“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill 

Yesterday’s service was so inspiring. I know I say that a lot, but it truly was. First we were blessed by the musical talent of the Escobar Brothers from Queens also known as Nuttin’ But Stringz. They finished 3rd on America’s Got Talent a few years ago. That was my 2nd time seeing them live and those brothers are TALENTED!!! Their gift is truly amazing. One of the brother’s (Damien) talked about how he broke his neck last summer and the doctor’s said he would never play violin or speak again, and there he was yesterday standing on stage in front of the CCC congregation at 8:30am blessing us with his musical talent. All I can say is that God is truly amazing.

Pastor Bernard’s message was about determination. It was so powerful! Here are a few of my notes:

• Successful people take risks, in other words, they have faith. Faith is taking a risk with enthusiasm and passions while putting your trust in God.
• Successful people know how to accept failure. Failure is the wound for success. If they fail they keep trying and that takes determination.
• Many of life’s greatest victories are born out of failure. If you fail don’t whine or cry about it. Go back to the drawing board and find a way to accomplish your goals.
• God would rather see the cluttered pages of your trying rather than the blank pages of you giving up. (This is what got me moving)
• If you are afraid of failure and rejection you will  never experience success. You have to get beyond rejection
• There will be mountains (0bstacles) in your way and sometimes God may not move those mountains and so you have to CLIMB your way to the top. The bottom of the mountain or ladder is crowded with people who do not try and are not determined enough to succeed. Be a CLIMBER and start heading to the top.

Wow! I left so inspired! There are many things that I want to accomplish, but I have just been sitting around waiting for an opportunity to fall in my  lap rather than me trying to do something to change my situation. What I learned yesterday is that I need to increase my faith and work. Faith is an action word so I can’t just sit around and expect what I want to happen without putting the work in.

Persistence + Determination = Omnipotence. With persistence and determination you have the power to accomplish all of your hopes, dreams, and desires. Remember: If God be for you, who can be against you? Have faith and be determined. Don’t only wish, hope, and want things to change, but put in the work to make the change.

I hope this inspires someone to move forward.