Peanuts?

Men and women of character are made, not born. Its easy to look at the lives of great or influential men and women of God and wish yours could be the same. Maybe youre awed by their character, their apparent strength in the face of opposition and struggle, or their noteworthy talents that enabled them to accomplish something that is memorable to this day. Or maybe youre impressed by their undeniable love for God that empowered them to tell thousands of people about Jesus, or that gave them strength to endure so many difficulties. But those men and women went through their lives just as you doone day at a time, one struggle

Mose

at a time, one disappointment or hardship at a time, one moment of happiness at a time, one accomplishment at a time. Their lives werent always about coming out on top and being applauded and credited for their good deeds or successes. Those were moments in their life, moments that the world remembered. But they only had those moments because they endured and patiently went through whatever life brought their way.

The McTurd

You too can become a person of character. Perhaps you dont feel this way now. Maybe you look at your lifeyour difficulties and your accomplishments and assume its peanuts compared to what others have suffered or accomplished. Maybe you dont feel that your decisions have much of an effect on anyone around you; youre not much of an influence on others, or perhaps you wonder if what you do even matters in the grand scheme of things. Your experiences are meant to make you a man or woman of character. There are moments of greater impact, and each person reaches a few of those at certain points in their lives, but your character is also forged by how you live through the mundane times,

how you fight through the lonely struggles, how you put on a brave face even when you feel that no one is watching. If your goal is to leave a positive effect on others, or to carry anothers burdens, or to be a positive influence on anothers lifeand you make daily choices with this goal in mindthen you will make a difference and you are on the right path to achieving that level of character you admire.

Notable Quote:
Only hope for more love. Not that you might receive more love, but that you might have more love to give. That should always be your hope and your prayer .Jesus

Originally published July 2009; adapted. Illustrated by Mike Krome. Design by Stefan Merour. Copyright 2012 by The Family International