"INSPIRATION"
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"There's no better place to search for hope than the future;
A concept that gives everyone in existence a reason to live."
Copyright © 2002 Amy Newak



"The mass of the body does not equal to the mass of the soul..."
Shaolin Temple --- Submitted by Endy S. --- Singapore



"If you are blessed with a friend you are blessed for life, as I was with mine."
Written in 2002 by Vicki G. --- England, United Kingdom



I AM

I was regretting the past and fearing the futures,
Suddenly my Lord was speaking,
"My name is I am".
He paused, I waited, He continued.

"When you live in the past,
With its mistakes and regrets,
It is hard; I am not there.
My name is not "I was".

When you live in the future,
With its problems and fears,
It's hard; I'm not there.
My name is not "I will be".

When you live in this moment,
It is not hard; I am here.
My name is I am."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Patricia Gorman --- Australia



"God is so wise that He never created friends with price tags.
If He had, I could never have afforded a 'friend like you'."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Benedict Mbele --- Gauteng, South Africa



"I know life, at the moment, can be a horrible, cold place; when you're too depressed to move, too sad to talk, and so closed-up that everyday, you cry to yourself internally, never letting anyone know your pain. I know that life is better than this. Get out of bed. Take a walk outside in the beautiful sunshine, take a deep breath and breathe in the grace and wonders of life. Smile and laugh with those whom you call friends. I know, whenever you're down, in that cold place, throw away your journal and just think of life and how outstanding it is to be alive."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Kurt T. --- NSW, Australia



"In love and in pain, always know that you have friends. Friends are forever. A true friend will always be there for you in times of need, even when the rest of the world seems to have left you behind. I hope I can be such a friend, because I know I treasure the friends I have."
Copyright © 2002 Neill MacRae



"The only way to live life is to live it with hope."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by W.T. --- Illinois
Without hope, your goals in life are always out of reach. Keep your hope alive!



"When you seek happiness for yourself, it will always delude you.
When you seek happiness for others, it will always serve you."
Wayne Dyer --- Submitted by Dan I., --- Vic, Australia



"I swear the Earth shall surely be complete to him or her who shall be complete. The Earth remains jagged and broken only to him or her who shall remain jagged and broken."
Walt Whitman --- Submitted by L.E. --- Alaska



THE POWER OF ONE!

All it takes is...
One mind to create a dream,
One heart to power that dream,
One body to fulfill that dream,
And one soul to believe
"In The Power Of One"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Patricia Gorman --- Australia



REMEMBER TO REMEMBER

When your senses reel,
And all you can feel
Is the pull of the world on you...
...Cling fast to your Aim,
Remember His name
And strive in your Work to be True.
Copyright © 2001 Guy Finley --- Submitted by Roel Corpus --- Oregon



"The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Sheetal Singh --- Bombay, India



"Faith isn't Faith, until it's all you're holding on to."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Emily D. --- Oklahoma



"Be thankful for the difficult people in your life; the annoying, the sad, the bitter, even the cruel bullies. God has put them there to show you something. It is only through dealing with them, that He is able to show you... the real you."
Copyright © 2002 Scott Johnson



"He who thinks he's suffering alone does not know God."
Copyright © 2002 Rudy Byleveld



"As long as you have memories, yesterday remains.
As long as you have hope, tomorrow awaits."
Copyright © 2002 Yolanda Mabenge



"The world may crown success but God crowns the faithful."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Philip Heisler --- New Jersey



"Let us think that we would be able to squeeze SIN,
And then out would come Pride, which causes you to be rebellious.
Also out would come Selfishness, which causes you to covet."
Jesus del Cristo Martinez --- Submitted by Juan Cavallo --- Florida



"I may be poor, but only in human standard of wealth.
But I am richer than he who cannot forgive,
Because my heart will be full of people's thankfulness."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Perlie Laurente --- Manila, Philippines



"If prayer is you talking to God, then intuition is God talking to you.
Follow your bliss, and listen to your heart."
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer --- Submitted by Dan I. --- Vic, Australia



"A friend is one who looks beyond the broken fence
And admires the flowers in your garden."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Monique H. --- Singapore



POETRY OF EFFORT

I was walking along the garden path
And saw that the life of effort is pure poetry.

I saw the Lotus in the pond
Making effort to stay far above the muck below.
Pure and blessed the Lotus bloomed
To make the lonely walker happy.
The Sunflower craned his neck to face the Sun,
And look into his eyes with expectation and courage.
The Sun smiled upon the Flower
Admiring the great risk he was taking.
His petals withered in the burning heat - his colors faded.
Yet his seeds swelled with life-giving oil of wisdom.

The enchanting fragrance of Henna makes
A transient, yet, profound effect.
Crushed into paste on the stone of life
With tears of happiness and sweat of labor -
Brings forth the deep red color of wisdom.
The heart is cooled and dyed permanent with Henna -
The refreshing fragrance of enlightenment
Still lingers on into the night.

I was walking along the garden path
And saw that the life of effort is pure poetry.
Copyright © 2002 Raghunath Narayan Tantry



"Winter never fails to turn to spring."
Nichiren Daishonin (Buddhist Priest 13th century)
--- Submitted by Tonya Tobias - Plummer --- New York

This is from the Buddhism of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for individual enlightenment as well as for the peace and cooperation of the entire world.



"Be unconditioned; love unconditionally."
Copyright © 2002 Simon Heighwaya



"If God is good, then so are all of his creations. Problems are only a man's individual thought that he holds inside so the answers to your problems are within you. Be silent, get quiet, and know that everything in the universe is perfected in love and harmony. There is a reason for everything; know it, trust it."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Dan I. --- Vic, Australia



"At the end of the day all that life comes down to is love. Only love can heal pain, loss, and frustration. Love brings you happiness, fulfillment and success. Just recently I lost someone I loved for a long time. His death taught me that all you can do for yourself and others is love them. Forget the grudges, learn from your mistakes; you only live once, so live it fully. You never know when it will be your last."
Written in 2002 by Monique C. --- Georgia



"Whatever will be, will be whatever you WILL it to be."
Copyright © 2002 Edd Uluschak



"If no one hears your call.... walk alone."
Mahatma Gandhi --- Submitted by Christopher Green --- ACT, Australia



"Embrace failure, for that is knowledge."
Copyright © 2001 Diego Sayles



"Don't ask God to erase your fears; ask God to help you in facing them."
Ravina Goyal --- Submitted by S.G. --- New Jersey



"Take time to think of those who have left the life we know. Try to hear what they wish they could have done differently, and live your life through their wisdom."
Copyright © 2002 Brie Carlon



"Stay on your feet as you go and even the highest mountain will remain beneath you."
Copyright © 2002 Paul Flynn



"God works in mysterious ways. You never know what he has planned for you, and it may not be something you like. But you must always trust him and know that it's right."
Copyright © 2002 Kaylen Houser



"Cast your cares upon the Lord and he will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall."
Psalm 55:22 --- Submitted by Jessica Fosmark --- Michigan



"Faith is a light which, however faint, can brighten the darkest of lives where it exists and can darken thebrightest of lives where it does not."
Copyright © 2002 Abhimanyu Rathore



"Without faith, a heart is empty; but without hope, a heart is broken. Hope may seem like just another word to make us feel good but that word's intensity and meaning is what keeps us going when everything else falls apart."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by N.F. --- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
"Hope" is my favorite word because it got through me my rough times and I know it will do the same for anyone who depends on it.



"LIFE, many people live their whole life trying to find the meaning of life, and never find it. The meaning of it is in the word itself, (L)ove (I)ntegrity (F)ear of God (E)xample. You have to have a lot of love to give and receive, you must have integrity, you must know and respect God, and you must be an example to all. Then LIFE will be great and good back to you."
Copyright © 2002 Juan Cavallo



"After all my years of looking for happiness outside of me, I finally realized that I'm never going to get it all, I am it all, already."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Dan I. --- Victoria, Australia



"Everyone makes mistakes, that's why God created erasers."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Nicole K., Age 14 --- Ohio
One day on a paper route I forgot this man's paper. This is what he said when I ran back to give it to me. Ever since then it affects me greatly. Hopefully it will help you see that no one is perfect and it is ok to make mistakes.



"Be obliged to attend to the many, everyday experiences that you are forced to come to terms with. They're the chisels that sculpt your life. Remind yourself that sometimes imperfection is an art, which you'll appreciate only later in life."
Copyright © 2002 Wei Wei



"We often ask God why we have encountered such obstacles,
But we do not try to ask ourselves why God tries to give us such."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Nova S. --- Cavite, Philippines



"It is not easy to live life some times and face the world with a smile when you are crying inside. It takes a lot of courage to reach down inside yourself, hold on to that strength that's still there and know that tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities. But if you can just hold on long enough to see this through, you'll come out a new person-stronger, with more understanding and with a new pride in yourself knowing you made it."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Subika Farazi --- Lahore, Pakistan



"Life has so many directions and dimensions; however, it takes only the Lord's guidance and protection to the right and successful paths."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Nicholas Nketiah --- Accra, Ghana



"We have one life to live, one life to give all that we've got!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Adam D. --- Idaho



"There is a lot of past behind your eyes... but it's the future, in front of them, that matters more."
Copyright © 2002 Sketch Osbourne



FOR ALL THESE THINGS

Happiness
Once only a dream
Peace
Far away it seemed

I can find love
I can find peace
I can find joy
I can find hope
For all these things
I can find in me

Change
Is one of the hardest things to do
I used to laugh when people said
If I can do it, you can do it too

But, I will find love
I will find peace
I will find joy
I will find hope
For all these things
Begins and ends with me
Copyright © 2001 Jenelle Jack



"I asked God to make my handicapped brother whole.
He said his spirit is whole; his body is only temporary."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Eileen McFadden --- South Carolina
My brother broke his neck in a car accident. At the time, he was a freshman at The Citadel, now his is a sophomore at a Tech school here. Currently he has a GPA of 4.0 and doing WONDERFUL! He is paralyzed from the chest down. He is my inspiration. Everyone in this whole town looks up to him. I love him.



"Being HOPEFUL is more important than being REALISTIC. For "reality" is colored by our perceptions,opinions, and the ever-fragile human emotions. But "hope" has the power to elevate us. Hope turns our eyes away from the visible and allows us to see the miracle that we need, while it is still far off."
Copyright © 2002 Scott Johnson



"When you open your eyes in the morning - that's a good day!"
My Mother --- Submitted by Jeanne Butler --- Delaware
Mom always said this to me when I complained about anything!



"Let God love you through others and let God love others through you."
D.M. Street --- Submitted by Steve Augustyn --- Nebraska



"It is not easy to live life sometimes and face the world with a smile when you are crying inside. It takes a lot of courage to reach down inside yourself, hold on to that strength that's still there and know that tomorrow is a new day with new possibilities. But if you can just hold on long enough to see this through, you will come out a new person-stronger, with more understanding and with a new pride in yourself from knowing you made it."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Subika Farazi --- Lahore, Pakistan



"Set yourself a list of goals. Move systematically through each item on the agenda, regardless of whether itbrings a roaring success or leads to a depressing dead end. Go as far as you can and then go on to the nextthing on the list. Don't be upset by what anyone says or does. Just be sure of what you trust. And remember;if you keep on trying to do what's right, you will succeed. It's as simple as that."
Jonathan Cainer --- Submitted by Catherine Doherty --- Victoria, Australia



"I am learnin' to trust in that part of myself that remains un-changed in a changin' world."
Written in 2002 by S. Heighwaya --- Essex, United Kingdom



"Each person has a gift from God and if you don't take a moment to get to know each person, you are denying yourself of an opportunity to receive a gift from God."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by E.C. --- Ohio



"Brace yourself for life's falls by landing on your back.
For if you have the courage to look up, it provides the strength needed to get up."
Copyright © 2002 Lester Goree



"Start by doing what is necessary,
Then what is possible,
And suddenly you are doing the impossible."
St. Francis of Assisi --- Submitted by Terry M. --- New Jersey



"An expert at anything was once a beginner."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Sarah A., Age 11 --- Arizona



"If you don't go within, you go without."
Conversations with God - Book 1 --- Submitted by Cary Campria --- Florida



"Listen to your heart. God whispers His will through it because He is LOVE."
Copyright © 2002 Ayn E. Loable



"Think as tomorrow will always be brighter than today, as the day after will always be better than tomorrow, and the future will be more meaningful."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Pang Pui Yee --- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia



"To be unique is to be yourself."
Copyright © 2002 Barby Thrift



THE STORM IS OVER

Your storm is now over, but to get through the storm
First the wind came (trials and tribulations)
Then came the rain (tears)
Then came the lightening (pain)
It began to thunder (depression)
Then all of a sudden the wind, rain, lightening, and thunder stopped
The clouds began to separate and the sun began shining through (your new life)
The sky began to turn a beautiful blue (peace of mind)
The birds began to sing (joy and happiness)
When you let God take control of your life,
Even though you may go through a storm,
God is there before, during and after
The storm is over
Copyright © 2002 Pat Cobb



"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: that word is love."
Sophocles --- Submitted by L D'Andrea --- Arizona



"Smiles are the receipts from gifts of kindness."
Copyright © 2002 Stacy Langley



"Stay inspired. The harder you fall, the higher you're gonna bounce."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Bree Kotz --- Colorado



"Life doesn't give me security and happiness; it's up to me to will it.
Life only gives me time and space; it's up to me to fill it."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Allan Nebrija --- Hawaii



"Do not do what other people want you to do. Do what your heart decides."
Author Unknown --- Submitted by David W., Age 12 --- Minnesota



Self-Inflicted Blindness

As soon as one forgives oneself, it is like taking away a bandage that covered one's eyes. When the bandage is gone, then one can see that the ones that love us have already forgiven us long ago and are still there loving us. "Love covers a multitude of sins". Of course one may have inflicted pain on those that one loves. But as soon as we take care of those wounds, those soon become scars. Then, with time, one sees those scars as trophies that represent that our love has won the battles over the evil one; the one that comes to separate, kill and destroy. May God touch and fill each of us with His love in our hearts, "Love can do all things".
Copyright © 2002 Juan Cavallo



"Whatever you feel is over your head is always under God's feet.
He will never forget you!"
Author Unknown --- Submitted by Stef L. --- Mississippi



"I just hope that I can go out of all these difficulties as a better person."
Copyright © 2002 Aslannif Roslan