Adversity (n.): 1. Great hardship or affliction; misfortune. 2. A calamitous event (The American Heritage Dictionary, pg. 13). We have all been there at some point in our lives. Those moments in which we live what seems to be an inescapable nightmare where the image of what was once our…
Between the years 1360 – 1387, a poem titled “Piers Plowman” introduced the world to one of its most renowned phrases. The popular phrase, “patience is a virtue,” is believed to have been given birth by the pen of Mr. William Langland. According to many scholars, the allegorical poem follows…
Approximately two thousand feet. After hearing the sentence from the man who had become His judge, He understood that He was now required to walk an approximation of two thousand feet (six hundred meters) to the place where it would all end. His flesh, very tender and swollen from the…
“Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). When our God called upon Moses from the burning bush to liberate His people, these were the words that were spoken to him. Before our God could begin to instruct Moses…
Perhaps the most self satisfying feeling a person may have is when he achieves a seemingly impossible goal. With the exhortations and guidance of the apostle Peter, we are within arm’s length of reaching the peak of this spiritual Everest we have been steadily climbing for several weeks. The apostle…
I remember an old story my mentor used to share with me when I would visit him at his home in Houston. He would always fondly remember the old preacher who had taught him about the gospel because of his patience with him. He would tell me about an event…
One day a missionary arrived disappointed from the poor results of his trip. He had spent his entire summer in the region of Central America vigorously spreading the gospel of Christ, but without any conversions. As he rode the taxi in silence, he began analyzing what must have gone wrong.…
In the fast paced world we live in today, it is easy to ignore the true value of patience. Our entire environment is dictated by an inexplicable addiction to speed. Due to the rapid advancement of technology, this generation has yet to grasp the concept of taking a moment to…
Any experienced and well trained mountaineer will tell you that it is essential to have a resting point during the grueling climb. During the break, the mountain climber takes advantage of the opportunity to re-energize his physical and mental strength. As he is doing so, he takes a moment to…
In Japanese culture, there is an ancient group of warriors known as the Samurai. These distinct warriors lived their lives by the ethic code of bushido that required them to be loyal to their masters, have a respectful behavior, and be self-disciplined. The Samurai were fatal, highly skilled soldiers in…