You have the courage and strength to overcome obstacles

One sunny afternoon, as winter and then spring progressed, a man was panning for gold flakes through the mud from a friend’s recently drilled well. But then, suddenly, something caught the man’s eye. Carefully leafing through the mud, he saw a rough, irregular-shaped piece of rock. The nurturing warmth of the sun was shining, and he looked closer. His forehead wrinkled as he squinted in thought.

“Maybe it’s a piece of glass,” he mumbled to himself. So rather than just disregarding it, the man picked up the rock that was enveloped in mud. Next, he put the muddy rock in a small pouch in his backpack, gathered the rest of his belongings and soon headed home.

After a short while, curiously, the man decided to have the rock checked by a mineralogist. Guess what? It turned out to be a diamond! Although it was found and covered in mud, it was still a diamond and of tremendous value.

Sometimes, it’s easy to let the challenges of life burden you. Maybe you’ve come up against some unforeseen difficulties or you are stuck in an unfair circumstance. You might have ongoing tough times. Or past challenges have tried to reduce your value. Now, your self-worth is slowly diminishing, and the negative voices in your head could be reminding you of your shortcomings, your fears and regrets.

However, no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your worth. And similar to the diamond in the well, you are of incredible value.

A while back, a family received a call that their deployed son would soon be returning home. Overjoyed, they began to prepare for his arrival. On the day before his homecoming, the son called his father. After some casual conversation, the son became serious and said, “Dad, I just want to tell you that I am bringing a friend of mine home, a fellow soldier.”

Without hesitation, the father replied, “That’s fine, son.” Then, the son lowered his voice and informed his father, “My friend was hurt in battle and is now disabled. So I would like him to live with us.

Upon hearing of his son’s request, the father answered affectionately, “Of course, son.” The father assured his son and answered with absolute certainty.

A few days later, the son and his injured friend arrived home safely. Brushing the tears of joy from their faces, the friend was loved and accepted for who he was.

Like this story, God accepts you for who you are. For there are no limitations or conditions on His love. You’re God’s handiwork, His masterpiece, His creation. So never condemn or undervalue yourself. And don’t base your self-confidence or worth on a past mistake or on what other people think. Do not dwell on negative comments. Have peace and assurance to know that you are love and accepted by God.

You’re special. God val- ues you highly. You are important. And you deserve God’s very best. Remember, you are not alone or forgotten. “God is your refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1-2). And He will “strengthen you, help you and uphold you with His righteous right Hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

• Situations may have knocked you off of your feet. Yet, get back up again. God is going to change circumstances for the better. For “God is surrounding you with His favor” (Psalm 5:12). So put your faith, trust and confidence in Him and persist onward.

• You may have been rejected; but God approves you. “You are God’s treasured possession” (Philippians 4:8). And you have the courage and strength to overcome any obstacles and can still live a life for which you are passionate and achieve your dreams.

• You might be selling yourself short because of a loss. However, you have”been “Chosen by God Himself” (1 Peter 2:9), and God wants to do incredible things through you. There is a place of blessings ahead for you that will restore what has been lost in your life.

• Someone could have hurt you; still, God is there: “He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). He has taken care of you in the past, and He will take care of you in the future.

God has given you amazing skills, gifts and superb talents. Thus, don’t take the safe route and settle for the mediocre. Set your standards high. Brush off the mud of fears, self-imposed limitations and regrets, and begin again. See the beauty in every moment. Simplify. Take care of your health and exercise daily. Go outside; take a walk in the fresh air and sunshine. And find ways to help others .

eflect on gratitude and what brings you joy. Praise God all through the day, centering your attention on everything that’s good, right and positive. Be lighthearted. Get some laughter in your life. Stay cheerful. Surround yourself with those who are passionate and supportive, because the wrong people and environments can infect your potential. Replace old habits with new, more empowering ones, scheduling time for what is important to you.

Try this: Write down on paper all of your proudest moments in each area of life. Now, list activities and skills that you do with complete ease. To have accomplished these things, you use your key strengths. Within these attributes and abilities lie your greatest gifts. And the more that you can implement your passions and strengths into your days, the happier and more fulfilling your life will become!

Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, once said, “The most beautiful sight in the world is a little child going confidently down the road after you have shown him the way.”

Today, if you’re lost and need encouragement, allow me to help to lead you in the right direction by declaring, “Your best opportunities await,” “God has gifted you with so much,” “Don’t be distracted or quit,” “Miracles are in the making,” and “You’re about to see a tremendous breakthrough.”

My prayer is that you won’t let anything keep you from the amazing life that is in store for you. So today and every day, put a smile on your face knowing that God loves you unconditionally. He approves and values you. With God all things are possible. Email Catherine GalassoVigorito at cgv@ anewyouworldwide.com. To order a copy of her new book, “The Open Window, 8 Weeks to Creating an Extraordinary Life,” visit www.a new you worldwide. com or bookstores nationwide. Like me on Facebook!

Sometimes, it’s easy to let the challenges of life burden you. Maybe you’ve come up against some unforeseen difficulties or you are stuck in an unfair circumstance. You might have ongoing tough times. Or past challenges have tried to reduce your value. Now, your self-worth is slowly diminishing, and the negative voices in your head could be reminding you of your shortcomings, your fears and regrets.