to travel around the world. I want to have a great marriage someday. I want to have all the health and wealth and prosperity. I want to have all the goodness in this world.
Fellow Toastmasters and guests, believe me or not, most of us desire to have everything we want in this world. Don’t we? People are so busy building treasures in this world. They spend their time and talents to achieve that great career and to have that name for their selves. Some people prizes beauty and health. They are spending their life doing what they can just to “turn back the clock”, having vigorous outworks, expensive clothing, costly cosmetics, beauty treatments, hair styles, and even plastic surgeries.
I tell you, there is no wrong about having ambitions and desires but when we live only to save ourselves, to build warm nests, and to make money entirely for our own use and enjoyment, we become the most discontented and miserable mankind. There are lots people who are living in selfishness and pleasure-seeking, only to find their capacity for joy has shriveled and end up into gloom and despair and even to give up their own lives. They have lost their souls!
If great marriage and perfect relationship can truly satisfy our lives, then why is it that there are lots of couples who eventually divorced. Remember the shocking divorces of Renee Zellweger and Kenny Cheney, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey and many more. Aren’t they had the luxurious wedding but still ended up in failure?
If money and fame can truly make you happy, then why even one of the richest people in the world, Dr. Adolf Merckle committed suicide? In fact, he achieved everything a man could ever hope for in life. Because of his severe depression, he apparently allowed himself to be run over by a train.
If successful career and a name for yourself is what life is all about, then why there are still successful people gave up their lives? In 1994, Kevin Carter, a South African photojournalist won the Pulitzer prize for his disturbing photograph of a Sudanese child being stalked by a vulture. Instead of helping this toddler Sudanese to make her way to the food station, Carter took 20 mins to take photo, wanting the best shot possible. Then after that he chased this vulture away. Carter has spiraled into depression of receiving heaps of criticism for his actions. That same year, Kevin Carter committed suicide.
Where do you think their souls were going? These examples and even our personal testimonies prove that nothing in this world can satisfy our hearts. Even if we already have everything that this world may offer, still we feel the emptiness because you know what, we started at the wrong point. We think that this life is all about ourselves. But I tell you, true peace and happiness can only be found if we embraced the fact that life is not all about us. It’s all about our relationship with God through Jesus. By faith, in Him we believe that at the end, He will conquer all pains and sufferings in this world. If we understand this truth, we will live with full of hopes. We will not be discouraged. We will not be depressed no matter how hard the situation is because we will live for Him alone and not for ourselves anymore.
I would like to introduce myself again. The old Lalene has gone, the new Lalene has come. But I am still 21. I delight in the Lord to receive my countless desires in life. I am not ashamed of my Lord Jesus and His word. I’m on my way to greatness and I’m currently building up treasures in heaven.
What profits a man if he owns the world and loses his soul? Nothing.
Good Evening!
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