The influence of the Church does not depend on the Church, it depends on the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will never lose its influence. He is God and He is influencing society.

How does God deal with your bitter heart? He reminds you that what you have is more important than what you don't have. You still have your relationship with God. No one can take that.

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leave you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing, and listen as Heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.

The Scripture says, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" [Psalm 118:24].Glory days are days that can happen right now. The key is understanding some basic principles that don't just apply to any one season of life but transcend all seasons of life - not allowing our circumstances to define our outlook on life, but allowing what God's Word says about life to define that outlook.

And we need to share our story. Not with everyone but with someone. There is someone who is like you were. And he or she needs to know what God can do. Your honest portrayal of your past may be the courage for another's future.

How my relationship with my parents influenced my writing, really not at all. My dad was a mechanic, my mom a nurse.