When surrounded by the ashes of all that I once cherished, despite my best efforts I can find no room to be thankful. But standing there amidst endless ash I must remember that although the ashes surround me, God surrounds the ashes. And once that realization settles upon me, I am what I thought I could never be ... I am thankful for ashes.

With God, the setbacks of today are the precise ingredients that He needs to craft the victories of tomorrow.

The challenge is never based on the size of the obstacle that stands before me. Rather, it is dictated by the degree of faith that rests within me.

I don’t necessarily sit around inviting life to knock me down, but when it does I don’t wait around for an invitation to stand back up either.