Our emotions are God-given, but too often, people allow their negative circumstances to dictate their emotions instead of the Word of God. If there’s one thing that can lead you away from your God-given potential and seeing the awesome plan God has for your life, it’s your emotions.
If we allow our circumstances to dictate our emotions, and are moved by what we see and experience, doors of doubt and fear are opened. When we allow doubt and fear in, we become emotionally unstable. The way you feel today has little to do with what God is actually doing in your life. He’s always working behind the scenes even if we don’t realise it!
Today, don’t allow yourself to be tossed around by your emotions. Instead, choose to be stable minded by focusing your thoughts on the Word of God, and being around positive people. Stand strong in God so you can confidently embrace the plans He has for you!
“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which guides my feet and lights my path. Father, I choose to meditate on Your truth which is my source of mental strength. God, please help me to be stable minded as I focus on You and Your Word. In Christ’s Name! Amen.
When I was a boy I was always very emotional. I would cry and sulk at the drop of a hat. I would refuse to do things because of how emotional I was. One thing that can lead you away from your potential and seeing the awesome plan God has for your life is your emotions. Emotions are God-given, but too often, people allow their circumstances to dictate their emotions and thoughts, instead of the Word of God.
When we allow our circumstances to dictate our emotions, it opens the door for doubt and fear to come in. If we allow doubt and fear in, we become unstable. Understand this key: the way you feel has little to do with what God is actually doing in your life. He’s working in realms you cannot see, whether you realise it or not!
Today, don’t allow yourself to be tossed around by your emotions any longer. Instead, choose to be stable-minded by focusing your thoughts on the Word and promises of God. Never serve God out of just feelings. Stand strong in Him. Ask God to replace your thinking with His, so you can confidently embrace the plan He has for you!
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Father, I will meditate on Your truth and promises, which is my source of mental and emotional strength and faith. God, please help me to be steadfast and strong, not doubting, as I set my focus on You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
When you start serving God with your whole heart, don’t be surprised when you find yourself a target for the enemy. If you know you are going into a challenging season, you can get prepared for it. You can make sure you are mentally ready. But what about the difficulties that we don’t see coming? The unexpected crisis that catches you off-guard? Sometimes, it can seem so overwhelming that it almost knocks the wind right out of you, and leaves you at times questioning God.
According to God’s Word we shouldn’t be surprised by those unexpected fiery trials. That’s because the forces of darkness would not be fighting against you if they didn’t know that God has something amazing in store for your life! Sometimes, those unexpected difficulties are just a sign that you’re on the right track. It’s always darkest just before the dawn. The enemy always fights the hardest when you are closest to your breakthrough. The key is to stay the course and keep fighting the good fight of faith.
Today, in these difficult times, keep your joy and keep declaring God’s Word over your future. God has promised that you will overcome every obstacle – even the unexpected ones. You will defeat every enemy, and you will embrace the blessing and victory He has in for you! Hallelujah!
“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12–13, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for walking with me in every season of my life. Father, today I cast all of my cares on You. I cast all of my difficulties, all of my questions, and all of my concerns on You. God, teach me how to handle the unexpected fiery trials. Thank You for working all things out for my good, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Have you ever felt like your life is spinning out of control? Do you feel tossed around by the storms of life? Have you ever seen a tree in a hurricane? The wind and the rain blows the leaves from the branches, and sometimes the branches are torn off and the tree is blown over. But, the tree’s roots are protected from the weather by being firmly established in the ground. The same should be true in our lives.
If our roots are not firmly grounded in the Word of God, we become vulnerable during the difficult times. But when our thoughts are in line with God’s thoughts, He plants a righteous root within us and we become spiritually grounded. Our thinking becomes clear, we become stronger and equipped to overcome the storms of life.
Today, God wants you to be solid. He wants you to be steady. He wants you to have a grounded life and character. He wants your roots to grow deep in His Word. He wants you to be righteous in Him. Ask Him to show you any areas of your thought life that might need to be firmly planted in Him. As you develop your relationship with God, you will grow deep spiritual roots and stand victoriously against all that life throws at you!
“No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.” (Proverbs 12:3, ESV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your plan for my life. Father, help me to grow deep roots in my relationship with You. Please Lord, cause my thoughts to be Your thoughts, so that I will be strong and grounded in You. God, thank You for Your favour and blessing in my life, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Did you know that emotions are God-given? If there’s one thing that can lead you away from your potential, and seeing the awesome plan God has for your life, it’s your emotions. Too often, people allow their circumstances to dictate their emotions and thoughts, instead of the Word of God.
When we allow our circumstances to dictate our emotions, when we are moved by what we see, or experience, it opens the door for doubt and anxiety to come in. When we allow doubt and anxiety in, we become unstable. We are tossed back and forth. Understand this key: the way you feel today has little to do with what God is actually doing in your life. He’s working behind the scenes whether you realise it or not!
Today, don’t allow yourself to be tossed around by your emotions any longer. Instead, choose to be stable minded and not anxious by focusing your thoughts on the Word of God. Stand strong in Him so you can confidently embrace the plan He has for you!
“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” (James 1:6, NIV)
Let’s Pray Yahweh, thank You for Your Word which dispels all my doubts and anxiety. Father, I will meditate on Your truth which has become my source of strength and faith. Almighty God, help me to be stable minded, as I set my focus on You. In Christ’s Name! Amen.
Being a both a Christian and a leader can be an emotional ride, with ups, downs, joy, and disappointment. Words have power and these inspiring and motivating quotes are guaranteed to challenge the way you think and perhaps even change the way you live.
We hope they resonate with you as much as they have with us. Sometimes a little piece of advice or wisdom from a brilliant mind can help you motor through even the most difficult of times.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ’- Maya Angelou
It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it. ’- Lou Holtz
What happened, happened, and it wouldn’t have happened any other way. Lewis Carroll
Choose a job that you like, and you will never have to work a day in your life. ’- Confucius
Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. ’- Proverbs 29:11
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. —Vince Lombardi
Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. ’- Napoleon Hill
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. ’- Mark Twain
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. ’- Ralph Nader
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. ’- Proverbs 27:17
If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. ’- Napoleon Hill
What is not started will never get finished. ’- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
When you cease to dream, you cease to live. ’- Malcolm Forbes
Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs. ’- Farrah Gray
Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ’- Unknown
Winners never quit, and quitters never win. ’- Vince Lombardi
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. ’- Unknown
Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. —Charles Swindoll
The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. ’- Vince Lombardi
Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. ’- Maggie Kuhn
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. ’- Warren Buffett
Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. —Eleanor Roosevelt
When someone tells me “no,” it doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it simply means I can’t do it with them. ’- Karen E. Quinones Miller
If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. —Booker T. Washington
You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. ’- Henry Ford
A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. ’- Unknown
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions. —Stephen Covey
Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. ’- Unknown
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. ’- Unknown
I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. —Jimmy Dean
If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on. —Sheryl Sandberg. — Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger
Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear. —George Addair
The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. —Amelia Earhart
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. — Proverbs 22:1
Bookmark this page and come back to it when you need some inspiration and motivation.
Small projects often embody more innovation than larger more costly or high profile ones.
Innovation is a wide concept that includes improvements in processes, products and services. It involves incorporating new ideas which generate changes that help solve the needs of a company and so increase its competitiveness. That’s hardly big news. But what may be surprising to some is that innovation has itself, well, innovated and it isn’t what it used to be.
New materials and energy, design approaches, as well as advances in digital technology and big data, are creating a wave of innovation within the construction industry. These new ideas are increasingly often tested and proven on smaller and agiler projects. Investing time and money is well spent on these ideas and technical improvements can then be used on large-scale developments.
Here are three exciting small projects:
Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015 / Daniel Libeskind
VANKE PAVILION Milan, Italy
1. Vanke Pavilion – Milan Expo 2015
The corporate pavilion for Vanke China explores key issues related to the theme of the Expo Milano 2015, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.
Situated on the southeast edge of the Lake Arena, the 800-square meter pavilion appears to rise from the east, forming a dynamic, vertical landscape.
The original tiling pattern would have resulted in thousands of ceramic tiles of different sizes and shapes. The resulting complexity and lack of repetition could have led to high costs and a longer erection time.
Working with Architects Studio Libeskind, Format Engineers (Engineering Designers with backgrounds in structural engineering, coding, mathematics, and architecture) changed the pattern from thousands of different tiles to less than a dozen and simplified the backing structure generating huge cost savings. Format Engineers also proposed ‘slicing’ of the building and then fabrication of the primary structure of steel ribs using low tech flat steel plate elements. These were then used in a series of long span portalised frames reminiscent of the ribs and spars in traditional boat building resulting in a column-free area for the display of Chinese Cultural Heritage.
The frame was built to a budget and without difficulty ahead of the neighboring Expo buildings.
Building Size
12 meters high
740 mq gross floor area (exhibition, service & VIP levels)
130 mq roof terrace
Architect: Studio Libeskind
Engineer: Format Engineers
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
2. Oxford Brookes Rain Pavilion
The Rain Pavilion is an urban forest sculpture forming the front entrance to Oxford Brookes University’s Architecture Faculty.
“Rain Pavilion artwork is a sensory experience for the community.”
The complex form required extensive wind modeling and comprehensive structural analysis within a generative 3d model. This was allied with Format Engineers in-house code for the self-organization of voids and their subsequent redistribution.
.At each stage of the design process different modeling and analysis techniques were used to exploit the form and to optimise the structure. The considerable challenges posed by the slenderness of the structure and its dynamic behavior under wind were resolved by combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) (a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows) with a generative design environment. Conceptual design introduced the ideas of tubular stems and folded steel canopies, both of which were perforated by circular holes arranged to allow the interplay of light and water through the structure. The voids were generated using a self-organizing process.
Grasshopper (a graphical algorithm computer 3-D modeling tool) was used to produce a mesh that could include the voids in both the stems and the petals.
The Rain Pavilion is designed to celebrate the sound of rain, and the noise of water interacting with different sections of the installation is part of the experience of passing through it. The structure has a design life of five years and can be transported to other locations.
Architect: Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
Engineer: Format Engineers
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
KREOD Pavilion
3. KREOD Pavilion
The KREOD pavilions were first erected on the London Greenwich Olympic site in 2012. Easily rearranged, three pod-like pavilions were formed with a wooden structural framework comprised of an open hexagonal composition.
Standing three meters tall, each double-curved wooden shell enclosed a footprint of 20 square meters, totaling 60 square meters. A waterproof tensile membrane sealed the interior from the elements fully portable with demountable joints, the individual components can be stacked for efficient transportation.
Chun Qing Li the architect required a temporary exhibition or function space that could be erected and demounted mostly by hand and by untrained staff. The quality of finish needed to echo that of handmade furniture and had to be low cost and quick to erect. The continuously changing double curved form of the enclosure meant that in theory, every nodal connection was different. A conventional bolted solution would have cost hundreds of pounds per fixing. Format Engineers suggestion of a ‘reciprocal’ jointed timber grid shell required standard bolts which equated to a fraction of the normal cost. It also allowed the structure to be built from simple and light flat timber elements.
The structure used Kebony timber throughout, a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood. As this material had not previously been used in a structural context Format Engineers undertook load testing of the material and the connections at the University of Cambridge. The timber was fabricated using CNC routing (a computer controlled cutting machine) allowing a highly accurate fit between members and basic erection on site.
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $3.7 million to a University of Maine-led to further research and development of offshore wind technology.
The Money Will Help Finance Further Development of Floating Turbines That Could Lead to a Lucrative Clean-energy Industry in the State.
The DOE found enough promise in the project’s progress to spend the additional money, bringing the total investment to $6.7 million and allowing the consortium to complete engineering and design work to address technical concerns.
Habib Dagher, leader of UMaine’s offshore wind research team, said “the DOE was impressed by the Maine project’s low cost. It’s also the only project with a power purchase agreement in place.” Dagher also said “the project will be financed using a combination of public money, private investment and borrowing”.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy passed over the Maine Aqua Ventus project for a $47 million grant, but provided $3 million to keep the project alive. The winning proposals in Virginia, New Jersey and Oregon are currently behind on project milestones, creating the opportunity for Aqua Ventus to lead.
Aqua Ventus, plans to place a two-turbine, 12-megawatt project off the coast of Monhegan Island and is the only project of its kind that proposes the use of concrete for the floating platforms.
The DOE is impressed by the design because it holds the potential to drive down costs while moving construction closer to project sites, spreading out the economic impact, Dagher said, “the technology can be used to access more than half of the offshore wind resources in deep waters within 50 miles of the coast, and will create jobs”.
UMaine has already tested a smaller 65-foot-tall turbine deployed off Castine, Maine, which performed as engineers expected, even as waves reached the equivalent of 75 feet.
Hopes for an offshore wind project are pinned on Aqua Ventus after Norwegian company Statoil spiked its plans to put four three-megawatt wind turbines 12 miles off Maine’s coast.
UMaine, which was selected as an alternative, is waiting in the wings if any of the winning proposals fail to meet milestones by May 1. Those programs with the greatest likelihood of success will be selected to move forward after May 31, Danielson wrote.
As part of the effort, UMaine will unveil a $13.8 million expansion of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center next week. The new structure will allow scientists to produce wind and waves of varying intensity, recreating the fury of the North Atlantic in a controlled setting on campus in Orono, Dagher said.
