`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` *** life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` *** developed the art of losing myself ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` *** Iosua 23.8 " ut you are to hold fast to the !"#$ your %od, as you have until now." *** &cts '(.) *despre apostoli+ ",hese who have turned the world upside down." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------****** I promise myself I promise I`ll wait for you ,he midnight hour, I know you`ll shine on through I promise myself I promised the world to you I gave you flowers .ou made my dreams come true /ow many others out there .ou`re the need, to run and look for shelter I promise myself ,hat I say I pray for you 0hen you tomorrow, where all your wish comes true I promise myself that I`d make it up to you

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ***** ",ake one step at a time, every step under $ivine warrant and direction. 1ver plan for yourself in simple dependence of %od. It is nothing less than self2idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the day without /is counsel. /e loves to be consulted." `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` **** 30e are simple people. .ou can4t remember ten things at once. Invariably, if you could remember 5ust "61 true thing7you4d be different. 8onnect one bit of 9cripture to one bit of life7. &pply one relevant thing from our #edeemer to one significant scene in your story. ring one bit of the ible to one bit of your life7. .ou can4t deal with it all at once. 9cripture never does7. !ife goes one step at a time.: `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` **** -6ature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty if only we have the eyes to see them. 0ishing you beauty wherever you look.-

`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ***** - 1veryday is a special gift and you ;<9,====== live it ><!!.===- *de la bianca toia+ `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ********;ost of us have heard that %od is love , that %od became flesh, and that 5esus was his mane. however, it is a stunning truth that it is not enough to mererely say that 5esus was loving, or that he was loved, or even that he knew how to love. 5esus was love, he was the very essence of the stuff, bound up in blood, bone and sinew? he was love walking on two feet, breathing the dusty air of @udea, living to give life to men. @esus was perfect, and he lived the only perfect life thatAs ever been lived. these words are well2worn and have been repeated more times than can be numbered. but do we realiBe that practical implications of such a statementC it means that in all things, and at all times, 5esus was perfectly loving, perfectly unselfish, and perfectly humble. he was perfectly righteous, and perfectly holy. in fact he was perfect in every way. the ible says that he was without sin. @esus was blameless. not once in his life was he ever arrogant, boastful, or proud. D...E /e had no blind spots. his doctrine was pure.*..+ he never spoke out of pre5udice, mere opinion, or dogma. he spoke only what his father gave him to speak, and his words were the words of %od. he came to serve others, not to be served himself. he made no attempt to manipulate the masses for his own gain, but lived humbly and without pretension. he was approachable. 0omen, children, taF collectors, prostitutes and even lepers came to @esus and were never turned away. he taught that we should love one another, that we should treat others as we ourselves wolud like to be treated, and that we should do good even to those who use and mistreat us. D...E /e was also the truth in the flesh. ***0e like love. love deals in relationships, while truth deals in cold hard facts. but @esus never compromised one for the other. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ******** *from 6itty.%ritty log+ If I were to place an ad5ective in front of my name, it could be one of several things, eFcept nondescript. ,hat was a word a friend used to describe another person in my life recently. I thought about it then, and I thought about it yesterday and I still think that "nondescript" is one of the saddest words a person could use to describe me. I think "saint" is still a bit lofty2 although Ghyllis ;c%inley had this to say about saints in her book, 9aint20atching, ">or the wonderful thing about saints is that they were Hand I think, still areI human. ,hey lost their tempers, got hungry, scolded %od, were egotistical, or testy or impatient in their turns, made mistakes and regretted them. 9till they went on doggedly blundering toward heaven." I guess "9aint @ody" is one IAm still working on. I also thought of "adept". IAm skilled at many things by virtue of being a mother and wife. I also like "creative" and "realistic" even. ut donAt try nondescript. In fact I would rather be "craBy" or "misguided" or even "horribly2mistaken" if you count hyphens... but nondescript means to me that you didnAt even try. ,hat you never put yourself out there. ,hat you walked along easy street your whole life and never sought adventure, good or bad, along the way. If a person giving a eulogy *is that how you spell thatC=+ at my funeral says, "9he was...nice. @ody was a good person." I think I would cry about that. I donAt eFpect flowery language or rhetoric that goes on and on at my funeral2 but I hope that I end up contributing something a little bit meaningful to the people whose lives I touch along the way. I think that we owe it to ourselves to seek to be something more than 5ust merely eFisting. &lthough...there are moments *occasionaly hours or days+ in my life when I Juestion

the purpose of my being. In those painful moments2 at the very bottom of lifeAs pits, I usually look up2 and in so doing find my hope. ,hatAs where the title of this blog comes from. I truly believe that there is something more to all of this than our human eyes can behold. I have felt it in my soul. I have heard it in my heart. &nd when I close my eyes sometimes I catch a glimpse of what I hope for in the future. >or every one of us here on earth2no matter what word we pick to describe ourselves2with each breath we take, we are then one breath closer to that place. `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` *******

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays, Without a care in the world. And I'm sittin' here wearin' the weight of the world on my shoulders. It's been a long day and there's still wor to do, She's pulling at me saying !"ad I need you# $here's a ball at the castle and I've been invited and I need to practice my dancin'! !%h please, daddy, please#! So I will dance with &inderella While she is here in my arms '&ause I now something the prince never new %h I will dance with &inderella I don't wanna miss even one song, &u' all too soon the cloc will stri e midnight And she'll be gone She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed She wants to now if I approve of the dress She says !"ad, the prom is (ust one wee away, And I need to practice my dancin'! !%h please, daddy, please#! So I will dance with &inderella While she is here in my arms '&ause I now something the prince never new %hh)oh ohh)oh, I will dance with &inderella I don't wanna miss even one song, &u' all too soon the cloc will stri e midnight And she'll be gone She will be gone. Well, she came home today With a ring on her hand *ust glowin' and tellin' us all they had planned She says !"ad, the wedding's still si+ months away but I need to practice my dancin'! !%h please, daddy please#! So I will dance with &inderella While she is here in my arms '&ause I now something the prince never new %hh)oh ohh)oh, I will dance with &inderella I don't wanna miss even one song, ,

-even one song. &u' all too soon the cloc will stri e midnight And she'll be gone ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// *** I am simply giving all the details to God. I know and trust that He, the artist of my life, has a canvas all stretched out ahead of me, and with each brushstroke of my life He is painting a picture that becomes ever more beautiful and clear. I just sit back in wonder and humility at why He would choose to use little old me for something so big. I can only follow His lead and thank Him for His grace.
The only cure I've found is my faith. The faith that gives me HOPE and PEACE and COMFO T and !O" in life again. It tells me of a future in Heaven #here all the $uestions I have #ill %e ans#ered& #here the 'ain of living #ill %e understood. It is ho# I live( it is %elieving in advance #hat #ill only ma)e sense in reverse.

********* Here's a true statement that I think a lot of people {sometimes even me} forget. Sooner or later everybody in this world will let somebody down. Everybody has faults and problems, habits or disease, struggles and issues...nobody is perfect. It's okay to have e pectations and dreams and wishes and desires! but to think that they will all be fulfilled perfectly is unrealistic. It's not gonna happen. Ever. "#itty.$ritty% ******* oamenii sunt un mister pe care tot mai mult il doresc sa il descopar, sunt placere si farmec, sunt cruzi si neimbliziti..ei doresc sa fie iubiti asa cum sunt ei, si placuti, si fermecatori, si cruzi, si neimbliziti. asta imi place cel mai mult si mai mult: sa iubesc fara sa judec, sa iubesc iertator si dragastos, sa iubesc fara sa ma uit cat sau daca mi se da. si as vrea sa imi placa tot mai mult si mai mult sa ma rog. sa am rabdarea si perseverenta sa ma rog pentru toti cati ii am in inima si ganduri. si imi place credinta aia de bob de mustar care muta muntii. aia mai mare decat bobul oare ar muta pamantu'n cer?..
******** Dont settle for crumbs when God wants you to experience a feast of His presence and power. If you commit to significant daily time with God, not e en the s!y is the limit to what He will do in your life. **** In ciuda faptului ca Isus, plin de compasiune, a murit pacatele noastre, Dumne"eu, in planul #au $ nu in planul % sau & sau D, ci in planul #au $ ii cheama pe toti crestinii la suferinta, uneori la suferinta deosebit de mare. 'entru a ne incura(a, s)ar putea ca uneori *l sa aduca si momente placute in scenariul ietii noastre $ putina a entura, putin romantism. +ucruri ame"ante care ne or face sa "ambim, rasturnari neasteptate de situatie care sar putea sa ne amu"e pana la lacrimi, caci lui Dumne"eu Ii face placere sa daruiasca. Insa, negresit, unele scene ne or frange inima, unele dintre persona(ele fa orite or muri, iar filmul sar putea sa ia sfarsit mai de reme decat neam fi dorit.

I've learned that you don't need a good reason to have a good time. "ragii mei, o sa ma (oc odata &u voi, de)a ceva ciudat. 0u stiu cand o sa fie asta, tata, "ar, hotarat, o sa ne (ucam odata, %data, poate, dupa scapatat. 1 un (oc viclean de batrani &u copii, ca voi, cu fetite ca tine, *oc de slugi si (oc de stapani, *oc de pasari, de flori, de cani, Si fiecare il (oaca bine. 0e vom iubi, negresit, mereu Stransi bucurosi la masa, Subt coviltirele lui "umne'eu. 2

Intr)o 'i piciorul va ramane greu, 3ana stangace, ochiul sleit, limba scamoasa. *ocul incepe incet, ca un vant, 1u o sa rad si o sa tac, % sa ma culc la pamant. % sa stau fara cuvant, "e pilda, langa copac. 1 (ocul sfintelor Scripturi. Asa s)a (ucat si "omnul nostru Isus 4ristos Si altii, prinsi de friguri si de calduri, &are din cateva sfinte tremuraturi Au ispravit (ocul, frumos. 5oi sa nu va mahniti tare &and ma vor lua si duce departe Si)mi vor face un fel de inmormantare In lutul afanat sau tare. Asa e (ocul, incepe cu moarte. Stiind ca si 6a'ar a)nviat 5oi sa nu va mahniti, s)asteptati, &a si cum nu s)a intamplat 0imic prea nou si prea ciudat. Acolo, voi gandi la (ocul nostru, printre frati. $ata s)a ingri(it de voi, 5)a lasat vite, hambare, 7asune, bordeie si oi, 7entru tot soiul de nevoi Si pentru mancare. $oti vor invia, toti se vor intoarce Intr)o 'i acasa, la copii, 6a nevasta, care plange si toarce, 6a vacute, la mioare, &a oamenii gospodari si vii. 5oi cresteti, dragii mei, sanatosi, 5oinici, 'globii, cu voie buna, &um am apucat din mosi)stramosi. "eocamdata, fetii mei frumosi, % sa lipseasca tata vreo luna. Apoi, o sa fie o intar'iere, Si alta, si pe urma alta. $ata nu o sa mai aiba putere Sa vie pe (os, in timpul cat se cere, "in lumea ceealalta. Si, voi ati crescut mari, 5)ati capatuit, 5)ati facut carturari, 8

3ama)mpleteste ciorapi si pieptari, Si tata nu a mai venit9 7uii mei, bobocii mei, copiii mei# Asa este (ocul. Il (oci in doi, in trei, Il (oci in cate cati vrei. Arde)l)ar focul.

$e rog cercetea':)m: $u# $u ve'i ce e)n inima mea. "e mult ochiul $:u m: v:'u ;<&=nd plin de)ndurare din greaua pier'are 3)a scos m=na $a.<; $u ve'i, o, Isus, starea mea. $u >tii >i c=t sunt de gre>it. $u >tii >i ispita)mi cea grea? ;<@n faAa $a totul, Bn faAa $a totul 1 descoperit.<; Ci cine vreodat:)ar putea S:)mi >tearg: p:catul cumplit Ci)o inim: nou: s:)mi deaD ;<E:si)voi vreodat:, Bn chiar lumea toat: Fn om sf=nt, smeritD<; %, $u, numai $u e>ti preasf=nt# Au'i deci ad=ncu)mi suspin# &:ci vreau c=t voi fi pe p:m=nt ;<@ntreaga mea viaA:, Bntreaga mea viaA: "oar Aie s)o)nchin#<;
G$he %mnipotent, in one instant, made 4imself brea able.H 3a+ 6ucado. G9mire and muc of our world. Ior only if we let him in can he pull us out.H 3a+ 6ucado. Jrea ing a habit starts with courage, ends with discipline, and is fueled by desire. I am your constant companion. I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden. I will push you up to success or down to disappointment. I am at your command. 4alf the things you do might (ust as well be turned over to me, Ior I can do them Kuic ly, correctly, and profitably. I am easily managed, (ust be firm with me. $hose who are great, I have made great. L

$hose who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I wor with the precision of a machine and the intelligence of a person. Mou can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin. Show me how you want it done. 1ducate me. $rain me. 6ead me. Neward me. And I will then...do it automatically. I am your servant. Who am ID I am a habit.
!indness is a language we all understand. e en the blind can see it and the deaf can hear it.

!A woman is li e a teabag. Mou never now how strong she is until you put her in hot water.!
The 'what ifs' will drain you and me of strength, but prayer really does change things. Prayer opens doors that we couldn't ever have imagined being opened. Prayer changes peoples hearts. Prayer severs relationships that need to be severed. Prayer breaks habits that are hurtful. Prayer gives us wisdom in things we can't figure out. Prayer even moves foreign governments. Prayer gives us discernment. Prayer gives us strength. Prayer changes our heart. Prayer gives us peace. Prayer meets needs we have. Prayer moves mighty mountains. Prayer truly changes things. Daca ai pornit spre un anumit tel, si te tot opresti din drum ca sa arunci cu pietre in orice ciine care te latra, atunci nu ei mai a(unge niciodata la tinta. ,.-. Dostoie s!i

!If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.! Quit crying over where youve been. Quit crying over your mistakes and failures. Quit crying over what you have lost. Start looking toward where you are going. Start looking toward what God has for you. Start looking toward what God is going to give you as a blessing. Start looking for the way God is going to use what you do have. ~You dont need to con or scheme your way into your future. Give God what you have and let Him do the miracle of fulfillment in you and for you. When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth. -Sarah Jreathnac . Life is not about waiting for the storms to ass... it!s about learning how to dance in the rain" #he amount of goodness in my life de ends entirely on how much goodness $ choose to see. *esus never said, !Admire, analy'e, or theori'e 3e.! 4e said, !Iollow 3e.! 99999999. %it is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire which He creates.% &my 'harmichael $t is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire which He creates. ( &my 'armichael )* +e have an ama,ing God who holds the times and seasons in His hands. & God who knows our thoughts and words before we even utter them. & God who had all our days ordained in His O

book before we even took our first breath. -ltimately. we can say that. yes. our God is Sovereign. and He is in control. and He is ca able of bringing to ass His erfect lans for each of our lives. &fter all. He is the only one who can read our life story from beginning to end and know what is u ahead on the ne/t age. and even the age after that. &ll our lifescri ts. He has written. So. of course. He knows. He!s the &uthor and 0inisher of our faith. So why is it that we wrestle so much with our desires of today1 #he deal is. God longs to give us our true heart!s desires. and H2 is the one who has ut those desires there. 3ur roblem is that we grow im atient. &nd. along the way. we end u making errors in our discernment by following after the flesh. instead of the S irit. +hat makes us think that somehow a God4seeded dream can be birthed by human methods. anyway1 $t!s a vain thought. 0or flesh gives birth to flesh. 3nly S irit gives birth to S irit. &nd. a desire im lanted in our lives by God will come to ass. but it will take God to bring it all to ass. and He will in H$S time and H$S way. So. why so much wrestling1 +e would do better by engaging in an all4hearted ursuit of #5-S#$6G G37. &my 'armichael writes that %it is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire which He creates.% 0irst off. it!s always a safe thing to trust God. 8eriod. 9ut. how much more safe is it when what we!re trusting God for is ultimately a God4given dream that He has lanted in our hearts1 3f course. our 0ather who is a kee er of His +ord will bring His dreams to ass. 3ur art is sim ly watering the dream with the faith our 0ather gives us to #5-S# H$: to bring it all to ass. #he ;uestion so many of us may have had here is. though. how can we know if it!s our dream or God!s dream1 -ltimately. we can tell by one ma<or thing= death. 3ur dreams. when they die. $t!s over. &nd. this is a good and necessary thing. 3ur selfish ambitions need to meet the cross> they need to be urged and crucified. 3ur 0ather has said that no G337 thing will He withhold from us. so we know that when He withholds a flesh4cultivated dream. it!s only because in the end. it could only bring us harm. 'arnal desires multi ly other worldly desires. so when death cuts that off from us. God is rotecting us. $n contrast. God!s dream. when it meets surrender in death. it comes back as L$02. and it carries with it the anointing of the Holy S irit. becoming a sacred seed. earmarked to raise u a harvest of righteousness. $t!s got God!s breath and life all over it. ready to roduce good fruit in our lives and the lives of others. all the while glorifying our 0ather and revealing more and more of His love through ?esus 'hrist to the world. So. yes. we can #5-S# H$:. +e can trust God to fulfill the desires He has ut inside our hearts. +e can trust H$m to give us every good and erfect gift that comes from His 0ather4 heart. $t!s a safe thing to trust Him. #here!s a certainty to this. 0aith. So. yeah. ultimately. it!s a 0&$#H #H$6G to trust Him to fulfill the desires He has ut into our hearts. +hen it!s a 0&$#H thing. we can be sure that it!s a safe thing. @written by 'hristine 'raigA In fiecare luni e+ista un dram de vineri.

?esus loves me" #his $ know. 0or the 9ible tells me so> P

Little ones to Him belong. #hey are weak but He is strong. Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" #he 9ible tells me so. ?esus loves me" He who died. Heaven!s gate to o en wide> He will wash away my sin. Let His little child come in. Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" #he 9ible tells me so. ?esus loves me" loves me still. +hen $!m very weak and ill> 0rom His shining throne on high. 'omes to watch me where $ lie. Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" #he 9ible tells me so. ?esus loves me" He will stay. 'lose beside me all the way> He!s re ared a home for me. &nd some day His face $!ll see. Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" Yes. ?esus loves me" #he 9ible tells me so. &nd there are moments in life where He allows you the grace to survive what seems im ossible. $t is what ha ens when a follower of 'hrist leans so dee ly into the 0ather!s arms that there is no chance of falling. @audreycarolineA God answers rayers. ?ust not always in the way or in the time frame we want. God answers rayers. but the outcome we ho e for. and beseech God for. is not always the outcome God has in mind. @mycharmingkidsA
"ne hundred years from now It will not matter what kind of car I drove, 0hat kind of house I lived in, /ow much money I had in my bank account, 6or what my clothes looked like. ut one hundred years from now ,he world may be a little better ecause I was important In the life of a child.

&bandonment is racticed by continually losing your own will in the will of God> by lunging your will into the de ths of His will. there to be lost forever" &bandonment must reach a oint where you stand in com lete indifference to yourself. #he attitude will bring you to the most wonderful oint imaginable 4 where your will breaks free to be <oined to the will of God" You Q

will desire only what He desires. ?eanne Guyon4 2/ ericing the 7e ths of 'hrist. $ met 'hrist in coffee sho s. and He met me inamong the leastof these in the inner city...B Celly :onahan. 0iecare minut din fiecare ora a fiecarei ,ile este un dar de la 7umne,eu. o o ortunitate unica de a trai o viata lina de semnificatie si desavarsita. 7e asemenea. fiecare ,i este o rovocare= sunt locuri unde sa mergem. oameni e care sa4i vedem. lucruri e care sa le reali,am si alegeri de facut. 7ar noi nu ne confruntam de unii singuri cu dilemele vietii Dntrucat 7omnul nostru a romis sa ne calau,easca si sa ne dea toata Dntele ciunea si discernamantul de care avem nevoie nu doar entru deci,iile ma<ore. ci si entru alegerile cele mai neDnsemnate si mai sim le. 7ar. uneori. cand vin roblemele si rovocarile. are ca uitam ca 2l ne oarta de gri<a. 8ur si sim lu uitam de romisiunile si credinciosia Lui. 'and ne simtim ierduti uitam ca 2l este calau,itorul nostru. 'and situatiile ar sa ne co leseasca uitam ca 2l este s ecialist Dn lucrurile care ar im osibile. Si. cand uitam. ne gasim e noi Dnsine descura<ati si Dnfranti. 'e s4ar Dntam la daca noi Dnsine ne4am aminti Dn fiecare ,i de romisiunile ne retuite din 'uvantul lui 7umne,eu1 'e4ar fi daca ne4am aduce aminte Dn fiecare ,i ca niciuna din romisiunile Lui nu ramane neDm linita1 Eom desco eri cum credinta noastra se adanceste. ascultarea creste si inimile noastre e/alta. Sufletele ne4ar fi Dntarite. iar ers ectiva asu ra vietii ne4ar fi uimitoare.
;ainile. " minge de basket in mainile mele valoreaBa aproFimativ 'KL. " minge de basket in mainile lui ;ichael @ordan valoreaBa aproFimativ 33 milioane L. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. " minge de baseball in mainile mele valoreaBa aproFimativ )L. " minge de baseball in mainile lui ;ark ;c%uire valoreaBa 'K milioane L. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. " racheta de tenis este fara valoare in mainile mele. " racheta de tenis in mainile lui Menus 0illiams repreBinta castigul unui campionat. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. <n toiag*bat+ in mainile mele va tine la distanta un animal furios. <n toiag in mainile lui ;oise ar desparti marea. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. " prastie in mainile mele ar fi o 5ucarie de copii. " prastie in mainile lui $avid ar insemna o arma puternica. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. $oi pesti si cinci paini in mainile mele nu ar inseamna decat doua sandwiciuri. $oi pesti si cinci paini in mainile lui Isus ar hrani mii de persoane. $epinde de mainile in care se afla.

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8uie in mainile mele ar putea folosi construirii unei colivi pt pasari. 8uie in mainile lui Isus 8hristos ar avea ca efect salvarea intregii lumi. $epinde de mainile in care se afla. "Iata ca te2am sapat pe mNinile ;ele="*Isaia OKP')+ &cum poti sa veBi ca toate depind de mainile in care se gasesc. $eci, puneti gri5ile, tristetile, frica, sperantele, visele, familia, relatiile in mainile lui $umneBeu, deoarece... ,e vei putea odihni in timpul nopti, stiind ca $umneBeu nu doarme, si lucreaBa pentru tine= &ceasta depinde de mainile in care se afla=

Isus a spus, "cu $umneBeu toate lucrurile sunt posibile *;arcu 'QP2(+."

6o moment from my God is a rock of burden> its <ust a rock waiting to be broken a art into ste ing stones.

&he devil is content to let us profess 'hristianity as long as we do not practice it. G6ife is to be lived. If you have to support yourself, you had bloody well better find some way that is going to be interesting. And you donSt do that by sitting around. )Tatherine 4epburnH UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU $his day has more potential than any day we've lived... (ust because itSs today. Mou can only embrace what you chase.

8erha s having a good life. one that we are satisfied or <oyful in. is not measured by how much sub<ective good there actually is in our lives. but sim ly in if we look for satisfaction and <oy. F& man ractices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books. traveling to new laces. making new friends. taking u new hobbies and ado ting new view ointsB4+ilfred 8eterson %'ourage is almost a contradiction in terms. $t means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.% ~ G.C. 'hesterton

%$ wanted you to see what real courage is.... $t!s when you know you!re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win. but sometimes you do.% 11

~ &tticus 0inch. in Har er Lee!s. %#o Cill a :ockingbird%

%+hen we are afraid we ought not to occu y ourselves with endeavoring to rove that there is no danger. but in strengthening ourselves to go on in s ite of the danger.% ~ :ark 5utherford

%#he courage of life is often a less dramatic s ectacle than the courage of a final moment> but it is no less a magnificent mi/ture of trium h and tragedy.% ~ ?ohn 0. Cennedy Spend one day in front of a screen. Eet and ma e lots of phone calls, chec your e)mail, blog, update your Iaceboo page, send some tweets, read some blog posts, listen to a podcast, peruse some Moutube videos. Watch American Idol, 6ost, $he %ffice and $hirty Noc followed by some Io+ or &00. Spend the ne+t day off)line, unplugged, face)to)face with real people, hearing live voices instead of recorded ones. Wal through the woods or around the bloc or through a crowded mall. $al to your spouse, your friends, your neighbors. 7lay with your ids. Smell flowers, watch the sun set, point at shooting stars. Which day gave you more stories to tellD Cee your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. $ts what sunflowers do. Helen Celler GGGGGGGGGGG Simply sharing what we believe and what has transformed our lives, and opening up a discussion, is not being intolerant, no matter what the world tries to tell us## 3c 3ama G$rue love is a high and holy principle, altogether different in character from that love which is awa ened by impulse, and which suddenly dies when severely tested. $rue love is not a strong, fiery, impetuous passion. %n the contrary, it is calm and deep in its nature. It loo s beyond mere e+ternals, and is attracted by Kualities alone.H 3aybe the reason we don't ma e the changes we want toVli e losing weight or spending time with Eod or impacting the worldVis because we don't believe we can overcome our vices. We thin we will have to resist our urges for a lifetime. 3aybe it's not so much about self)control. &onsider this verse. G"elight yourself in the 6%N" and he will give you the desires of your heartH -7salm ,O<2.. When we turn away from our sinful nature and focus on him, he actually changes our desires. We become new people. We wonSt even want our old (un anymore. Her abilities outshine her limitations. .rue contentment means as!ing less of this life because more is coming in the next. The sun has %eamed do#n on me all day today. 12

/inety)nine percent of the failure comes from people who ha e the habit of ma!ing excuses. *eorge +ashington ,ar better is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, e en though chec!ered by failure, than to ta!e ran! with those poor spirits who neither en(oy nor suffer much, because they li e in the gray twilight that !nows neither ictory nor defeat. .heodore 0oose elt /othing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achie ing his goal1 nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude .homas 2efferson 3ou can ha e anything you want ) if you want it badly enough. 3ou can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose. A%raham ,incoln Sometimes faith still invites me to alien edges and beckons me to (ump. It may not be off a cliff into a sea, but it might be parenting my toddler with faith rather than popular opinion, forgiving someone I donSt want to forgive or trusting Eod with my familySs limited financial resources. 1ven though these (umps have been into the un nown, unplanned and unfamiliar I have always been caught by the sturdy hands of the all nowing, all encompassing Almighty. Sometimes faith comes by (umping)but 'hrist will never let you fall. 4,rom incourage.com written by Ginny -artyn5 6,ar abo e all finite comprehension is the unchanging faithfulness of God. * erything about God is great, ast, and incom'ara%le. He never forgets- never fails- never falters- and never forfeits His #ord.. /0itty(*ritty1 "oesn't matter what you've heard. Impossible is not a word. It's (ust a reason for someone not to try.

Are there some things that you are about to give up on? Are there some things that look impossible? Is there a specific situation that you think is just too big? If it is too big humanly speaking - then it's perfect!! Because our God is waaaay bigger! In fact, He is HUGE!
G$here is a general ind of praying which fails for lac of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire off their guns anywhere. 7ossibly somebody would be illed, but the ma(ority of the enemy would be missed.H &harles Spurgeon G0o one can believe how powerful prayer is and what it can effect, e+cept those who have learned it by e+perience. Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have been heard and have obtained more than I prayed for. Eod sometimes delays, but 4e always comes.H 3artin 6uther Wpray specificallyX 7ll our difficulties are only platforms for the manifestation of His grace, power, and lo e. 1,

*Indeed- I thin) *od sometimes uses our fear /of %eing ridiculed or of loo)ing #orse than others or #hatever1 to move us out of our comfort 2ones. And He #ants us out of our comfort 2ones so He can refine our character. To guide us to#ards conforming to His character. "ou see- I find that my human nature causes me to care a%out my comfort level. 3ut *od doesn't. *od cares a%out my character- not my comfort. *$he Jible that is falling apart usually belongs to the person whose life is not.H Y &.4. Spurgeon ZActs 15
religion always complicates what God has made simple. jesus+_________=salvation religion always makes a distinction etween us and them! those who don"t "play" the way we do! don"t act as we do. religion always seeks to devides. #religious leader vs. christian leader$ religion is all a out % am holly and you are not. v.1& #''''$ religion= a ladder we try to clim so we can reach God. christianity is not that! is not trying to uild an approach to God. it"s a out the (act that God already uilt an approach to get to us through )is *on. most religions try to control you and ring guilt in your li(e! ut (aith in God is not a out controlling you! is a out restoring you. +atthew 11.,-. #put the urden down$

.on the cross "it is (inished"///0 religion. it is (inished. working your way to God! it is (inished. you don"t have to do something to get )im! )e done it all.1 RWait

for our !oaz. "uth was stin# , sweat , and wor#ing her tail off in the harvest field when !oaz saw her. $on't be concerned with bo s in our life. %f the &ord plants a man in our life, watch...%s he responsible? What cause is he championing? What is he willing to die for? 'is vision will reveal our future with him. 'ear the voice of the &ord( )aster.)ission.)ate *found it on +aceboo#. from ,hristine ,raig.ZIf I can help somebody as I pass along, If I can cheer somebody with a word or song, If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong, $hen my living will not be in vain. ) "r. 3artin 6uther Ting, *r !Mou'll never decide what you want, until you've decided who you are.! 999999999. 3arriage has less beauty and more safety than the single life. it's full of sorrows and full of (oys. it lies under more burdens but it is supported by all the strengths of love. and those burdens are delightful. -(eremy taylor. A successful marriage reKuires falling in love many times, always with the same person. -3ignon 3c6aughlin. love let's go of its plans )) to hold on to a person. 99999999. 12

&ultivate gratitude. &arve out an hour a day for solitude. Jegin and end the day with prayer, meditation, reflection. Teep it simple. Teep your house pic ed up. "on't overschedule. Strive for realistic deadlines. 0ever ma e a promise you can't eep. Allow an e+tra half hour for everything you do. &reate Kuiet surroundings at home and at wor . Eo to bed at nine o'cloc twice a wee . Always carry around something interesting to read. Jreathe) deeply and often. 3ove) wal , dance, run? find a sport you en(oy. "rin pure spring water. 6ots of it. 1at only when hungry. If it's not delicious, don't eat it. Je instead of do. Set aside one day a wee for rest and renewal. 6augh more often. 6u+uriate in your senses. Always opt for comfort. If you don't love it, live without it. 6et 3other 0ature nuture. "on't answer the telephone during dinner. Stop trying to please everybody. Start pleasing yourself. Stay away from negative people. "on't sKuander precious resources< time, creative energy, emotion. 0uture friendships. "on't be afraid of your passion. Approach problems as challenges. 4onor your aspirations. Set achievable goals. Surrender e+pectations. Savor beauty. &reate boundaries. Ior every !yes!, let there be a !no!. "on't worry? be happy. Nemember, happiness is a living emotion. 1+change security for serenity. &are for your soul. &herish your dreams. 1+press love every day. Search for your authentic self until you find her. 9999999.. !I always wonder why birds choose to stay in one place when they can fly anywhere on earth. $hen I as myself the same Kuestion.! !may your coming year be filled with magic, dreams and good madness. i hope you read some fine boo s and iss someone who thin s you're wonderful, and don't forget to ma e some art. 18

write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. and i hope, somewhere in the ne+t year, you surprise yourself.! .neil.gaiman. !my mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive? and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.! .maya.angelou. !well behaved women rarely ma e history.! .marilyn.monroe. !i may not have gone where i intended to go, but i'm pretty sure i ended up where i needed to be.! .douglas.adams. !give a girl the right shoes, and she can conKuer the world.! .marilyn.monroe. 9999999.. Z$hey loo 'd up to the s y, whose floating glow Spread li e a rosy ocean, vast and bright? $hey ga'ed upon the glittering sea below, Whence the broad moon rose circling into sight? $hey heard the wave's splash, and the wind so low, And saw each other's dar eyes darting light Into each other )) and, beholding this, $heir lips drew near, and clung into a iss? &6[[[5I A long, long iss, a iss of youth, and love, And beauty, all conc\ntrating li e rays Into one focus, indled from above? Such isses as belong to early days, Where heart, and soul, and sense, in concert move, And the blood's lava, and the pulse a bla'e, 1ach iss a heart)Kua e, )) for a iss's strength, I thin , it must be rec on'd by its length. "on *uan) Jyron, Wcanto the secondX Z An infant when it ga'es on a light, A child the moment when it drains the breast, A devotee when soars the 4ost in sight, An Arab with a stranger for a guest, A sailor when the pri'e has struc in fight, A miser filling his most hoarded chest, Ieel rapture? but not such true (oy are reaping As they who watch o'er what they love while sleeping. 1L

Widem.X Zhttp<;;www.mymodernmet.com;profiles;blogs;rays)of)light)1L)photos Z(ust li e "iamonds are made from intense pressure and incredible heat...when we go through intense pressure and incredible !heat! from life...we too will come out stronger and more brilliant and spar ling# Zyou need to get up in the morning to go to bed with determination. Z!%ur happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances! -3artha Washington.. Z$he reason death stic s so closely to life isnSt biological necessityYitSs envy. 6ife is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a (ealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can. Jut life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud. Wlife of 7iX It is true that those we meet can change us, sometimes so profoundly that we are not the same afterwards, even unto our names.Wl.o.pi.X Z4e spo e again. GSome people say Eod died during the 7artition in 1Q2O. 4e may have died in 1QO1 during the war. %r he may have died yesterday here in 7ondicherry in an orphanage. $hatSs what some people say, 7i. When I was your age, I lived in bed, rac ed with polio. I as ed myself every day, ]Where is EodD Where is EodD Where is EodDS Eod never came. It wasnSt Eod who saved meYit was medicine. Neason is my prophet and it tells me that as a watch stops, so we die. ItSs the end. If the watch doesnSt wor properly, it must be fi+ed here and now by us. %ne day we will ta e hold of the means of production and there will be (ustice on earth.H $his was all a bit much for me. $he tone was right)loving and braveYbut the details seemed blea . I said nothing. It wasnSt for fear of angering 3r. Tumar. I was more afraid that in a few words thrown out he might destroy something that I loved. What if his words had the effect of polio on meD What a terrible disease that must be if it could ill Eod in a man. W9X 4e became my favourite teacher at 7etit Seminaire and the reason I studied 'oology at the Fniversity of $oronto. I felt a inship with him. It was my first clue that atheists are my brothers and sisters of a different faith, and every word they spea spea s of faith. 6i e me, they go as far as the legs of reason will carry themYand then they leap. ISll be honest about it. It is not atheists who get stuc in my craw, but agnostics. "oubt is useful for a while. We must all pass through the garden of Eethsemane. If &hrist played with doubt, so must we. If &hrist spent an anguished night in prayer, if 4e burst out from the &ross, G3y Eod, my Eod, why have you forsa en meDH then surely we are also permitted doubt. Jut we must move on. $o choose doubt as a philosophy of life is a in to choosing immobility as a means of transportation. Wl.o.pi.X Z9we loo at an animal and see a mirror. $he obsession with putting ourselves at the centre of everything is the bane not only of theologians but also of 'oologists. Wl.o.piX Z. $he most common face, you see it everywhere. And yet, so many have lost its significance. Z6ife will defend itself no matter how small it is. W6ife of 7iX ZWabout the SonX I couldnSt get 4im out of my head. Still canSt. I spent three solid days thin ing about 4im. $he more 4e bothered me, the less I could forget 4im. And the more I learned about 4im, the less 1O

I wanted to leave 4im. Wl.o.p.X Z$here are always those who ta e it upon themselves to defend Eod, as if Fltimate Neality, as if the sustaining frame of e+istence, were something wea and helpless. $hese people wal by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, wal by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they thin , GJusiness as usual.H Jut if they perceive a slight against Eod, it is a different story. $heir faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. $he degree of their indignation is astonishing. $heir resolve is frightening. $hese people fail to reali'e that it is on the inside that Eod must be defended, not on the outside. $hey should direct their anger at themselves. Ior evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. $he main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. 3eanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defense, not EodSs, that the self)righteous should rush. Wl.o.p.X Z7eople move because of the wear and tear of an+iety. Jecause of the gnawing feeling that no matter how hard they wor their efforts will yield nothing, that what they build up in one year will be torn down in one day by others. Jecause of the impression that the future is bloc ed up, that they might do all right but not their children. Jecause of the feeling that nothing will change, that happiness and prosperity are possible only somewhere else. Z0il magnum nisi bonum. 0o greatness without goodness. ZAbout fear. &hapter 8L W6ife of 7iX I must say a word about fear. It is lifeSs only true opponent. %nly fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I now. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, and shows no mercy. It goes for your wea est spot, which it finds with unerring ease. It begins in your mind, always. %ne moment you are feeling calm, self)possessed, happy. $hen fear, disguised in the garb of mild) mannered doubt, slips into your mind li e a spy. "oubt meets disbelief and disbelief tries to push it out. Jut disbelief is a poorly armed foot soldier. "oubt does away with it with little trouble. Mou become an+ious. Neason comes to do battle for you. Mou are reassured. Neason is fully eKuipped with the latest weapons technology. Jut, to your ama'ement, despite superior tactics and a number of undeniable victories, reason is laid low. Mou feel yourself wea ening, wavering. Mour an+iety becomes dread. Iear ne+t turns fully to your body, which is already aware that something terribly wrong is going on. Already your lungs have flown away li e a bird and your guts have slithered away li e a sna e. 0ow your tongue drops dead li e an opossum, while your (aw begins to gallop on the spot. Mour ears go deaf. Mour muscles begin to shiver as if they had malaria and your nees to sha e as though they were dancing. Mour heart strains too hard, while your sphincter rela+es too much. And so with the rest of your body. 1very part of you, in the manner most suited to it, falls apart. %nly your eyes wor well. $hey always pay proper attention to fear. ^uic ly you ma e rash decisions. Mou dismiss your last allies< hope and trust. $here, youSve defeated yourself. Iear, which is but an impression, has triumphed over you. $he matter is difficult to put into words. Ior fear, real fear, such as sha es you to your foundation, such as you feel when you are brought face to face with your mortal end, nestles in your memory li e a gangrene< it see s to rot everything, even the words with which to spea of it. So you must fight hard to e+press it. Mou must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Jecause if you donSt, if your fear becomes a wordless dar ness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attac s of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you. ZI had to stop hoping so much that a ship would rescue me. I should not count on outside help. Survival had to start with me. In my e+perience, a castawaySs worst mista e is to hope too much and do too little. Survival starts by paying attention to what is close at hand and immediate. $o loo out with 1P

idle hope is tantamount to dreaming oneSs life away. $here was much I had to do. I loo ed out at the empty hori'on. $here was so much water. And I was all alone. All alone. I burst into hot tears. I buried my face in my crossed arms and sobbed. 3y situation was patently hopeless. _life of pi` ZAt moments of wonder, it is easy to avoid small thin ing, to entertain thoughts that span the universe, that capture both thunder and tin le, thic and thin, the near and the far. Wlife of piX ZZZZZ%prahSs words< 1. What you put out comes bac all the time, no matter what. -$his is my creed.. 2. Mou define your own life. "on't let other people write your script. ,. Whatever someone did to you in the past has no power over the present. %nly you give it power. 2. When people show you who they are, believe them the first time. -A lesson from 3aya Angelou.. 8. Worrying is wasted time. Fse the same energy for doing something about whatever worries you. L. What you believe has more power than what you dream or wish or hope for. Mou become what you believe. O. If the only prayer you ever say is than you, that will be enough. -Irom the Eerman theologian and humanist 3eister 1c hart.. P. $he happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give. Q. Iailure is a signpost to turn you in another direction. 1R. If you ma e a choice that goes against what everyone else thin s, the world will not fall apart. 11. $rust your instincts. Intuition doesn't lie. 12. 6ove yourself and then learn to e+tend that love to others in every encounter. 1,. 6et passion drive your profession. 12. Iind a way to get paid for doing what you love. $hen every paychec will be a bonus. 18. 6ove doesn't hurt. It feels really good. 1L. 1very day brings a chance to start over. 1O. Jeing a mother is the hardest (ob on earth. Women everywhere must declare it so. 1P. "oubt means don't. "on't move. "on't answer. "on't rush forward. 1Q. When you don't now what to do, get still. $he answer will come. 2R. !$rouble doesnSt last always.! -A line from a 0egro spiritual, which calls to mind another favorite< $his, too, shall pass.. Z$he problem isn't that there isn't good stuff Win this worldX, but that most people give up before they get to the good stuff. *The future belongs to the few of us still willing to get our hands dirty. Z1very new beginning comes from some other beginningSs end. Z!i saw them standing there pretending to be (ust friends, when all the time in the world could not pry them apart.! Z0o man can be called friendless who has Eod and the companionship of good boo s. a1li'abeth Jarrett Jrowning ZG$ell me what you read and ISll tell you who you areH is true enough, but ISd now you better if you told me what you reread. aIranbois 3auriac ZIf Y Nudyard Tipling 1Q

II you can eep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, Jut ma e allowance for their doubting too? If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, %r being lied about, don't deal in lies, %r being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't loo too good, nor tal too wise< If you can dream ) and not ma e dreams your master? If you can thin ) and not ma e thoughts your aim? If you can meet with $riumph and "isaster And treat those two impostors (ust the same? If you can bear to hear the truth you've spo en $wisted by naves to ma e a trap for fools, %r watch the things you gave your life to, bro en, And stoop and build 'em up with worn)out tools< If you can ma e one heap of all your winnings And ris it on one turn of pitch)and)toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss? If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew $o serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you 1+cept the Will which says to them< '4old on#' If you can tal with crowds and eep your virtue, '%r wal with Tings ) nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much? If you can fill the unforgiving minute With si+ty seconds' worth of distance run, Mours is the 1arth and everything that's in it, And ) which is more ) you'll be a 3an, my son# H9ecause children have abounding vitality. because they are in s irit fierce and free. therefore they want things re eated and unchanged. #hey always say. F7o it againB> and the grown4u erson does it again until he is nearly dead. 0or grown4u eo le are not strong enough to e/ult in monotony. 9ut erha s God is strong enough to e/ult in monotony. $t is ossible that God says every morning. F7o it againB to the sun> and every evening. F7o it againB to the moon. $t may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike> it may be that God makes every daisy se arately. but has never got tired of making them. $t may be that He has the eternal a etite of infancy> for we have sinned and grown old. and our 0ather is younger than we. IG.C. 'hestertonJ HYou can!t allow the ossibility of failure <ustify you staying where you are. @&manda &llenA Hyou know what1 so maybe KK out of LMM eo le will disa of the world in the margin of error. 2R oint you. but you!ll find the magic

H+hen we truly know our God and believe Him to be e/actly as His +ord says He is. we have no reason and no e/cuse for fear. H2at breakfast like a king. lunch like a rince and dinner like a beggar. 2at more foods that grow on trees and lants and eat less food that is manufactured in lants. Live with the * 2s 4 2nergy. 2nthusiasm and 2m athy 8lay more games. 5ead more books than you did in NMLM. Sit in silence for at least LM minutes each day. Slee for O hours. #ake a LM4*M minutes walk daily. &nd while you walk. smile. 8ersonality= 7ont com are your life to others. You have no idea what their <ourney is all about. 7ont have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. $nstead invest your energy in the ositive resent moment. 7ont over do. Cee your limits. 7ont take yourself so seriously. 6o one else does. 7ont waste your recious energy on gossi . 7ream more while you are awake. 2nvy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. 0orget issues of the ast. 7ont remind your artner with hisPher mistakes of the ast. #hat will ruin your resent ha iness. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. 7ont hate others. :ake eace with your ast so it wont s oil the resent. 6o one is in charge of your ha iness e/ce t you. 5eali,e that life is a school and you are here to learn. 8roblems are sim ly art of the curriculum that a ear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime. Smile and laugh more. You dont have to win every argument. &gree to disagree. Society= 'all your family often. 2ach day give something good to others. 0orgive everyone for everything. S end time with eo le over the age of OM Q under the age of R. #ry to make at least three eo le smile each day. +hat other eo le think of you is none of your business. Your <ob wont take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. Life= 7o the right thing" Get rid of anything that isnt useful. beautiful or <oyful. However good or bad a situation is. it will change. 6o matter how you feel. get u . dress u and show u . #he best is yet to come. Your $nner most is always ha y. So. be ha y. H5eading is everything. 5eading makes me feel like $ve accom lished something. learned something. become a better erson. 5eading makes me smarter. 5eading gives me something to talk about later on. 5eading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. 5eading is esca e. and the o osite of esca e> its a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things u . and its a way of making contact with someone elses imagination after a day thats all too real. 5eading is grist. 5eading is bliss. 4 6ora 2 hron Htruth is nothing. what you believe to be true is everything. and the main thing that i used to believe was that i would be with you forever. forever. the reason it!s taken me so long to write to you is that i see that i!d been a fool. i!d s ent my life fooling myself. every letter i have ever written to you has been a love letter. how could tey have been anything else1 i can see now that all of them. e/ce t this one. were bad love letters. bad love letters beg for love back. good love letters ask for nothing. this. i am leased to announce. is my first good love letter to you. because there is nothing more for you to do. you!ve already done everything. i have enough of you in my head to last forever. so lease don!t ever worry about me. i!m eachy. i really am. i have everything. if i had one wish it would be that your life brings you a taste of the ha iness you!ve brought to me. that you could feel what it!s like to love. S+aiting for 0orever @movieAT H%3nly once in your life. $ truly believe. you find someone who can com letely turn your world around. You tell them things that youve never shared with another soul and they absorb 21

everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share ho es for the future. dreams that will never come true. goals that were never achieved and the many disa ointments life has thrown at you. +hen something wonderful ha ens. you cant wait to tell them about it. knowing they will share in your e/citement. #hey are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. 6ever do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough. but rather they build you u and show you the things about yourself that make you s ecial and even beautiful. #here is never any ressure. <ealousy or com etition but only a ;uiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. #he things that seem insignificant to most eo le such as a note. song or walk become invaluable treasures ke t safe in your heart to cherish forever. :emories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid its like being young again. 'olours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems art of daily life where before it was infre;uent or didnt e/ist at all. & hone call or two during the day hel s to get you through a long days work and always brings a smile to your face. $n their resence. theres no need for continuous conversation. but you find youre ;uite content in <ust having them nearby. #hings that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are im ortant to this erson who is so s ecial to you. You think of this erson on every occasion and in everything you do. Sim le things bring them to mind like a ale blue sky. gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the hori,on. You o en your heart knowing that theres a chance it may be broken one day and in o ening your heart. you e/ erience a love and <oy that you never dreamed ossible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true leasure thats so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and ossibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems com letely different. e/citing and worthwhile. Your only ho e and security is in knowing that they are a art of your life.% HCee making your days count rather than counting your days H$ dream of things that have never been. but someday will be. H7ont fear failure. #he saddest summary of life contains three descri tions= could have. might have. and should have. ( -nknown H& better future always begins in a series of rayerful nows. I&nn Eoskam J H$ts so easy to be critical of messages we didnt reach and hy er focused on sins we dont struggle with. (8ete +ilson H%#he two most im ortant days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.% :ark #wain H%&lways be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else.% ?udy Garland H#rust the work of God for you. #hen trust the resence of 'hrist in you.~:a/ Lucado H Gratitude develo s faith. #he surest ath out of a slum is marked by the road sign %thank you. God.% H 0or what its worth= its never too late or. in my case. too early to be whoever you want to be. #heres no time limit. sto whenever you want. You can change or stay the same> there are no rules to this thing. +e can make the best or the worst of it. $ ho e you make the best of it. and $ 22

ho e you see things that startle you. $ ho e you feel things you never felt before. $ ho e you meet eo le with a different oint of view. $ ho e you live a life your.re roud of. $f you find that you.re not. $ ho e you have the strength to start all over again. I0. Scott 0it,geraldJ H5e utation. you know ( a lifetime to build. seconds to destroy. (Stardust ImovieJ H #he only thing worse than <udgment is assive aggressive grace. ?udgment is at least honest. 4 :atthew #urner H5eal rayer isnt about changing Gods mind but about finding Gods heart Uand letting His heart change my mind. 4&nn Eoskam HLaugher is much more healing than traditional medicine. 4Laughology ImovieJ H$ think ?esus refers honesty over certainty. I8ete +ilsonJ H:ake your ambition to lease ?esus. He!ll take care of everything else. ILouie GiglioJ H+hen 'hrist is great(our fears are not" & big God translates into big courage. Ima/ lucadoJ HGod stands to accom lish the im ossible through us while too often we!re content to settle for the e/ lainable. SCelly minterT HGod!s invitation to rayer reveals his heart. 3ur res onse to his invitation reveals ours. Ima/ lucadoJ H$n 'hrist. no matter the story. we always know the outcome. 3ur Savior= surrounds.3ur future= secure. 3ur <oy= certain. Iann voskam J H 7o you love the erson or your fantasy of them1 See them for who they are. +ho they SH3+ you they are. H +hat counts in making a ha y relationshi is not how com atible u r but how u deal wP incom atibility. I7aniel GolemanJ H$f you want to lift yourself u . lift u someone else. 4 9ooker #. +ashington H You know what the most destructive force in the universe is1 5egret. 4:en in 9lack $$$ H & miracle is something that seems im ossible but it ha ens anyway. 4:en in 9lack $$$

H #he bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie. ( :en in 9lack $$$ H 8rayer without ceasing is only ossible in a life of continual thanks. I&nn Eoskam J Hfacing what $ cant control. $m learning to tell God how $ feel. ask Him to take care of it Q hel me shake it off. Igrit and gloryJ H#he whole thing boiled down to trusting God with and for this very moment and what was most im ortant in it. 9eing mindful of that relationshi motivates us to face the im ortant things in our lives with confidence. knowing God is in control. +e may not understand what is 2,

ha ening or why. but we can have a trusting heart that God is in charge. &nd if we live from that center of focus. we will be consciously resent every second of the day and mindful of what is im ortant. Iluci swindollJ HHeaven is holding its breath. ho ing that you!ll decide to live out an ine/ licable faith. @bob goffA H3ur eyes won!t ad<ust to the holiness of God until our hearts ad<ust to the holiness of rest. HGot V minutes to com lain1 How about listing out all of the good things in your life instead" H$ts not the load that breaks you down. $ts the way you carry it. ( '.S.Lewis H+hen $ understand that everything ha great deal of an/iety. 4 &.+. #o,er ening to me is to make me more 'hristlike. it solves a

Hthe higher the mountain. the greater the view. H 3ne of life!s greatest leasures is climbing under the covers with a big ile of books to fli through. don!t you think1 4 ?oanna Goddard H+ild Geese You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert. re enting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. #ell me about des air. yours. and $ will tell you mine. :eanwhile the world goes on. :eanwhile the sun and the clear ebbles of the rain are moving across the landsca es. over the rairies and the dee trees. the mountains and the rivers. :eanwhile the wild geese. high in the clean blue air. are heading home again. +hoever you are. no matter how lonely. the world offers itself to your imagination. calls to you like the wild geese. harsh and e/citing( over and over announcing your lace in the family of things. 44:ary 3liver H:Y life closed twice before its close> $t yet remains to see $f $mmortality unveil & third event to me. So huge. so ho eless to conceive. &s these that twice befell. 8arting is all we know of heaven. &nd all we need of hell. V

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H%+riting is easy. &ll you do is sit down at a ty ewriter and o en a vein.% I5ed SmithJ H+hat we do when we leave the manger says a lot about who we met there HHe died not for men. but for each man. $f each man had been the only man made. He would have done no less. ~'SLewis H?ust because today is a terrible day doesnt mean tomorrow wont be the best day of your life. You <ust gotta get there. HGreat marriages take average days and make them not so average. ~:ike Glenn Hi.m not a romantic. but even i will concede that the heart does not e/ist solely for the ur ose of um ing blood. @7ownton &bbeyA

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