Stand still... and refuse to retreat. Look at it as God looks at it and draw upon His power to hold up under the blast.

...when you trust the Lord God to give you the next step, when you wait in humility upon Him, *He* will open the doors or close them, and you'll get to rest and relax until He says, 'Go.

Times may be hard and people may be demanding, but never forget that life is special. Every single day is a special day. God is at work in you!

Fortunately, God made all varieties of people with a wide variety of interests and abilities. He has called people of every race and color who have been hurt by life in every manner imaginable. Even the scars of past abuse and injury can be the means of bringing healing to another. What wonderful opportunities to make disciples!

One of my great goals in life is to live long enough to where I am in the pulpit, preaching my heart out, and I die on the spot, my chin hits the pulpit - boom! - and I'm down and out. What a way to die!

The wonderful thing about God is he knows what we need to persuade us.

I know of nothing more valuable, when it comes to the all-important virtue of authenticity, than simply being who you are.