The scriptures tell us of a woman who was stigmatized by a chronic illness for 12 years. Spending all of her money seeking medical solutions, she only grew worse.

Evidently she heard about Jesus’ miracles and made a bold decision—despite public opinion. She repeated to herself, If I only touch His garment, I will get well. Though crowded on all sides, Jesus knew someone had touched Him expecting to be healed. Turning immediately to the woman, He said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.”

This woman faced significant stress in life. She had spent all of her money, was ostracized by the public, and was critically ill. Yet, her thoughts led her toward healing! Her thinking gave her the strength to break out of her normal routine and find what she needed!  She determined to press through the negative obstacles and reach out to Jesus for her miracle. I want you to know that you can do the same today!

Scripture: Matthew 9:20-22 (paraphrased)

Discovery is a powerful word that opens up vast opportunity. Children have no limits on their curiosity or willingness to try out new things. In fact, their openness is so great that it could cause personal injury or peril. As we grow older, we seem to lose the ‘YES’ in life – words like routine, institution, insurance, protection, and safety become commonplace in our vocabulary.

I remember moving to Russia and finding a society that was based on the word “NO.” How could it be that this dynamic, creative society was cloaked in such negative expectation? Yet, for many of us today, regardless of our society, we allow the phrases “No, you can’t,” “No, you shouldn’t,” “No, that’s not right,” “No, it’s not possible,” to control our destinies!

Let’s realize today that Christ takes the parentheses off of life. He puts a plus on our future because He says, All things are possible, only believe!

Scriptures: Luke 8:50, Mark 10:27 (paraphrased)

Time has a way of dimming our expectation and lowering our forecast of good things in the future. God designed prayer to include the expectation of an answer. Jesus often mentions that our Father’s desire is to do good to His children.

In times of delay Jesus mentions to ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. It’s never too late!

When Jairus’ daughter died while Jesus was delayed, Jairus was told by Jesus to “only believe,” his daughter will live. Death may be final, but nothing is too late when Jesus is with you!

Jesus needed the faith of Jairus to work with. He knew the bad report would paralyze Jairus as it would us. Grief and sorrow would soon replace faith unless Jesus addressed it. Getting hold of our feelings is important! I believe Jesus was saying to Jairus: “Just stay open to your miracle. Do not shut down. I am bigger than any bad report!”

Friends, never quit and you will never lose!
Scripture: Luke 8:48-50

Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness, says that people are more able to play a direct role in attaining their own joy than earlier studies indicated. Her research showed that happiness levels increased when people took a few surprisingly simple steps:

• Count your blessings
  • Reframe situations in a positive light
  • Perform acts of kindness

Those participants who expressed gratitude and kept an optimistic outlook were less depressed and happier than the control group.  Results seem to indicate that happy people choose to be happy by taking steps to ensure it.

My husband, Kevin, shares his personal story on how he overcame adversity:

“When I was a young lad, an old Ford factory shift worker came to my grade school looking for boys who wanted to learn to play tennis. That idea jumped in me and I pursued it, despite having a bad case of pigeon-toed feet and starting the game with the racket in the wrong hand!

The coach made an instant determination that I would not make it. He devised a tournament to eliminate some of the boys whom he thought were hopeless and would not make the grade. I was scheduled to play the best player. I was facing immediate termination and it was assumed I would quietly disappear into the night.

However, the day before the tournament began, the star player was hit in the head by a baseball and knocked unconscious. The next day he couldn’t play, and I ended up winning the tournament, which turned the thinking of everyone upside down! Where they had seen no promise of success, they were now forced to acknowledge there was more than a promise of success!

That first tournament victory was followed by over 100 more! Those days of adversity prepared me for the challenges of today. I am confident that a living God can give an idea to every one of His chosen children, but it is critical what we do with it.

Follow your dream! Don’t let your pigeon-toed feet or lack of knowledge hinder your opportunity for victory!  “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.”

Scripture: Galatians 5:7-8 (NLT)

During World War II, a military governor met with General George Patton in Sicily. When he praised Patton highly for his courage and bravery, the general replied, “Sir, I am not a brave man . . . the truth is, I am an utterly craven coward. I have never been within the sound of gunshot or in sight of battle in my whole life that I wasn’t so scared that I had sweat in the palms of my hands.”

Years later, when Patton’s autobiography was published, it contained this significant statement by the general: “I learned very early in my life never to take counsel of my fears.”

If you are to do anything in life you will face risk of failure. There are healthy fears that protect you, like a fear of jumping off the garage roof. These type of fears protect you, but there are many unhealthy fears that paralyze you, like fear of tomorrow, fear of poverty, fear of sickness, fear of failure, etc.

We have been given the weapons to live a fear free life, but we must use those weapons to address the fears. Patton had it right. Don’t take council of your fears.

For God hath not give us a spirit of FEAR; but of power, and of love and a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7 KJV)

These are encouraging words for challenging times! Did you know that fear is a spirit? Did you know that each day you can make a decision to either yield to fear, or to the power of GOD? I am amazed how many times the phrase “fear not” or “do not fear” appears in the bible. I counted 84 specific instances where these phrases are followed immediately by a promise or reward if we do not fear!

I want to encourage you today to research these 84 bible promises for yourself until your heart is full of all the promises you need!

FEAR NOT, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee! (1Chron 28:20 KJV emphasis mine)

Wesley Autrey, a 50-year-old construction worker and Navy veteran, was waiting for the downtown local train at 137th Street and Broadway in Manhattan.  It was lunchtime, and he was taking his two daughters, Syshe, 4, and Shuqui, 6, home before work.

Suddenly, a young man standing nearby collapsed to the ground, his body convulsing. Mr. Autrey and two women rushed to help.  The young man, Cameron Hollopeter, managed to get up, but then stumbled to the edge of the platform and fell onto the tracks between the two rails.

Within seconds the headlights of the No. 1 train could be seen approaching. Making a split second decision, Mr. Autrey leapt into the drainage trench on top of Mr. Hollopeter, pressing him down in a space roughly a foot deep.

The train’s brakes screeched but could not stop in time, and several cars rolled overhead within inches of Autrey’s blue knit hat, smudging it with grease. Mr. Autrey heard the onlooker’s screams. “We’re ok. down here,” he yelled, “but I’ve got two daughters up there. Let them know their father’s ok!”

Power to the tracks was cut, and crews worked quickly to get them out.  Mr. Hollopeter was taken to the hospital with only bumps and bruises, police saying it appeared that he had suffered a seizure.

Mr. Autrey refused medical help, because, he said, “nothing was wrong.” But he did visit Mr. Hollopeter in the hospital before heading to his night shift. “I don’t feel like I did something spectacular; I just saw someone who needed help,” Mr. Autrey said. “I did what I felt was right.”

Act on your instinct to help! Don’t be a bystander in life when you can be a participator! You can find the courage to care and you can change your nation, your family and your life! Don’t ask what life can do for you, but rather ask, “What can I do to better the lives of others?”

Recently a leading global medical research institute listed the following benefits that can be attributed to positive thinking:

• Lower rates of depression
• Longer life expectancy
• Increased resistance to the common cold
• Lower risk of heart disease and related death
• Better overall psychological health
• Lower stress levels
• Better stress management and coping skills
• Increased physical well-being

These facts alone should enthuse you about the real life benefits of thinking positively. One positive thought can indeed cultivate the dream that is in your heart!  http://bit.ly/1FcdCOj

Four things happen when I solve problems for others:

• First, I recognize that I have the ability to provide solutions.
• Second, this instills a confidence which inspires me to resolve my own difficulties.
• Third, I recognize that I can believe in myself because there is someone greater that also believes in me.
• Lastly, my victories often open doors of victory for others.

Remember when facing personal difficulties that you have a teammate! Don’t be self-absorbed when seeing the problems that others face.  Gordon Hinckley said, “…the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves…if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.”