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INTERVIEW WITH AN AWARD WINNING LIFESTYLE BLOGGER- ELIZABETH T PETERS

She is more than just a lifestyle blogger, she is a package of talents. I got to know a lot more about this young lady who of course was quite expository on all about herself.

“every disappointment should not be treated as the end of the road, sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel just seems a little dim from one angle, so you have to change your view point to see it” – Elizabeth T Peters

Can you tell the readers about yourself and your blog?

Well, my name is Elizabeth T Peters and I’m a lifestyle blogger(ElizabethTPeters.com) Event planner Bowen Next Top Model being my most recent show and a medical student at Bowen University Teaching Hospital. I also own a growing clothing line which I am very proud of.

ElizabethTpeters.com is a lifestyle blog meaning it is very versatile; posts can range from day to day issues to advertising worthy products and services. I also am open to new writers – both columnists and feature writers, #ETPBlog is a platform for people’s voices to be heard.

Describe how you first got into blogging?

I actually went through a painful experience of backstabbing which unearthed raw emotions and when I’m emotional I release by writing. After I wrote the piece and a few friends read it they encouraged me to put it online and so that was how my blog was birthed! People connected to the posts and so I continued writing, the rest is history haha.

How do you manage Medicine and surgery and your blog efficiently?

I balance my tedious course by keeping my own posts to just once a week. Other posts are by other columnists or feature writers so I don’t actually spend that much time blogging. Besides, writing comes to me naturally so I can literally write three posts one day and just upload them gradually over three weeks.
When something is your passion, the time for it will be created naturally.

What was your greatest failure and what did you learn from that?

When I first applied for medicine and surgery and was unsuccessful I was rather downhearted but I went on to study biomedical sciences (at the University of East London) and worked hard to have great grades and so was able to re-apply as a transfer student and I got not one or two but FOUR offers for medicine and surgery between two continents!

I learnt that not every disappointment should be treated as the end of the road, sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel just seems a little dim from one angle, so you have to change your view point to see it.

Tell us about your best achievement?

Oh it would have to be becoming a born again Christian. Growing up in a Christian household can make you think you’re Christian by default but when you have your own personal experience of God; it’s truly life changing.

Who has impacted you most in blogging and how?

I don’t know the “owner” per se, but I really like TheNakedConvos.com – they have so many contributors and the variety in points of views and writing styles amidst their writers is beautiful.

What is your greatest achievement outside of blogging?

Surviving this long in medical school! Haha light joke, I’d say being a source of inspiration to other people; that’s something that can’t be bought and thus I value it greatly.

What do you do in your spare time?
Read (both academical and non-academical books), write, plan (be it what I’m doing tomorrow or in five years time) and generally relax – life is strenuous enough as it is!

Where would you like to be in blogging five years from now?

I’d like to be a renowned name in the blogosphere and be flown from city to city giving speeches and holding workshops. I’d love to be a TED Speaker!

Can you name some of your favourite bloggers and explain why they are your favourites?

As earlier stated, TheNakedConvos.com for the same reasons, ThePreciousPlace.wordpress.com &Nckan.wordpress.com – their writing is simply beautiful.

What can you say about your blogging Journey so far?

It has been an interesting ride; one which I’ve learnt from constantly, I feel like my blog has been growing with me and I love it.

What’s your advice to the upcoming bloggers?

My advice would be to remain consistent; know your niche and own it!

ElizabethTPeters.com

SEE MORE PICTURES OF ELIZABETH T PETERS

6th June 2016
What the Bible says about sex?

Sex is a gift God gives to married people for their mutual enjoyment. It’s in the Bible, Proverbs 5:18-19, TLB. “Let your manhood be a blessing; rejoice in the wife of your youth. Let her charms and tender embrace satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight.”

Biblical sexuality is a gift

Romance and God’s gift of sexuality are highly recommended within the commitment of marriage. It’s in the Bible, Hebrews 13:4, NIV. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure…” I Corinthians 7:3,4, NIV says, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.”

God designed sex as part of the unique relationship of marriage. It’s in the Bible, I Corinthians 7:5, TLB. “So do not refuse these rights to each other. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from the rights of marriage for a limited time, so that they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterwards, they should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control.”

To keep from hurting ourselves, sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ’s control. It’s in the Bible, I Thessalonians 4:3-5, TLB. “For God wants you to be holy and pure and to keep clear of all sexual sin so that each of you will marry in holiness and honor not in lustful passion as the heathen do, in their ignorance of God and his ways.”

Sex forbidden by the Bible

The seventh commandment forbids adultery.It’s in the Bible, Exodus 20:14, “You shall not commit adultery.”

Sexual sin is destructive, even when the effects are not immediately apparent. It’s in the Bible, I Corinthians 6:18, TLB. “That is why I say to run from sex sin. No other sin affects the body as this one does. When you sin this sin it is against your own body.”

How does sexual sin begin? It’s in the Bible, Matthew 5:28, TLB. “But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

The Bible condemns homosexual behavior.It’s in the Bible, Romans 1:26-27, NIV. “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.”

The Bible forbids incest. It’s in the Bible, Leviticus 18:6, NIV. “No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations.”

The Bible forbids bestiality. It’s in the Bible, Leviticus 18:23, NIV. “Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it.”

The Bible forbids sexual relations with a prostitute. It’s in the Bible, I Corinthians 6:15-17, TLB. Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts and members of Christ? So should I take part of Christ and join Him to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute she becomes a part of him and he becomes a part of her? For God tells us in the Scripture that in His sight the two become one person.”

5th June 2016
The LOVE vs LUST phenomenon

How do you tell the difference between Love and Lust?

Although we can often get the two confused, the Bible is very clear about the difference between love & lust. As Christians, we need to make sure that we work hard at understanding the difference, because the outcome of loving someone is vastly different from the outcome of lusting after them! So here is how we can identify love & lust, and work out the difference between them.

What is love?

There is quite a lot in the Bible about love. As a matter of fact — according to Matthew 22:34-40, every command that is written in the Bible stems from love! Either loving God, or loving your neighbour (that is, anyone and everyone that you come into contact with). It even tells us about the ultimate example of love in Jesus Christ taking the punishment we deserve by laying down his life for us so we can be forgiven for our sin. But perhaps the most well known passage about love is 1 Corinthians 13where we get a list of all the things that define what love IS and what it IS NOT. Love IS NOT envious, boastful, proud (self glorifying), rude, self seeking or easily angered, and it does not hold stuff against one another! Rather, love IS patient, kind, truthful, protecting, and hopeful, it never fails, but always perseveres with the other person, even when it is hard and you don’t really feel like doing it! In other words, love is other-person-centred. It is all about putting the person who you love first, even before yourself… and sometimes at your own expense!

What is lust?

The Bible also says a lot about lust! Proverbs is full of helpful hints & tips and is a must read for every young Christian! Other passages to read areMatthew 5:27-30, Romans 1:18-32 & 2 Samuel 11, where King David lusts after an attractive young girl & ends up breaking most of the 10 commandments in one day! When you read these passages you’ll see that lust NEVER ends well, and that’s because it stems from a sinful heart. At the core of lust is selfishness, disrespect and a lack of self control, none of which are valuable characteristics in God’s eyes. Lust is self-centred. It is all about putting your desires first, without giving a thought to the person that you are lusting after. This generally plays out differently for guys and girls. Usually guys lust after the physical i.e. what they can see or touch, whereas for girls it’s usually more emotionally based i.e. what makes them feel good or special. But of course, everyone is different and this is not always the case for everyone.

What is the difference?

The difference between love and lust is the attitude of your heart. If you’re in love, the attitude of your heart is one of selflessness, with the other person as your focus, whereas if you are in lust the attitude of your heart will be one of selfishness, with yourself as the focus. True love is driven by a godly desire to provide for, nurture and care for the other persons needs, whereas lust is driven by an ungodly desire to provide for, nurture and care for our own sinful passions. When you love someone you choose to stick with that person at the expense of all others, even when it’s hard and you don’t want to! When you lust after someone, you get angry and throw in the towel as soon as you don’t get what you want, or you manipulate them until they do what you want them to do.

So… if you find yourself wondering about whether or not you’re in love, ask yourself “what is my heart attitude towards this person? Is it one of selflessness or selfishness? Am I willing to put the hard yards in, even when I don’t really want to, or will I probably throw in the towel when things get tough? Do I want to invest into this person, or is it just about fulfilling my human desires?” The answer to these questions will be a sure indication of whether you are in love, or lust.

5th June 2016
6 Ways You Can Avoid Fornication

By Ugochi Oritsejolomisan

The debate among singles whether fornication is a sin or not is on the increase, especially among those engaged to get married. The Bible is very clear on this matter and this article will not only show it is wrong, but will also help singles know how to avoid fornication.
It would be helpful to those of you who want to keep their marriage bed undefiled, those who want to lay the right foundation for their marriage. Or for those who know someone who does…

1. AGREE IT IS WRONG.
First you must be one whose Lord is God and who takes His word as final authority over your life. You must be one who believes and seeks to obey Him in all your ways. You must be one who is ready to swim against the tide of the world and follow the narrow path of unpopularity of this world we live in. you must be one who believes that if God says not to do it then you would ensure to obey. If this is established then let me show you that God does not approve of pre-marital sex (fornication).

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood… Acts 15: 20

These are just two of many scriptures showing how God wants us to handle our bodies. He lives in us and demands that we should treat our bodies like His temple that it is. You do not own your body!

What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 619-20

2. MAKE IT INCONVENIENT.
I always tell singles and those already in a relationship to make it very inconvenient for them to have sex with their fiancés/fiancées before marriage. Let me explain:
You should visit and meet each other or spend time together in places where it will be impossible for you to commit the act. Visits to each other’s homes, or even friend’s homes where you can be “left alone” can pose a serious threat.
I hear some ladies say they went to cook or clean for their fiancés and I tell those who want to listen that it is not very appropriate for them to do that, there is time for every thing. I might subscribe to you cooking and sending to him but not going over to his house to do it. You should avoid making room for “mistakes” to occur.

…And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

3. TOUCHES.
One thing to also beware of is touches; yes touches. When you start touching each other, you increase the chances of arousing your sexuality.
And when you continue touching each other so, your defences get weaker and weaker to the point where you will no longer be able to resist the urge to go on and do “it”, this is because the mind is very powerful and thoughts of what could happen with you two will keep playing in your mind.

…And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

4. THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
Thinking of the consequences of fornication will put godly fear in you, especially if you are a true believer in God and you believe that Jesus can return any moment and will not take you with Him if He finds you in sin. Since no one knows when His return will be, you should live everyday like it is “The Day”.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators,nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. 1 Corinthians 6:9

5. PRAY.
For it is in prayer you receive wisdom and power to over come all. Prayer causes you to be filled more with God’s Spirit. If you do not pray then you make yourself an easy prey for the devil.
Notice that I put this towards the end, if you pray and leave the above mentioned undone then you are setting yourself up.

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation…

6. RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
Finally on this list, I advise that when face to face with the temptation to commit a sexual sin, instead of conversing with each other or the enemy, you should do one very important thing God recommends: RUN!

Joseph ran for his life and he enjoyed God’s blessing, Samson remained and lost his glory, which would you choose?

Flee fornication… 1 Corinthians 6:18

I pray this helps in ways more than one way, and remember to email or share with a friend or loved one.

5th June 2016
Faith Is More Than Believing;Take your Next Step Of Faith.

“And Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.” (Mark 10:52 NASB)

I don’t know what step you need to take next, but I do know that you need to take it. For some of you, the next step is to accept Jesus Christ into your life. For others, it may be to be baptized. Maybe you need to join a church, get into a small group, tithe, find a ministry, go on a mission trip, or invite a friend to church. I don’t know what your next step is, but I do know this: You have one. God will never be finished taking you deeper in faith. There is always a next step.

If you don’t take the next step, you’re going to get stuck in a rut and the only difference between a grave and a rut is the length. If you don’t move forward in faith, you will die. Your heart will grow cold, and you will feel more distant from God. He isn’t going to help you with step three, four, and five until you take step one. If you’re asking God to help you with something, he’s asking you, “Why haven’t you done what I’ve already told you to do?” You may have “been aiming to” do something. Stop aiming and pull the trigger.

Before Bartimaeus met Jesus, he was sitting beside the road. After he received his sight from the Lord, he “began following Jesus on the road” (Mark 10:52b NASB). Which of those two phrases describes your life: sitting beside the road or following Jesus on the road? Which of those two lifestyles do you think is more fulfilling? Which do you think has more joy, more meaning, and more satisfaction? Which one do you want to represent your life?

There’s only one way to follow Jesus on the road: Take the next step.

Faith is more than believing. Faith is more than thinking, talking, or having convictions about Jesus. Faith is action. It is movement; it is activity. Faith is something you do. In fact, the Bible says in James 2:14, “If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing” (NCV).

Where do you get the faith to begin a fresh start? There’s only one source: Jesus Christ.

“Everything that we have right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start comes from God by way of Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30 MSG). Bartimaeus had no idea that Jesus Christ was going to pass his way that day. To him, it was just another day. But God gave him an unexpected opportunity that offered him a fresh start. God is giving you the same opportunity. Don’t blow it. Take your next step of faith before the opportunity passes you by.

2nd June 2016