I've been to those places where it's 'poor, pitiful me.'

So many of us have friends or family who have battled cancer, and we know how important it is to find a cure.

You're not always happy with things that go on in life on a daily basis. There's nothing I can do. You've got to deal with it and still take care of myself.

From now on a fire burned within us, as it did in the disciples on the road to Emmaus. "Snowflakes cannot fall on a hot stove," says an Indian proverb. The coldness of this world could no longer harm us, although we had to pass through bitter times.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT). It is love — not fear, not guilt, and not peer pressure — that causes us to keep going when we feel like giving up.

Every time you forget that character is one of God's purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You'll wonder, "Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?" One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult!

The Bible says, "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance

Grievances are a form of impatience. Griefs are a form of patience.

Patience becomes a reality in us because we cling to God during times when we long for quick, complete solutions to our problems.

Could it be that God has been trying to form the quality of patience in us by putting difficulties, obstacles, and obstinate people in our lives? God's curriculum for all of us includes several courses on Patience 101, 201, and 301. Will we try to skip school, or will we be good students and learn our lessons?

Healthy couples can weather brutal storms and come out stronger on the other side. This is how relationships grow and deepen. 

Learning to weep, learning to keep vigil, learning to wait for the dawn. Perhaps this is what it means to be human.