PHILOSOPHY OF HARDSHIPS

I am going to put what I believe into perspective here, as I believe:

> I believe that everything happens for a reason and that bad things happen in the world for one reason. Without bad stuff happening, nothing good that comes out of it (like compassion and generosity for famine and natural disaster victims) would ever BE ABLE to come true.

> God sees the WHOLE picture, not just OUR one tiny perspective, from our littler, limited vantage point. So, to me, for example, when someone else leaves us (whether through death, divorce, cheating, breakups, etc), that is an OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH FOR US. Perhaps it was God's vision all along for your life. Perhaps this is part of your growth as a human being. Perhaps He wants you to become more successful independent of others, perhaps that other person was limiting your life, perhaps you were limiting theirs, perhaps one or both of you had other things you need to do that just simply wasn't getting done with you two together. But, since God doesn't do anything for our harm, I believe that we can't reach our full potential if our life is perfect and happy all the time. I am saying that I feel that every one of our problems are chances for personal growth and personal improvement.

> God speaks to us through other people, through their words and through music, etc. because He has no other tangible way to speak to us, but His spirit in us allows Him to give us the truth in our hearts IF WE CHOOSE WITH FREE WILL TO LISTEN. There have been times in my life when I was not a practicing Christian, when complete strangers have come up to me and handed me money when I just so happened to desperately need it and wasn't even asking for it! One time a person actually walked right up to me totally out of the blue and handed me money and said, God just told me you needed this. And I did and I was praying for help, and help came through THAT person, at THAT moment. People have given me a hug, or had a conversation with me for no apparent reason. I explain these things as God working miracles in my life, and allowing others the opportunity to get rewards in heaven for being a good person of POSITIVE ACTION.

> I do not believe, as most other Christians say, that God will change you or change your life, without YOU having to do the work yourself too. I believe in the power of prayer, and I believe and have experienced MANY times the miracle of God's power flushing out my life, but I had to learn my lessons, ask for help, allow the interceptions, invite the positives into my life, remove the negatives from my life, and get up every day to do what I have to do to survive this life as best I can. God didn't DO all that FOR me. He HELPS US when we need to be carried, but then He puts us back down on our own two feet to walk the walk and talk the talk.

> Jesus was sent to us as a mentor, to be our best friend, to show us how to be better people because we have failed EVERY time God has tried to teach us every other way, so I believe God sent Jesus as a sort of last resort because Jesus was a real person we CAN relate to. It is a historical fact that He existed. People actually spoke to the man. Even if you don't want to believe in God, Jesus existed, and I have heard the little voice that helps me avoid trouble, so I believe in the Holy Spirit too.

> And because Jesus and other amazing people have existed in the world, like, in MY opinion, modern day prophets, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, possibly even people like Marianne Willamson, Anthony Robbins, Joyce Myer, and other famous speakers in the world, etc., none of those great teachers would ever exist without God, so therefore I DO believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. That is what I believe because it makes sense to me. These people have changed the WORLD by their actions, and by thinking outside the box. I applaud them and I aspire to be a better person to spite my circumstances, like they were.

It doesn't matter right this minute what you want to believe about God or Jesus. Within your own lifetime, He WILL give you EVERY OPPORTUNITY to come to Him, and it will be your own free will choice what you choose to do with that information. Just as it is your free will choice what you choose to do with this information I am giving to you today. I hope you choose to live the best life and be the best you that you can be, particularly because I have to live in this society with you!

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law (Christians), so that EVERY mouth may be silenced and THE WHOLE WORLD (including non-believers, will be) held accountable to God." Romans 3:18-20