Stephen Okon @thestephen

By 5am, a man had been caught sneaking into someone’s house to steal. People in the area rushed out of their homes, armed with sticks, stones, and anything they could grab. They dragged the thief out into the open and noticed his leg was crippled, but no one cared about that. In the town I stayed, the law was simple, any thief caught before sunrise faced a harsh punishment. Many times, that meant being beaten to death or even burnt alive.

The crowd wasted no time. They started hitting him, raining blows from all directions. As they began discussing how to burn him, a man stepped out from the back of the crowd, shouting for them to stop. He begged the crowd to let the thief go, saying it wasn’t right to kill him, especially in his condition. But nobody listened. The people were too angry, and they were already preparing to light the fire.

Desperate, the man made a bold offer to pay them ₦50,000 for the damages caused by the thief. That got everyone’s attention. ₦50,000 was no small money, and slowly the crowd began to calm down. After some discussions, they agreed. The man handed over the money, and the thief, badly beaten but still alive, was set free.

Word later spread that the man who intervened was the thief's older brother. He had been living in another town for some time and had only recently returned. He couldn’t stand by and watch his younger brother get killed in such a brutal way. Family is family, no matter the shame or situation. He did what he had to do to protect his own.

Today, that same thief owns two estates and has become a respected man in the community. I still imagine how things could have gone differently if his life had ended that morning.

I recently attended a conference called "Change Waves" that focused on important aspects of life such as money management, career growth, and building a healthy home. It was a three-day event packed with valuable insights and practical advice. The sessions were well-organized, and I felt that the topics covered were relevant to many of the challenges we face in our everyday lives.

One of the highlights of the conference was meeting an old friend. It was a huge surprise to run into him just as the event was wrapping up. Even though we had only a short time to catch up, it was great to reconnect. He mentioned that he had been invited to the conference and that he really appreciated the kind of discussions and learning opportunities that were offered.

My friend was enthusiastic about the conference, sharing that these are the kinds of events he values. He emphasized how important it is for people to learn the basic principles of life, something that often gets overlooked in our busy schedules. It was encouraging to hear his thoughts and realize that we both saw the same value in the program.

As we talked, I could see how much we both gained from the conference. The knowledge shared about managing finances, advancing in our careers, and maintaining a balanced home life was truly beneficial. It felt like the kind of learning experience that can make a real difference in one’s life.

Before we parted ways, I made sure to get his contact details so we could stay in touch. The experience was enriching, and I look forward to more opportunities for growth and learning like this one.

I walked into a group of four young men deep in conversation. They were discussing business, wealthy people, and how they manage their investments. One of them was talking about how some rich people take out huge loans even when they don’t have much cash in their bank accounts.

He explained that these rich people often have assets that are worth a lot of money. Even if they don’t have the cash on hand, their properties, businesses, and other investments give them the power to borrow large amounts of money from banks.
Another guy jumped in, saying that it’s not always about the money in your account but about your overall network and the value of what you own. He said that if you really want to make money, you need to think about building your assets and connections.

I stood there quietly, taking in their conversation. They were talking about how it’s not just about earning money but also about how you manage and grow what you already have. It made me realize that wealth isn’t just about what you have now but what you can do with what you own.

I could see they were eager to learn more about the world of business and wealth. It was clear that they understood the importance of thinking beyond the immediate cash and focusing on long-term growth and opportunities. These are the kind of talks our young guys should have more than fighting to be Man United or Chelsea fans.
They shared many secrets to wealth but I'll keep some to myself 🧐

One morning, I woke up to a strange leg pain. At first, I thought it was just a minor issue, but by the second day, the pain had intensified, making it hard for me to move around. I called my wife to share my concerns, but she reassured me that the pain would subside. I said a silent prayer, hoping for relief.

By day 3, the pain only grew worse. I couldn't bear it anymore, so I asked my neighbor for help getting to the nearest hospital. I leaned on him for support as we walked in. The nurse asked me to wait, and I found a pillar to lean against, as sitting made the pain worse.

That's when I noticed a man sitting nearby, looking frustrated. I started a conversation and asked if everything was okay. He shared that his child had collapsed that morning and hadn't woken up since. I tried to offer some words of encouragement, sharing stories of the small miracles I see every day.

As we talked, I forgot about my own pain. But then my neighbor pointed something out that I was standing and walking around without any support. I realized that my pain had vanished. I was so busy in helping the other man that I hadn't even noticed my own healing.

Long story short, I told the man his child will wake up and got his contact to reach out later. At evening, he called to tell me his child was awake and eating. To God be the glory

My friend told me he was feeling sick on Thursday, and I thought it was no big deal. I assumed he'd be better by Sunday. So, I sent him a text on Friday night, but I didn't hear back from him. Saturday was busy for me, so I didn't think much of it.

But then, on Sunday, after church, he called me with a weak voice. He said he had broken down and was taken to the hospital. I left church right away and rushed to the hospital, which was 40 minutes away by bus.

During the bus ride, I fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream, my friend came to me with a big smile on his face. I asked him how he was feeling, and he said, "Stephen, I'm fine. Nothing's wrong with me." I woke up to the conductor telling me we'd arrived at the hospital.

I got off the bus and went into the hospital, expecting to see my friend lying in bed, sick. But instead, he was sitting up and eating jollof rice. I asked him what happened, and he told me that after we last spoke, he slept and woke up feeling fine. He was just waiting for the doctor to discharge him.

I was convinced that my dream was a sign of his recovery. It was a miracle
God is still in the business of healing and answering prayers.

I'm still trying to process what happened with my laptop last month. I spent a whopping 55k to fix it!!! First, the screen needed fixing, and then the panel broke down too. I was so frustrated that I considered giving up on it altogether.

But then I thought, "Wait a minute, fixing it is better than buying a new one, especially with the way things are financially right now." So, I decided to give it another chance.

After it was fixed, I used it every day until last week when things got really busy and I didn't touch it for three days. But when I tried to turn it on again, it just wouldn't come on. It wouldn't even charge. I was so disappointed that I just dropped it off at the repair shop again.

To be honest, I had given up on it at that point. But then something strange happened three days ago. I don't know what came over me, but I picked up the laptop and started praying for it (the last thing I had in mind)

When the electricity came back on, I decided to plug it in and see what would happen. And to my surprise, it started charging. It's been working perfectly ever since.

I'm still in shock, to be honest. I don't know what happened or how it fixed itself, but I'm just grateful to God that it's working again.