- Brian Tracy
"Only by contending with challenges that seem to be beyond your strength to handle at the moment, you can grow more surely toward the stars."
- Brian Tracy
0 Comments
"We forgive to the extent that we love."
- La Rochefoucauld Two shopkeepers owned stores directly across the street from each other. Each spent his days tracking the others' business, and gloating triumphantly each time a customer chose his own store. Over time, they became bitter rivals. One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers and said, 'I'll give you anything you request, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive double. Would you be rich? You can be very rich indeed, but he'll be twice as wealthy. Do you desire a long and healthy life? Request it, but his life will be longer and healthier. What's your desire?' The man thought for a moment, and with a sly grin, stated, 'Strike me blind in one eye!' Bitterness is relentless and dangerous when allowed to take root in our hearts. It destroys decision-making abilities and compromises otherwise focused and productive lives. Its only remedy is forgiveness freely by Jesus Christ. And if you believe the Bible, we are to dispense it generously to others. Take a step out of bitterness into forgiveness today. Forgive the unforgivable. You can do it!" - Steve Arterburn Blessings always! "Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth."
- Henry David Thoreau "Faith is not being sure where you're going but going anyway."
- Frederick Buechner "Of all the needs (there are none imaginary) a lonely child has, the one that must be satisfied, if there is going to be a hope of wholeness, is the unshaken need for an unshakable God.'"
- Maya Angelou "Lord, I shall be very busy this day. I may forget thee, but do not thou forget me."
- Sir Jacob Astley Wake up each day asking God to carry you through that day's rough moments. He promised to wipe our tears away, not prevent them. So, weep when the tears come, but don't give up. "You are beaten to earth? Well, well, what's that? Come up with a smiling face. It's nothing against you to fall down flat but to lie there, that's disgrace."
- Edmund Vance Cook "When you feel misused, abused, or taken advantage of, you may be seeing yourself as a victim.
When we are victimized, we can focus on the wrong another person has done to us. This path is negative and destructive. When we focus here, it will keep us focused on the past, and will eventually turn us into very bitter, negative, fearful people. Or.... we can look for the life lessons we learned as a result of the wrong someone has done to us. This path is positive and constructive. It lets the wound heal, and we can move beyond the past and into the future." - Bobb Biehl "Don't let your happiness depend on something you may lose." - C.S. Lewis I think about things all the time... my mind wandering into the spaces that remind me of my smallness and make me question my place in the world. Why are things difficult, and for such a long time? I would never 'really' compare myself to Job of the Bible, but I would say that I've definitely experienced many "Job moments" in my life, as we all have. These moments always lead to questions and more questions, and inevitably into the place that makes you question IT ALL. Such is the time in my life. Granted, I am not bitter, nor do I question the greater things..... namely, the existence of God or the greater hope of afterlife, Heaven, eternity, etc. No, I wonder even today.....even when things seem to be on better track than ever. I wonder even today about who I met yesterday and how that may or may not work into my life. I wonder even today about the why of what I call "the tricky path"..... meaning WHY do we have to take the road not only FAR LESS TRAVELED, but far more serpentine? It's a conundrum, this thing called trust and faith. This thing that I choose to believe in and walk in. This thing that will send us to another country and culture. This thing that has a plan. Know that this thing called Faith is one incredible and glorious thing. You must persist. You must withstand. When you do, it will be revealed. Blessings. "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."
- Bernice Johnson Reagon |
AuthorJust busy serving the community. Nothing fancy to see here. Archives
July 2015
Categories
All
|