My travels take me all over the continent and sometimes beyond and put me in contact with people from almost every walk of life. From every corner of our society I hear four words spoken more often today than any other phrase: "Is there any hope?" I'm asked that question by people from all walk of life, rich and poor, young and old, black and white, male and female, married and single.

I realize that it's a tough world we live in. At some time in our lives we each must face despair, whether it be the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, the breakup of a marriage, or unbearable financial burdens. There are times in a person's life when he wakes up and realizes that he's not the success he'd always planned to be. Problems seem to pile upon problems, worries upon worries, and fear begins to dominate his life. Tears flow more frequently. Sleep comes less easily. And he may begin to wonder why God doesn't seem to care, if God is really listening, or if God is even there at all.

I know these feelings because I've been there, too. I've known great days when I could hardly wait to get up so that I could enjoy the challenge and opportunity of making things happen. On the other hand, I've experienced desperate times as well. I've known days when sleep would not come, day when I had to fight to hold back the tears, and days when I wasn't sure I could meet the payroll or pay the bills. They have been times when I wasn't certain that I was loved or cared for the times when I questioned if God was near or if God was even real. Those are the tough times in life, the testing times in life.

Maybe you've been there as well. If you haven't, you will be. History tells us that every person, at some point in life, must look into the dark valley. Maybe you feel that you're in just as much trouble as the people you hear about. Perhaps, you've lost your job or are going through financial difficulties. Maybe you've lost a loved one or have problems with a troubled child. Or perhaps you were born with a birth defect or have experienced devastating illness or injury that has left you permanently disabled. Maybe in desperation you've turned to drugs or alcohol and can't seem to get out from under your oppressive burden. There may have been a time when you wanted to run away or actually contemplated suicide.

I've learned that everyone must face his or her own Gethsemane. Everyone must come to a point of testing - a time that can make a person either bitter or better. When some people reach this point they simply accept defeat and give up; others refuse to allow the tough times to defeat them and persevere to overcome their difficulties? How can you get up when you've been knocked down? What can you do when all hope seems lost? Why do some people manage to turn their problems into possibilities? Why do some seem to grow through the tough times, learn from them, and overcome overwhelming odds to step back on the path of success, happiness and hope?

I believe the answers to these questions lie in one simple, yet basic, truth: It's always too soon to quit! Whether you emerge from trouble a better person or a bitter person depends not on what happens to you, but how you react to what happens to you. I hope to prove this truth to you by sharing stories of people who have faced defeat, despair, and discouragement. Each of these remarkable people seems to deeply and fervently believe that failure is never final. Their stories tell of courageous people who have been knocked down, but refused to stay down - who have been willing to dream great dreams, take great risks, suffer great hurts, and yet rebound to great heights. You can draw strength from these wonderful people, learn from them, and - I hope - be inspired to become like them.

I want to find the faith and persevere in the tough times. I want to share steps by which you can make your own "breaks" in life and enjoy success in everything you do. And I sincerely hope that after you read this book you will be able to draw strength and comfort from the knowledge of a living and loving God. He is a source of unconditional love, uncompromising acceptance, and unlimited power - power that can lift you up out of your valley, bring you through the tough times, and set you on the path of hope.

Finally, it is my fondest wish that someday you will be one of the people I tell stories about - people who never gave up their hope or lost their courage, people who have faith in themselves, in God, and in the truth that it's always too soon to quit!

BY LEWIS R. TIMBERLAKE

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -