“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

“Plan ahead, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.”

“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” – Old Native American Saying

“To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn’t know where he’s going.” – Joe Namath

“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more productive than a life spent doing nothing.” - George Bernard Shaw

“Success is a ladder that can’t be climbed with your hands in your pockets.”

“The greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Oliver Goldsmith

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” – Abe Lincoln

“The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.”

“If you’re always thinking about tomorrow, you can spoil a whole lot of todays.”

Determination is a powerful quality. People with determination obtain tremendous results.

There is an inspiring story about the famous mountaineer Edmund Hillary who failed climbing Mount Everest in his first attempt. But he cried out, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!” That’s determination! And that propelled him to conquer Mount Everest the next time.

Is there anything that challenges you or tries to intimidate you? You got to conquer it with determination!

Jesus Christ was determined to go to the cross, no matter what. Peter, one of His close disciples, tried to dissuade Him. He may have had thoughts that tempted Him to give up – that may be the reason why He prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, please take this cup from Me?”. But His determination made Him conquer the challenges.

Determination is productive. It transforms cowards into champions! It makes the passive active! It awakens hope over hopeless situations!

Our God is a God of determination. Nothing can stop Him from doing what He purposed to do. And He loves to grant that quality to those who ask Him.

Decide to be a determined person. It surely pays huge rewards!

- – - written by Joe Abraham & Ancy Joe

Each time when I go to Mass, there is something that strikes me very much. When the priest prays over the consecrated bread and wine, he says, “Lord, let your Holy Spirit come upon these gifts.” But we do not see any miracle there. Everything is silent and nothing happens noticeably.

Surely, the Holy Spirit comes. Though nothing happens visibly, lakhs of people believe that the Holy Spirit comes on the Altar and we attend the Mass with much faith. Through the centuries the sacrament of Holy Eucharist has nourished very many peoples’ life. It shows that the presence of God is really on the Altar and we receive the body and blood of Jesus.

In the Old Testament we read, while the presence of God approached the people, there were miracles. The mountains were burning. There were lightning, thunders and earthquakes. But here we see a silent God. The Lord says, ‘Be calm and know that I am the Lord’ (Ps. 46:10). He is same and His power is the same. But there is a change in the way of His acting. Though nothing happens as a big sign, God is really at work.

This gives a beautiful thought in our life. Though we think that nothing happens in our life after long prayers, God is really at work. We go on with the bread and wine but that is really a miraculous gift from God. It is His body and blood. It will surely nourish our spiritual life.

Likewise, even after long hours of prayer, there would be only ordinary life situations in front of us. It is like the ordinary bread and wine we see. But believe that God has touched those ordinary situations. God has placed them miraculously in front of us. They can surely nourish us and build us up. He has hidden His hands, legs and heart in those ordinary places.

Though, seemingly nothing happens, God is acting for us. Do not give way to despair but pray over and over again. Return to prayer and return to strength. It is the way to human success.

We desire much to see a God who hears our prayers. Instead we ignore to see a God who prepares the answers of our prayer through different life situations. Here we need faith to see a God who acts, not simply hears our petitions. Faith consists of believing God though we do not see anything as we wish Him to do.

Let us pray:- Lord we know that you are at work, though we feel nothing happens in our life. Open our eyes to see your hands and valuable presence in ordinary life situations. Free us from our worries over unanswered prayers. Amen.

- – - written by Jinto Mathew