The pain was on the surface, so it took all his will to reach upward. But maybe that's what God asked of man. To reach upward even when it's hard.

The trick is not caring that it hurts.

At the time, I thought my life couldn't get any worse. Here's some advice: Don't ever think that.

For six years, from age nineteen until I turned twenty-five, I did not sleep uninterrupted through a single night. . . . I felt lucky to get my shoes on the right feet. . . . I moved forward only, thinking each morning anew that we were leaving the worst behind.

It's not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us. Of course, things can hurt us physically or economically and can cause sorrow. But our character, our basic identity, does not have to be hurt at all.

Nothing has a greater, longer lasting impression upon another person than the awareness that someone has transcended suffering, has transcended circumstance, and is embodying and expressing a value that inspires and ennobles and lifts life.

We exhibit the highest form of divine influence when we exemplify divine attitudes and attributes in the worst kind of situations and predicaments.

Hope is in the name of God, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hope is when you compare your suffering to the infinite, immeasurable love and grace of God.

Only three things can change our lives dreams, suffering and love

Your heart has to be prepared ahead of time through faith and prayer and grace and mercy and love and forgiveness so you can keep your heart open in hell, when hell happens.

Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely. It is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against him.

On the other side of pain, there is still love.