Motivational Speaker 3: The Unusual Suspect

By Tilawan

There are some things when we miss them in life, it won't matter
what else we gained. There are some things when we gain them, it won't
matter what else we missed and no greater wisdom can we discover than
this, and the greatest wisdom is to discover our purpose in life!
The day you discover God's purpose for your life, you will cease to
be using your your efforts but His. You will no longer use your strength but
His. You will no longer be using your wisdom in what you are doing but His.
You will no longer use your approach to issues of your life but His, for you
have discovered His assignment for your life! Your assigmnent in life is
never far from you, but it could be far from your focus. Always change your
focus to discover what is God's purpose for your life!
Wealth is not your purpose, it is a slice of it. Fame is not your
purpose, it is a slice of it. Power is not your purpose, it is a slice of it and until
you discover your purpose, the slices will keep distracting you from God's
plan for your life! Let no attraction; either the attractions of money, fame or
power distract you from pursuing your purpose in life! The attractions that
cannot distract you at the early stage of your struggles in discovering your
purpose in life, will serve you at its later stage!
Trying to do like everybody else might not be your purpose.
Trying to do what people like may not be your purpose. Trying to
do as you are told may not be your purpose. Trying to to impress
the people around you, may not be your purpose.
Discovering your purpose in life will give you a picture of where your
tomorrow will be. It will give you the right mentality to achieving a
breakthrough in life. Because whenever the journey of your struggles starts
to bog down, you cannot breakthrough with the wrong mentality that sees
you from a picture of where you found yourself. You can only go forward
with a right mentality of the picture of where your tomorrow will be.
And when tomorrow comes and you see yourself in great victory,
you will then realise that what is needed is not to thank God for answered
prayers but to apologise to Him for the times we go about in behaviours that
shows He was not faithful to us! A feeling in actions and activities that
shows He might not really have cared about our situation!
I came to the point that I planned to stop the show for the day.
My dear listeners, always have a positive attitude to whatever you
are going through in life and keep to the path and action that will carry you
to your victory in life. You can't get an answer by following a formula half
way. You can't get an answer by following a formula the wrong way. The
formula ensures that we do away with anything that is stopping us from
achieving our victory in life. Most times, it is the presence of some little
things that is denying the coming of some wonderful things in our
lives...
HE CHANGES PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH HIS MOTIVATIONAL

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 26, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477230275

Tilawan

Suleiman Tilawan is the writer of The New Adventures of SST and the Motivational Speaker: The Game Planner.

Book preview

© 2012 by Tilawan. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  09/26/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-3025-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-3026-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-3027-5 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Dedication

. . . . In Memory

About The Author

Prologue Beginning Of My Story

Chapter One A Normal Day

Chapter Two God Is Saving The Best For The Last

Chapter Three It Takes A Little To Reach The Top

Chapter Four You Need To Set A Goal

Chapter Five Hear The Words Of The Lord

Chapter Six Pay The Price

Chapter Seven Unusual Thanksgiving

Chapter Eight My Enemies Did Not Triumph Over Me

Chapter Nine A Brand New Day

Chapter Ten The Unusual Suspect

Chapter Eleven The Perfect Picture

Dedication

To the people, that experienced a tremendous change in their lives from imbibing teachings of the motivational speaker

. . . . In Memory

Of my dear mother, Mrs Alice Tilawan (1938-2010)

About The Author

Tilawan: Suleiman Saidu Tilawan, known to friends by his initials, SST, is the writer of the bestselling motivational book on power intriques; The Laws of The Bosses. And also motivational speaker—The Game Planner, the Motivational Speaker 2: The Lost Ring that is sequel to The Motivational Speaker 3: The Unusual Suspect.

‘. . . . a man is brutish in his knowledge’

Prologue

Beginning of My Story

My name is, Sawuntungo Sasukito Talungo. However, my friends find it hard to pronounce, and so preferred to call me by my initials, SST. I understood with their difficulties, really I do! Sometimes I have problems pronouncing it myself! Anyway, I have long accepted this convoluted mixture of an African and Asian intones and come to see it as the consequence of a mix heritage.

The books Motivational Speaker: The Game Planner, the Motivational Speaker: The Lost Ring and the one you about to read, The Motivational Speaker: The Unusual Suspect, are interesting and intriguing accounts of my experiences as a motivational speaker in one of the most populated cities in the world.

CHAPTER ONE

A NORMAL DAY

This was my second day of broadcast at INSPIRATIONAL FM and it was a normal day for me at the station. I had been trying to put things back in order since I took charge of the station while at the same time maintain the normal broadcast time of my presentation. It had not been easy coming up to head the radio station and learning the ropes of how to run a radio station at the same time. But I was lucky to have had the experience of observing how it was done when I was working as a staff with STATIC FM before I became a freelance presenter. My appointment to take charge of the management of INSPIRATIONAL FM was more or less a great leap for someone that had been around the broadcasting industry for only about two years. My ascension in the broadcasting industry was created by a string of strange and unexpected happenings that seem to be coming around my life since I decided to become a radio presenter. All the same, to come to this level at such a short time, I guess it was my time and chance that fell into place and I was lucky to fall in with it.

Good morning sir! Peter said as I came into the studio.

Peter is one of the two set engineers working at the station and a very reliable hand. I usually have them on shift and he was on the morning shift today.

Morning Peter, I replied with a smile as I stretched my hands to shake him. I normally go straight into the producer’s office to have a quiet time and to say my morning prayers before heading to the studio room for the first broadcast of the morning show of the motivational dance club; the talk show I had been presenting for the past two years. But this morning, I was late and so I decided to move immediately into the studio for my presentation. As soon as I got into the presenter’s seat, I could see Peter raising his hands to signal me, it was time for me to be on air.

Good morning good people of Lagos and welcome to the morning edition of your favourite radio programme of the day, the Motivational Dance Club show! I started with my usual style of introduction. "I am sure my great listerners have not gotten over the surprising news that I gave you in my last show. Yes, I am now the executive producer of your favourite new station; the INSPIRATIONAL FM and of course still, your presenter of the motivational dance club show.

Many have asked me, how did I rise so fast in the short time I have been around the broadcasting industry and had such a great breakthrough in my career? I have only one answer for them, my friends, it was in my time and I met my chance! The Holy Scriptures tells us that the battle is not to the strong and the race is not to the swift but time and chance happens to us all! And today being in my time and meeting my chance had lifted me to this great height in my carreer.

And I want to encourage all of us in whatever level we are in life—that you are left behind now does not mean you are not going to reach your destination in life, because time and chance happens to all! That you are facing repeated failures in your life now does not mean you are not amongst those that would be successful at the end of the day my friend, because time and chance happens to all. That it is not going well with your business, your studies or your career now, does not mean it will not turn out great for you in your life one day. Soon… time and chance will happen to you too. It is not your speed that will take you to success, so it does not matter what momentum you are applying in the race of life now because you have your time and chance to come out swift. It is not your strength that will take you to victory at the end. It does not matter how weak you appear in any area of your life now because you have your time and your chance in life to come out big and strong. The race of life is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong, but time and chance happens to all!

David as a youth was not even considered by his father to be someone that would make anything great in life. The father had many sons that were great and powerful warriors. And when God was looking for whom to anoint, the father swiftly went to fetch the strong, but the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong!

Moses was tongue tied. He was the least to be considered to speak on behalf of a people desiring deliverance. He was not even amongst the priests and neither was he with the people when God met him. He even lacked the strength of self-control expected for a great assignment. But God still chose him to deliver his people from bondage. Because the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong!

There were many politicians that were greater than Abraham Lincoln in his days. Some of them had never lost an election in their lives, but Lincoln was failing consecutively. And when it was time to go for the highest office, powerful politicians with strong record of successes came forward to contest but Lincoln was coming in with his weak record of defeats… . but at the end, it was Lincoln that reached the White House because the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong!

Barack Obama could not even get a seat at his party convention in the year 2000. Nobody knew him beyond the boundaries of his state before he was moved to the Senate. He was not only a rookie senator facing the strong Clinton dynasty but also a Blackman in a nation where the Blackman was still not far from the house of slavery to assume a desire for the house of leadership. But Barack Obama defeated all presumed winners to reach the White House. Seeing him being sworn to office the world realized that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong! Yes, the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the strong but it is to God that willth!

And today maybe you are looking at your ability as you go into that interview. Today, you may be assessing your speed as you prepare yourself for that assignment! You may be counting on your strength even as you call on God. And as you face stronger competition, you may be shrinking backwards because you feel you lack something that is needed! But God is not depending on your strength to actualize His plans for your life! He is the omnipotent God! Maybe you are counting the speed you require to reach your destiny. But God is not depending on your speed to carry you to any destination. He is the omnipresent God!

Maybe you are assessing your knowledge as you get ready to enter the ring, but God is not in need of your knowledge to open the frontiers of your life! He is the omniscience God! God does not need your speed, God does not need your strength and God does not need your knowledge to carry you to your destiny. He only requires that you follow His will, because it is to Him that willth! And very soon, you will not be talking in your own words, but you will be talking in the words God is going to put in your mouth!

Very soon, you will not be living in the world you know, but you will be living in the world God has planned for you!

And very soon, you will not be spending the money you have but you will be spending the money God is going to put in your hands! And very soon, you will not be seeing the supporters you know, but you will be seeing the supporters God is going to bring to your side. Because very soon God is going to lift you up!

Man might lift you up, but how long can the hands of man stay up? Man might commend you, but how long can the mouth of man stay open? Man might reward you, but how long can the storehouse of man last? Man might welcome you, but how long can the door of man be kept open? Man might teach you, but how long can the knowledge of man stay true? Man might embrace you, but how long can the hands of man remain opened?

Newspapers might promote you but as you leave the headline you get torn! But when God does all that for you, it is an everlasting joy because God is an everlasting God! And very soon God is going to unfold His plan for your life! Your victory is not coming by might, it is not coming by power but it is coming by Him who willth! It is coming in your time and chance!

But sometimes you could be in your time and chance and would not see it because you were distracted by what is happening all around you. Sometimes, you are in your time and chance and you missed seizing your opportunity because you were seized with fear by all that is happening around you. Sometimes, it is your time and chance but you could not utilise the opportunity to enter your destiny because you were incapacitated by the actions of the devil against your life.

Sometimes, it is your time and chance but you were nowhere to be found because you were misdirected to take another path in life away from your destiny. But surely, I tell you this morning all my listeners on the motivational dance club that to everyone created by God; there is a time and a chance for him to achieve a breakthrough in life! A time and chance to excel in your career! A time and chance for a breakthrough in your business. A time and chance for success in your affairs! And a time and chance for greatness in your life!

And I believe as you keep faith with God in your life, whatever might come against you, whatever distraction may come and meet you in life, whatever limitation that might have been brought against you, it does not matter because God will surely bring you out and usher you to your time and chance for a great breakthrough in your life!" I said.

The phone on the table was ringing already. I guess it was my first caller for the day.

Good morning, this is DJ SST on the Motivational Dance Club show and who is our first caller today? I asked as I answered the call.

Good day SST and greetings to you too! He said in a soft voice. My name is Jack Adamu calling from Ikeja.

The name sounded familiar. But I get a lot of calls everytime. Some voices and names I can recollect. But many always passed unnoticed.

Thanks Jack and welcome to the show. I said.

Yes SST, I am a regular caller to your show and it has always been really educative. He commended.

Thanks Jack and what steps do you have for us on the dance floor?

Yeah SST, you remembered when last year I called your show to let you know how I have been going about looking for a job? Well, I now have a job and I want to thank God for the job he has given me after five years. It’s not a big job really, but it has helped in seeing to the needs of my family. I have been managing with it

That’s good! I said and decided to add, but you need to do more than that, maybe you have been managing because you have not asked for your full package. I said to him.

What do you mean? He asked.

Yes, God gave you a job but a job is not the full package my brother. I said to him. Do you remember the story of Elkanah and his wife Hannah the mother of Samuel? I asked him. "Well, if you do, you will understand that blessings are never enough if it is not the full package because the full package is to lead you to splendour and not to manage. In the scriptures it was stated, Elkanah tried to console his wife Hannah, saying, why do you cry? Am I not enough for you? He asked her. But his wife Hannah was still crying because Elkanah was not enough! She knew God promised her a marriage, but the promise went beyond only a husband—a husband was not enough! A husband was just a part of the blessings, it was not all that was in her package! When she looked around her matrimonial home, she knew something was missing! She knew the devil had taken something that was hers. She knew God’s package was not yet complete. There was something that was missing, and whatever was missing she was determined to recover it from the devil! And I am telling all my listeners today, God did not only promise you a partner, he promised you to go into the world and multiply! Husband is good, but it is not the complete package for your marriage. And whatever the devil had taken from your package, he must return fully today!

God did not promise you only a job; He said you shall be the head and not the tail! That job God gave you is good but it is not your full package until you are at the peak of it. And whatever the devil had taken from the package of your career, he must return it today! God gave you a good business, but the package says you shall from it lend to nations. It did not say you shall be borrowing from banks to keep it alive. I want you to know that whatever the devil had taken from the package of your business, he must return now! God promised you a home but He also promised you a happy home and not one that would leave you in sorrow, and whatever the devil had taken from your package he must return today!

Hannah went on her knees in prayers in the house of God determined she was not going to leave the altar until her package was complete. The prophet came around and saw her countenance, he thought she was drunk, but Hannah did not care what anybody was thinking. She was not leaving until her package was complete! The prophet asked if she was drunk, but Hannah did not care what anybody was saying, she wasn’t going to stand up from her knees until her package was complete! Her rival was laughing at her efforts at overcoming bareness. But she did not care who was laughing at her situation. She was not going to give up until her package was complete! Her husband was urging her to forget about her issue and go back home, but she was not going to forget about her issue until her package was complete!

And today, I don’t know what the devil has stolen from the package of your blessings? I don’t know what the devil has stolen from the package of your business? I don’t know what he has stolen from the package in your career? I don’t know what he has stolen from the package of your marriage? I don’t know what he has stolen from the package of your health? Maybe you don’t even know what the devil had stolen from your package! But I know when you insist to know; when you insist not to give up, when you insist not to be discouraged, when you insist on having back what is yours and turn to God for His assistance, He shall restore back whatever the devil had stolen from your package and your cup shall run over like that of Hannah!

We must all remember that Hannah went through all these even as she was a virtuous woman. You might be virtuous but the devil would still steal from your package. Hannah was a faithful wife. You might be faithful in your dealings in life and the devil can still steal from your package. Hannah was loved by her husband—that you are loved by people around you does not stop the devil from stealing from your package! Hannah had no problem with her relationship with her husband. And that you are not facing any trouble at your work place, at your home, or at your business place does not mean the devil has not taken anything from your package! Hannah was dedicated to God in her life. You may be dedicated to God’s work but the devil would still steal from your package!

You need to stop looking at yourself all the time in the condition of your life and start looking at the devil that is the thief! You need to stop asking yourself all the time why things are going wrong in your life? Why things are missing in your life. And start asking the devil to restore back what he has stolen! The devil must return whatever he has stolen from your package! He must release whatever he is telling you are not in your package! He must stop lying in your life. He must stop stealing from your life! Watch out my listeners, the devil is a thief and a liar. He is stealing blessings from your marriage and telling you, you don’t have favour with your husband—He is a thief and a liar! He is stealing from your good health and telling you your body is naturally susceptible to cold—He is a thief and a liar! He is stealing from the good returns on your labour and he is telling you, you are in the wrong business and it’s time to move somewhere—He is a thief and a liar! He is stealing children from your womb and telling you the issue had to do with your husband’s low sperm count—He is a thief and a liar! He is showing you an incomplete package and calling it complete while he had stolen from it—He is a thief and a liar!

The devil does not need you to be far from God before stealing from your package. He only needs you to be ignorant of your inheritance as a joint heir. He only needs you to be ignorant of your inheritance as a child… I know before you might be ignorant of what is yours, but now you are no more ignorant of your package contains. Maybe you were complacent over the issues of your life, but now you are no more complacent of what was in your package. Maybe you were shying away before from asking what is yours, but now you are no longer shy of asking for the entitlements in your package, and you are now ready to challenge the devil over what he had stolen from your life!

My dear friend, do not seat there living your life with an incomplete package. Do not sit there being complacent with a half package. Do not sit there not knowing what to do with an incomplete package in your hands. Do not go about enjoying the company of an incomplete package. God wants you to ask for what is yours in your career, in your marriage, in your job and in your life, and He will recover whatever the devil stole from your package! I allowed in a pause and added, Until you make the devil a liar in your life… His ‘truth’ will continue to shine before you! Failure is truth with the devil. Sickness is truth with the devil. Crisis is truth with the devil and until you make him a liar before you, he has a lot of his ‘truths’ to explain in your life.

So, when next sickness comes and says it is a normal happening at your age… Tell the devil he is a liar! Next time when they bring a scientific evidence to tell you that accident must happen at a rate in your neighbourhood, tell the devil he is a liar! Next time they bring forecast and tell you your life is not safe in the places you go to, tell the devil he is a liar! The devil’s lies are hidden in his facts, they are hidden in expert forecasts, they are hidden in all manner of scientific explanations, and they are hidden in all manner of covers against God’s promises in your life. And next time when the lies come in their cover of truth… . tell the devil he is a liar!"

He came back sounding better at ease.

Thanks SST, I am now more enlightened on the need to pursue my full blessings. Jack said.

Thanks too Jack and thank you for calling on the show. I said.

I quickly replaced the telephone receiver. I had to move on to other areas that I had prepared for the morning show.

I went back to my listening audience.

"My listeners out there, I don’t know what you are facing today in your life? I don’t know what manner of challenges you are going through? But there is always a way out for you. And I know that when you make your will strong, God makes your way clear.

And when God brings you to your destiny in life, you will find yourself doing great wonders that you never imagined you could, and it would be so because it will not be you that will be doing the great wonders but the great spirit that is lying in you.

Some few years back in a certain city in the United States, a frail sixty-eight year old woman was working in her kitchen while her forty year old son was working in the driveway. Suddenly, the jack shifted and the car fell on his chest. Mrs Laura Schult ran outside and saw the car crushing her son; threatening to kill him. Hearing the cries of her son, she rushed forward, grabbed the bumper of the car and lifted the two thousand pound automobile off her son’s chest.

Two neighbours saw her do it but afterwards when she was asked by reporters, she could not recollect what happened that day… she had shifted to her sub-conscious mind in the moment of her great challenge. It was no longer her that was doing it but the great spirit she never knew that was in her. And today you are grappling with great challenges in life, but when you make your will strong enough, God creates the way out of your impossibilities! You will see yourself doing great wonders, overcoming great obstacles, seeing great visions that are all beyond your natural abilities! It will surprise people all around you. It will even shock you yourself beyond your comprehension because you know the strength you have in you, and what you are seing yourself doing is greater than whatever your natural strength can do! You know the natural capability you have in you. But what you would be seeing yourself doing would be overshadowering whatever your natural capability can possibly do. And it would be so, because it will not be you that will be doing it but the great hidden strength in you!

Whatever might come your way, whatever might rise against you, always know that you have something in you that is greater than what is coming against you! You have something in you that is bigger than all your problems and bigger than anything that might come against you. And when your will is strong enough, your way will come along. God has created you wonderfully and beautifully and implanted a great spirit in you that is to take you higher than you can ever imagined whenever your will is strong enough to provoke the great hidden powers in you. And greater things would you see yourself doing when you move to the hidden powers in your sub-conscious storehouse because it is not you that will be doing them but the great spirit lying in you!" I could hear the phone ringing.

I quickly stopped and picked it up.

Hello welcome to the motivational dance club. I said.

Gee! SST that was awesome! It’s always great hearing your voice in the morning. It was a female caller and she sounded excited.

Thank you my dear and welcome to the Motivational Dance Club show on INSPIRATIONAL FM. I welcomed her warmly.

Yes SST, I was just listening to your talk this morning and it lifted my spirit. I had been undergoing a sad experience in my relationship for sometime. But I guess your words this morning have done much to relieve my pains today. She said.

I wasn’t about to ask her what was keeping her sad. It was her choice to tell me if she wanted. I was just there to motivate her spirit and that of other listeners of my show in facing whatever challenges in life that was putting them down; that is what a motivational talk show is all about.

Whatever it is, you don’t need to allow it to worry you my sister. Remenber that God said in His words, He said—Remember ye not the former things or the things of the old, for I will do a new thing in your life.

Really SST? She asked sounding a bit curious.

Yes, it’s in the scriptures, my dear! We do not lean on our understanding here but by seeking the word of God always. I told her. God wants us to release the door we passed through so that He can carry us through a new door that He has for us. God wants us to forget the things of the past so that He can bring us to the new things of our life. But many of us are holding back always. We love remenbering the past always. We love looking back to the past issues of our lives and not looking to the front and seeing what God has in our future, and God cannot move us to where we are not looking to. I said.

I now moved on to my larger audience.

"My friends out there listening to me, maybe you had a bad investment in the stock market, God is saying to you today, I know your pains but its time to release the past so that I can usher you to the future. And sister, that your relationship that ended so sadly and is keeping you crying every night on your bed, God is saying you have cried enough my child and it’s now time to release the past so that I can usher you to your future. Yes, a lot of failure might have happened in your past, God is saying I know, but remenber it no more! Maybe you have been hurt so badly by the experience, but God is saying remember it no more for I am about to do a new thing in your life!

My listerners, God is saying, when you keep remembering the past failures, you are delaying the great new things that He wants to do in your life. When you keep the things of the old in your life, you are denying the new things from happening in your life! So whatever comes your way my friends, whatever it is that the devil has brought into your life, whatever failure, setback and dissappoitment that had come your way in life, God is saying it’s now time to remember it no more for He is about to do great new things in your life! My friends out there, God wants you to release the past so that He can usher you to your future!"

I decided to take the next call coming in.

SST, good morning! The caller said. The voice sounded like a teenager.

Morning and who are you calling on the Motivational Dance Club show this morning? I asked politedly.

SST, it’s me Deji, remember I call the show the last time? He said sounding like he was expecting a recognition from me. I decided to give him one.

Of course and you are welcome to the show this morning. What is it that you have for us on the dance floor?

SST, it was the same question I asked you the last time. I want you to give me additional clarification.

Ohh… . I said a little disappointed. You are not satisfied with my last explanation sir?

No! It is not like that SST! He said hurriedly. It was just that the time was gone and you advised me to call the show the next time… . remember?!

I couldn’t remember really!

Oh yeah? Ok Deji, what was your question like?

SST, I’m just starting life now… I wanted to know how I can be successful in life. He asked. It sounded a little funny to me.

Deji, there are many things you must do to be successful, but first you must show enough desire to succeed because God promises to satisfy the desires of our hearts. And you must be discipline, dedicated, committed and ready to make sacrifices. But above all, you must locate your location in life. Your allocation in life is in your location!

What do you mean by my location in life, SST?

I mean the destiny God has planned for your life. Life is like a marathon race. On the path, the runners must follow the route where the organisers have planned for their encouragement, supplying water and drinks to keep them moving to the finish line. But if a runner leaves the defined path, he will find himself on a lonely road where nothing is arranged on the way for him and at the end stands no chance of him picking a position in the race. You must know the path that will lead you to the location of your God defined destiny for your life. I said to him.

But how do I know the path God designed for me? He asked.

Well, my friend, as long as you are able to assist as much people as you meet on your way in life, your actions will guide you to your destiny. I said to him. I decided to include a narrative to it. I want you to learn a lesson from the story of a young man like you who left home in search of his destiny.

I started the narrative.

"A young man in a small village in Japan one day desired of his father to go out and see what the world had for him. The parents were poor but honest and hard working peasants.

On the day the boy was going, the father called him to his inner chambers and said to him; ‘my son, I have nothing to give you, but I have taught you to be honest, trust worthy and above all, never see yourself too poor to bless someone because it is by so doing God will bless you.’

On leaving the house, the young man met his mother at the doorway. The old woman saw that there was nothing for her to give him to carry on the journey but she wondered how she could be a blessing to him before he left. She then saw a heap of straw left by the side of the house. She decided if that was all she had she was not going to sent her son empty handed without something to remenber his parents with. She decided to give him the straw. And her son thanked her and left on his journey.

On his way, the young man met a man making charcoal. The man saw the straw in his hands and said, ‘young man I am running out of fire, can you please sell some of your straw to me?’

The young man looked at him and said, ‘no, the straw cost me nothing. I got it from home. You can have it.’

And the charcoal man collected the straw. As the young man was leaving, he called him back and said, ‘you are a nice man, you did not even charge me for that straw, you can have some charcoal.’

He thanked him and collected the basket of charcoal.

On his way he met a