Today's tears sweep the road to tomorrow's blessings.

Your greatest highs come from overcoming your greatest lows.

Stand up.Stand out.Stand firm.Stand strong.

Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of Grace. The gift of Grace increases as the struggle increases.

Not without hope we suffer and we mourn.

The obstacle became his alibi for weakness.

If it is God who has been withholding His presence, exposing the sin, calling for its destruction and a return to obedience, surely we can count upon His grace to strengthen us for the life He asks of us. It is not a question of what you can do. It is a question of whether you will with your whole heart give God what is due Him and allow His will to be done in your life.

No, wandering one; as it was Jesus who drew you when He spake "Come," so it is Jesus who keeps you when He says "Abide." The grace to come and the grace to abide are alike from Him alone.

How small of all that human hearts endure That part which laws or kings can cuse or cure!

This iron world (the same he weeping says)Brings down the stoutest hearts to lowest state:For misery doth bravest minds abate.Spens.Hubberd's Tale.

To be shocked at how deeply rejection hurts is to ignore what acceptance involves. We must never allow our suffering to be compounded by suggestions that there is something odd in suffering so deeply. There would be something amiss if we didn't.

Sometimes suffering is what's best for us, if only because it keeps us from sinning or tempting others to sin.