ADVERSITY
 II

"There is no education like adversity." [Disraeli]

"Adversity is the very first path to truth." [Lord Byron]

"Turn all of your wounds into wisdom." [Oprah Winfrey]

"If you're going through hell, keep going." [Winston Churchill]

  "As a rule, adversity reveals genius. Prosperity conceals it." [Horace]

"Prosperity is a great teacher. Adversity is a greater one." [Hazlitt]

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." [M. Kathleen Casey]

"Adversity introduces us to ourselves." [Author Unknown]

 "Adversity will lead the wise to prosperity." [Gordon]

The OYSTER Principle

The only difference between NATURAL pearls and CULTURED
pearls is that one kind is the result of a random, uncontrolled process 
[by accident], and the other kind is the result of a deliberately controlled
process [by design].  Either way, the oyster begins "coating" a tiny pebble,
or some other irritant - with a nacreous substance, and continues, until it
no longer irritates it. The result of all of that "irritation" [adversity] is a
magnificantly strong, highly polished, perfectly beautiful - PEARL.

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Some will say we are meant to suffer in order to succeed and prosper.
That is totally ridiculous - nothing could be further from the truth. Nevertheless,
 most of us will not get through this life without facing some big challenges.

Yes, without any warning, adversity CAN indeed strike. Look at 9//11 -
look at the (global)  Economic Firestorm - the $800+ BILLION Wall Street
Bailout - the personal 401k losses - health challenges -  on and on. 

Hours before, our world was a placid cove of tranquillity - now it resembles
a raging sea. 12-foot waves of emotional unrest can sweep through our minds,
and hurricane-force winds can tear at the protective barriers of our hearts. 

Had we known it was coming, we'd have braced ourselves for the siege, but
adversity rarely announces its arrival ahead of time. Instead, it attacks us with a 
fury, through trial, heartache, and/or an emotional setback. Adversity - hands out
pink slips at the office - delivers the untimely news of a loved one's death - hits the
phone with bill collectors - underscores the crushing reality of a mate's betrayal - 
drives home the reality of a terminal illness to a waning heart - it ravages whole
cities with a brutal Katrina. Yes - the unexpected does happen - and most often,
it spares us little or no mercy. This is where the rubber meets the road, folks! 

There is always a 'purpose' for adversity, and there are always two sides to 
it. One side is positive, and stimulates spiritual and emotional growth - whereas
the other side carries the potential seeds to defeat and completely destroy us.

The reasons for suffering are as vast and different as the people who are
 touched by adversity. It does not matter what position we hold in society, or 
where we live - everyone has hurts. For some people, the trials may seem more 
than they can bear. The pain can become so intense that even their faith in their
Maker may be challenged. For others, trials and tribulations become victorious
pathways to greater things, and a closer spititual fellowship with their Maker.



FEAR -vs- FAITH
FEAR is a powerful emotion. We all know about the DAVID & GOLIATH story.
Unfortunately, FEAR a much stronger emotion than FAITH. Just look at the physical
effects fear can have on our bodies: Our breathing becomes more rapid - we sweat - 
our stomach feels sick -- we feel weaker.  We even have trouble thinking.  There is no
question that fear can take over our bodies, and sadly, even our minds. Some people
think the opposite of fear, is COURAGE, but that is not true.  We can be fearful and
courageous at the same time.  Courage is doing what needs to be done - 'despite
one's fear'.  The true opposite of fear, is faith. We can't have faith and be fearful
at the same time - the two simply can't co-exist. If we are experiencing fear, it
is because we do not have the faith that we can 'overcome' the [most often,
temporary] situation that's causing it - and thus, we freeze - we panic.

GRATITUDE & PRAYER
The only way to combat fear is to summon gratitude and prayer. Yes,
GRATITUDE and PRAYER will reconnect us to what is possible in our lives. It 
reminds us that we CAN achieve - that we CAN obtain - that we CAN overcome.
Gratitude and prayer opens the door for our Maker to kindle our faith. Remember
that all we need is faith - even as small as a mustard seed, or about the size of the
period in this sentence.  Fear cannot remain when faith takes hold. In the depths
of fear, we may not be able to immediately overturn the fear and feel faith. That
may be a leap that is too great in our desperate situation.  But even immersed
in fear, we can find one little thing to be grateful for. And then another, etc. 

None of us knows how, when, where or why adversity will strike. Yet we all pretty
much know that, at some point in our lives - each one of us will face the acid test of
adversity.  The real question is not whether adversity strikes - but how each one of us
will HANDLE it when it does.  What will our ATTITUDE be?  Gratitude can lead us to
hope -- hope can lead us to faith -- faith can lead us to change -- change can lead
us to a new "prosperity mindset" - one that CAN bring us more success, hope, joy
happiness and abundance - GIFTS that all of us so richly deserve in this life.

((( CLICK PICTURE )))
-MULE-
Overcomes 
ADVERSITY

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STEPPING STONES

Yes, adversity can become one
of the "stepping stones" to a better life.

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                                           Ok, lets talk about Prosperity & Abundance now...