Sticks and Stones, Sweet Songs, and Gripping Stories.

Having awakened around 2-something this morning with a few things troubling my mind, I got up and read my Bible, in that spot on my red couch where I always go to find my comfort and strength and maybe some wisdom now and then.

Last night, it didn’t help to ease the worrisome thoughts racing through my head, so I googled a few quotes and wanted to list them here in case anyone else needs a little encouragement to keep persevering at overcoming obstacles.
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My favorite:

Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest songs, and the most gripping stories… Billy Graham

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Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds… Albert Einstein

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Adversity creates heros… Picabo Street

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Don’t be distracted by critisism. Remember — the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you… Zig Ziglar

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The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it…Epicurus

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I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed… Booker T. Washington

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The likelihood of one individual being right increases in direct ratio to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong… Heaven Can Wait

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Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yes, each struggle, each defeat, sharpens your skills and strengths, your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence and thus each obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better or quit. Each rebuff is an opportunity to move forward. Turn away from them, avoid them, and you throw away your future… Og Mandino

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Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them…they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight… Orison Swett Marden

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Obstacles often are not personal attacks; they are muscle builders… Anne Wilson Shaef

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These last two years have been one ginormous obstacle after another, as my loyal blog readers are familiar. And its been the best set of circumstances that ever happened to me.

Before the trials I endured, I never really had to fight a battle before. Never really had an enemy. I was overprotected and sort of pampered and had thin skin and no backbone and collapsed in a puddle of tears at the least little inconvenience in my day. I’ve learned that I AM strong enough to DO THIS…

But I’m still not all that tough. Hateful words still really hurt, even from the viciously mean shrew who has taken it upon herself to stalk my blog and spew hateful, hurtful words in the comments.

Little does she know she’s really building my muscles. Unbeknownst to her, She’s only One. More. Obstacle.

Enjoy those bites you took out of me, Ms. Mediocre… You’re helping me write a more gripping story, and its going to end really well in spite of your best efforts.