"I’ve repeatedly told this little neighborhood kid not to let his older cousins ride the bike we gave him because they’re going to break it. Of course, I’ve been seeing his older cousins ride his bike over the last few weeks..."
'...there are some obstacles that you’re just going to have to outlast and persevere. Some will be like a gigantic block of ice in front of you. You can clearly see your path through them, but you can’t break or move them in any way. "
"... a voice inside of me said, “If you don’t get your act together, you’re going to be a loser.” Then I remember this overwhelming feeling of strength welled up inside of me."
"I said, "No problem. I believe God puts people in our paths to encourage us. You could have talked to anybody today, but God put us together. You're going to get to that other level. You just have to refuse to let those negative messages take you down."
"When you can't see a way, I encourage you to put in the work and trust in God's vision for your life. When you don't know how this or how that, let God's Word be the hub that your life decisions flow through..."
I said, “That’s great. You’re definitely light years more mature than I was when I was in high school. Not to put added responsibility on you, but I need you to know that you might be one of the few positive male influences in these young girls’ lives."
As a person that prides himself in forming my own opinion on people, I said to myself, “I’m going to surround this guy with encouragement, positivity and treat him like he’s a highly valued member of this team. Lord, help me break this thing over him, starting today.”
Filled with joy, I said, “You see that, bro? Do you see how The Holy Spirit worked on your heart? He softened your heart for that moment. She probably sensed it and saw her opportunity to thank you. She is on her way to being fully restored. Just remember that resentment is like a two-way stumbling block to people trying to draw closer to Christ.”
She joyfully responded, "Oh Honey, EVERYTHING I have is from Jesus." She gave me a bible and said, "Start in John, and we can talk more about Jesus the next time we get together."