Universal Magazine November 2018 Universal Magazine November 2018 | Page 7

From the inside out
ONE WORD
7
can transform everything!
Words have
power. Many
people do not
understand the
impact that their
words can have
on themselves
and on others.
A
simple choice of words
can make a difference in
someone’s life. They can
bring into existence that which
did not exist before or leave
destruction in their wake.
Even the words you choose to
speak about yourself hold an
importance beyond measure. It
is important for you to realise the
power of every word you speak.
It is as vital to look after your
mind as it is your body. As you
would nourish your body with
fruit and vegetables, your mind
too deserves to be filled with
nourishing and positive words.
In the same way that a negative
word is enough to leave a damaging
impact on one’s life, a constructive
word can spark hope enough to
provoke a positive turnaround.
At the Universal Church, you will
always hear a positive word – a word
that gives strength, confidence,
and promotes change. Come to
one of our daily meetings and take
possession of this word that is
waiting for you! (See our timetable
on page 14).
‘The Challenge of Faith was my lifeline’
A home full of arguments and resentment pushed Rhoda
Adusei to find solace on the streets. Like many young
people, she was lured into the wrong crowd and before
long the influence of those around her impacted on
everything she did.
‘G
rowing up, I had a lot
of pent-up anger and
resentment because of
my parents’ constant arguments
and disagreements. Since I
didn’t know how to deal with the
repressed emotions, they quickly
turned to deep sadness—a sadness
that was accompanied by mind
consuming, suicidal thoughts.
people who were truly happy,
and I wanted that too. I wanted
to break the cycle of bad events in
my life. This is why I decided to do
whatever it took to also receive my
own happiness and peace.
I opened up to the advisors about
what I had been through. I felt
unburdened speaking out and the
support I received encouraged me
to believe that things could be
different for me. The Challenge
of Faith was like a lifeline for me.
Choosing to take part was me
proving to myself that I was ready
to make the necessary changes to
get my life back. on life. It was as though the
gloomy cloud that seemed to
hang constantly over my head
had finally lifted. Slowly but
surely, the way that I saw
myself changed. I valued my life
and understood that, despite
everything that I’d been through,
I could have a bright future.
I cut out all the things that only
brought me trouble, including
people, habits, or even places. I
decided that anything that didn’t
reflect the new person that I was
I came to the Universal Church trying to become, had to go.
feeling desperate. A friend had Within a matter of weeks, I saw
introduced me to it. There, I met changes in my overall outlook In time, I went on to form a better
relationship with my parents and,
the more I changed, the more I
saw improvements in my family
as a whole. Today, I can say that I
have a blessed relationship with
my family; I no longer feel down
and I always look forward to the
It didn’t help that my boyfriend at
the time (who was twice my age)
was physically and emotionally
abusive. This only exacerbated
my insecurities. In the following
years, things worsened; I was
abused, began self-harming and
fell pregnant, only to lose the child
after being assaulted by my then
boyfriend. It seemed like every
event in my life led me down a
never-ending spiral of misery.
future regardless of the hard times
because I know God is in me and
with me.
My advice to anyone going through
anything similar to what I’ve
been through is to give yourself
a chance. Your past doesn’t have
to define your future. Go forward
and don’t look back. It may be
difficult, but it won’t be impossible
and the Universal is the perfect
place to help you take that first
step. It worked for me, so why
wouldn’t it work for you?’
Rhoda Adusei