Quote from Forum Archives on March 29, 2005, 9:31 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Tue, 29 Mar 2005: The Overcomers

Dear friends,

This is a message about several young adults who have overcome
considerable adversity, and as a result, their lives have been
enriched. There is much for all of us to learn from this. Read
both the scriptures and the stories and consider how they may
apply to your life and those you love.

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________

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"Our Youth: Eight Success Stories" Larry Davies

Eight high school seniors recently received a college
scholarship. In addition to being intelligent these students
were chosen because they would be the very first in their family
to attend college. All eight allowed me to read and quote from
their scholarship application letters. Each letter highlights a
story offering an inspiring example of courage and faith. It
wasn't always easy...

* "My life got off to a very bumpy start: literally. I was born
in transit to the delivery room, somewhere between the back seat
of a 1979 baby blue Volkswagen Rabbit and the fourth floor of
the hospital... My father was sent to prison a few years ago..."

* "I was four when my parents divorced. I can truly say that it
was one of the worst experiences that I have had yet..."

* "I was raised in a house full of people... so I always had to
fight for everything I wanted, including attention... "

* "These seventeen years of my life have been filled with
heartache, joy, compassion, love, and devotion."

If there is a recipe for success, these youth started with many
of the wrong ingredients. Yet they managed to succeed beyond all
expectations. How did they do it? First, I noticed in the
letters that each student knew what they wanted to do: Doctor,
Prosecuting Attorney, United States Army Officer, Special
Education Teacher, Certified Public Accountant, Child Counselor,
Social worker. Each one set clear goals for the future. This is
so important.

Peter explains goal setting in his letter to a struggling
church: "God has given gifts to each of you from his great
variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God's
generosity can flow through you. Are you called to be a speaker?
Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are
you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and
energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in
everything through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:10-11)

1. God gives us gifts.

2. Manage our gifts wisely.

3. Use our gifts knowing God speaks through us.

4. Do everything with all your strength and energy.

5. Give God the glory for your success.

Goal setting is the process of learning to understand and
appreciate your God-given gifts and then managing them well so
that God's generosity can flow through you. Is your goal to help
others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God
supplies. These eight seniors are doing that. Here are some
other valuable lessons from the letters of these remarkable
youth:

* Desire: "...despite the emotional distress that loomed due
to those circumstances, I maintained my A' average in
school... I attribute this to my strong, independent
character."

* Perspective: "...I had a better understanding of how to
pray... Throughout my entire life, religion and school seem
to be the meaningful topics in my life."

* A Mentor: "I will be eternally grateful for my mother's
instruction. ...my academic success can be traced back to her
taking the time to teach me, when others left it up to the
schools."

* Appreciation: "I believe that there is no greater place on
this earth than the United States of America. I want to put my
life on the line for the country that has been so good to me."

* Service: "I will strive to help students with
disabilities... "The best thing that a person can do in life
is to help someone else."

* Influence: "In my opinion, the difference between a child
that sells drugs and a child that makes the honor roll is the
encouragement and faith that adults instill in them."

* Faith: "I thank God every night for blessing me in so many
ways and ask him to keep giving me the strength and knowledge to
live a prosperous and positive long life."

Everyone is not meant to receive a scholarship or attend a
university, but we are all given unique abilities and talents by
God. Are we applying them?

Yes, we also have serious obstacles and character flaws to
overcome but success is measured by our willingness to use our
God given gifts and talents regardless of obstacles standing in
the way.

Maybe, this is what makes our eight high school seniors so
extraordinary? May God continue to bless and inspire our youth.

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Jesus said: "You are the light of the world--like a city on a
mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a
Better Life" now on sale only through our website.
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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