Facing it, always facing it, that’s the way to get through. Face it.

The Anatomy of Conflict:If there is no communication then there is no respect. If there is no respect then there is no caring. If there is no caring then there is no understanding. If there is no understanding then there is no compassion. If there is no compassion then there is no empathy. If there is no empathy then there is no forgiveness. If there is no forgiveness then there is no kindness. If there is no kindness then there is no honesty. If there is no honesty then there is no love. If there is no love then God doesn't reside there. If God doesn't reside there then there is no peace. If there is no peace then there is no happiness. If there is no happiness ----then there IS CONFLICT BECAUSE THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION!

We are each warriors of our own times. When we step out of our protective shell, we each encounter forces much more powerful than we are. What we learn through testing ourselves on the combat zones of our eon becomes the textbook protocol for how we shall live out the remainder of our life. The glorious skirmishes and daunting conflicts that we encounter, and what we learn from vigorous engagements on the battlefield of time, inscribe the story of our lives. Spiritual leaders help guide us in our times of doubt and self-questioning. Recognizing the value of the mentorship of spiritual guides in their self-questing ventures, persons who endure immense adversity wish to reciprocate their love of humanity by sharing the scored story of their episodic journey through the corridors of time and relay the incisive truths they discovered to any other travelers with a willing ear.

Every challenge, every adversity, contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth.

A diamond earns its sparkle from the pressure it endures.

It is in the storm, not the calm, that a rainbow is born.

Today's storms help you appreciate tomorrow’s sunshine.

Storms are rainbow’s inside out.

Rainbows can’t rise without storms.

The world would have no rainbows if the sky had not storms.

If the wind brushes against you, do not complain; it brushes against everyone.

A star is not afraid of darkness, for its light comes from within.

You were given the problems you have because you can solve them; the burdens, because you can carry them; the trials, because you can overcome them; the opponents, because you can beat them; and the enemies, because you can conquer them.

The uglier the storm the lovelier the rainbow.

A diamond only truly appreciates pressure the day it begins to shine.

If stars avoided the dark, they would not be visible at night.

Rainbows earn their brightest colors in the storm.

Hope is holding on to the promises of God.

Use fear to become braver, pain to become stronger, trials to become wiser, and misfortune to become better.

When the storm runs out of breath, a rainbow is born.

Stars do not hide from darkness. Roses do not hide from thorns. Diamonds do not hide from pressure.

The darkest storms color the brightest rainbows.

Learn from the ocean; not fearing turbulence, it uses the wind against it to rise instead.

In order for a seed to rise, it must be buried in dirt; likewise, in order for the great to rise they must be buried in adversity.

If the sky never grew dark, we would not be able to clearly see the stars.

A leaf has no power to resist when the wind blows, but when life’s storms rage, you do.

Be the calm in someone else’s storm.

The storm is the optimist’s friend, but the pessimist’s nightmare.

A day in a storm strengthens you more than a thousand in sunshine.

It is in vain to hide a fruitful seed in fertile soil.

I thank God every day for this life, and I want there to be more, though that’s not known. What is known is that I’m alive today, this minute. And that’s pretty much what we all have – this day, this moment.

We all die. Not all of us live.

I am fighting to stay alive not because I fear death, but because I love life.

I started to walk the day I was told I was dying of cancer. I believe walking has kept me alive. I live with a constant, pressing awareness of death. Once I start to walk, I am not afraid anymore; all is well.

I walk to rid myself of the terror of cancer, and to overcome the fear of it coming back. The fear may never completely fade, but actively engaging life – whatever that may involve – reminds me of the joy each day can bring.

I love to walk. Walking is a spiritual journey and a reflection of living. Each of us must determine which path to take and how far to walk; we must find our own way, what is right for one may not be for another. There is no single right way to deal with late stage cancer, to live life or approach death, or to walk an old mission trail.

The day hope shall die, perplexity shall kill so many people. In so far as hope is alive, keep hoping!

When you experience loss, people say you’ll move through the 5 stages of grief….Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance….. What they don’t tell you is that you’ll cycle through them all every day.

It’s funny how we say a person ‘made’ us when they actually broke us.Sort of like how I say ‘funny’... but I actually mean sad.

They say the truth hurts. And these words hurt more than any I have ever written. But they are the truth – The cold, hard, undeniable truth.Not letting go doesn’t keep him with you.It’s still over. He’s still gone.… And nothing will ever change that.

With you in my life I felt like I could conquer anything.It was as if I was on top of the world and even the stars themselves were just within my grasp.But without you …. even getting through the day is hard.

I need to stop running back to you in my mind all the time.

She wears it so beautifully doesn’t she, her pain… Always smiling, always positive…. always happy to help… It’s like a garment perfectly tailored to fit the way she carries it… with a touch of grace… and the quietness of that sad smile…. All so you’d never know how heavy it really was.

The breathtaking view at the mountaintop is compensation for all of the breath lost whilst sweating towards it.

We all have our fears. Anyone who says otherwise is probably scared of admitting it.

Start today creating a vision for yourself, your life, and your career. Bounce back from adversity and create what you want, rebuild and rebrand. Tell yourself it's possible along the way, have patience, and maintain peace with yourself during the process.

Start today creating a vision for yourself, your life, and your career. Bounce back from adversity and create what you want, rebuild and rebrand. Tell yourself it's possible along the way, have patience, and maintain peace with yourself during the process..

A flower’s beauty is birthed in a seed’s ugly struggles.

Growth is ugly, it's hideous, it's all the things we don't like but my god, once you walk through the fire of confusion you will feel burning passion within your flame.

Scars mean you fought. Wrinkles mean you lived. Heartache means you loved.

This story is not about avoiding death, but living life.

Your friends will believe in your potential, your enemies will make you live up to it.

If you press grapes, wine will pour out; if you crush roses, perfume will pour out; if you afflict the talented, genius will pour out.

The most beautiful rose still has to contend with ugly thorns.

At the end of every dark storm is a bright rainbow.

It is impossible to graduate from the University of Life with no scars.

A tree will not wither and die because the wind blew away one leaf.

A tree dances for the wind not because it enjoys it, but because it doesn’t want to break.

Pain teaches you more than pleasure. Failure teaches you more than success. Poverty teaches you more than prosperity. Adversity teaches you more than comfort.

Enough pain will keep you humble.Enough grief will keep you compassionate.Enough trouble will keep you strong.Enough hardship will keep you grateful.

Turn your failures into lessons, your obstacles into opportunities, your tragedies into triumphs, and in no time you will turn your dreams into reality.

You’re destined for greatness,” Life said. “But first, I’m going to make you cry.

If an opportunity comes dressed in trouble’s apparel, do not scorn it.

If you live in the desert, view the sun not as your enemy, but as your friend. If you live in the wilderness, view nature not as your adversary, but as your companion.

If the sky had no tears, the world would have no rainbows.

Bad weather never stopped anyone from reaping a good harvest.

No matter how deep you bury good seeds, they always find a way to rise.

The weak dread the storm, the foolish invite the storm, the wise avoid the storm,the strong battle the storm, and the great overcome the storm.

No matter how beautiful a rose is it must still grow in dirt.

Only dead leaves allow the wind to blow them to and fro.

Wine had to be grapes first. Diamonds had to be rocks first. Butterflies had to be caterpillars first. Rainbows had to be storms first.

If you can stay positive in bad situations, you are strong; if you can stay optimistic in hopeless situations, you are mighty; if you can stay hopeful in impossible situations, you are great.

The ugliest storms paint the loveliest rainbows.

Water drops erode mountains not because of their size, but their persistence.

You can paint the whole sky black, but that won’t keep stars from shinning.

A dove struggling in a storm grows stronger than an eagle soaring in sunshine.

A flower blooming in the desert proves to the world that adversity, no matter how great, can be overcome.

As paint needs a canvass for its beauty to show, stars need darkness for their splendor to shine.

A sailor is not defined as much by how many seas he has sailed than by how many storms he has overcome.

When a storm shows up, always remind yourself a rainbow is hiding behind it.

The greatest lesson a tree can give you is to stand tall and proud, no matter how strong life’s winds blow against you.

Dear past, I survived you. Dear present, I’m ready for you. Dear future, I’m coming for you.

If seeds waited for perfect conditions to grow, there would be no plants in the desert.

When perplexed, God appears to you in the form of wisdom; when troubled, in the form of peace; when sad, in the form of joy; when heartbroken, in the form of love.

The sun does not rise abruptly, but perseveres until it rules the sky.

Stars earn their brightest colors in the dark.

Seeds, not doubting their potential, rise and become forests.

It is on the canvass of the darkest storms that the brightest rainbows are painted.

If Noah waited for signs of rain to build an ark, he would have been swept away by the flood.

You don’t command wind in the direction it blows, but you command a ship in the direction it sails.

Great winds only challenge great trees.

If you fail a thousand times, find a thousand and one ways to succeed.

To achieve success, ignore doubt; fame, ignore haters; greatness, ignore fear; and immortality, ignore hardship.

A flower blooming in a storm is stronger than a tree blossoming under a rainbow.

No matter how tall and wide darkness is, it cannot block the stars.

One who conquers the sea today is ready to conquer the ocean tomorrow.

Learn from roses; even when trampled they give off perfume, not despair.

If you have never walked a mile in someone’s shoes, do not mock the soars on his feet.

If beautiful lilies bloom in ugly waters, you too can blossom in ugly situations.

As inside of every seed is the power to rise from darkness, inside of everyone is the power to rise from adversity.

A rock that perseveres under heat and pressure soon becomes a diamond.

If the storm forgets to bring a rainbow, paint your own.

When the sails are strong a ship has no reason to fear turbulence.

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and use it to hang your troubles.

Your end can be greater than your beginning: butterflies are the greatest proof of this.

The bad chapters of your life lead to the good ones if you keep turning the pages.

When the world told the caterpillar its life was over, the butterfly objected, “My life has just begun.

When all seems to be against you, remember, a ship sometimes has to sail against the current, not with it.

A bird does not give up flying because it failed on its first attempt.

Every seed must rise through dirt to enjoy the sunshine.

Ignore your haters. Resist your fears. Embrace your dreams.

A daisy blooming in a desert is worth more than a rose blossoming in a rainforest.

When night comes do not despair; rejoice instead and say to yourself, “At least now I can see the stars.

It can’t be done,” they told the caterpillar. “It can,” replied the butterfly.

If seeds despaired in their darkest hours, they would never rise to enjoy their brightest days.

Today’s storms usher in tomorrow’s sunshine.

The larger the bricks your enemies throw at you the larger the palace you are going to build.

Your deepest scars tell the world of your greatest triumphs.

When people try to bury you, remind yourself you are a seed.

Be like seeds; do not see dirt thrown at you as your enemy, but as ground to grow.

The rainbow’s colors are hidden in the storm.

The darkest part of the storm paints the brightest part of the rainbow.

Many think that the mark of a great champion is the nature and margin of their victories and the peaks they scale and reach. That’s only part of it. The mark of the greatest of champions is how they react and respond to defeat. That is when they become enshrined in our hearts and minds – as they rise again and into the immortal pages of history.

When we observe trials and tribulations in our world, there's even more reason to lighten the heavy load. Sometimes life gets tough and it's disheartening. Never mind happiness; what we genuinely need is joy! God didn't intend for us to be sad or serious all of the time. His word in Proverbs 17:22 (ESV) says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

The sky belongs to eagles, even during storms.

A diamond is pressure's masterpiece.

As rain does not bother the ocean, nor heat bother the sun, so adversity does not bother the great.

The height of your storm determines the height of your rainbow.

Turbulence does not shake a tree with strong roots.

If roses did not suffer thorns on their journey to beauty, they would lose out on becoming masterpieces.

Your greatest obstacles usher you to your greatest rewards.

Learn from seeds to rise, no matter how much dirt is thrown at you.

The calmest part of the storm is not in its eye, but in your own soul.

Thunder is noise to a pessimist but music to an optimist.

A butterfly is a caterpillar who never gave up on his dream to fly.

A river continues to flow despite losing a few drops at each turn.

Gravity is no match against one who is determined to reach the stars.

Thorns do not keep a rose from blooming, neither should obstacles keep you from success.

Singing in a storm silences thunder’s threats.

A bird does not give up flying today because it couldn't find any worms yesterday.

An oak tree is just a small nut that persevered against the taunts of doubt and fear.

Rainbows are birthed in storms, not in sunshine.

If you are going through hell, keep walking until you reach heaven.

Blow by blow a giant is knocked down.

Reach for the stars, not your fears.

Seeds are proof that the greatest growth takes place in the dark.

A flower can only grow through concrete if it believes in itself, not its obstacles.

The uglier the caterpillar the lovelier the butterfly.

A bird that fears turbulence will never know how high it can fly.

If an ant carries an object a hundred times its weight, you can carry burdens many times your size.

Use the arrows failure throws at you to hunt for success.

Harsh winters precede pleasant springs.

A diamond is just a rock that refused to break under heat and pressure.

Life hands us storms so we can paint rainbows.

Perfume is the scent that pours out of a flower's soul when crushed.

Persevere like a seed; even when people try to bury you, flourish.

If a flower can flourish in the desert, you can flourish anywhere.

Shatter your fears and you will shatter records.

Storms pass by on their way to get all the colors needed to paint your rainbow.

Against all odds, a seed rises from darkness and beautifies the universe.

Be flexible like trees; when the wind blows bend, but do not break.

The road to success is paved with doubters and haters.

If a flower perseveres through concrete, you can persevere through anything.

A rainbow earns its colors in the storm.

The darkness of the storm determines the brightness of the rainbow.

A butterfly is a caterpillar which refused to give up its dreams to fly.

Be like stars; instead of cursing the darkness, shine.

Stars are born out of dark moments.

It is easier to move mountains using God's hands.

Extraordinary storms turn average seamen into extraordinary sailors.

The bigger the bricks critics throw at you the bigger the palace you are going to build.

When your critics raise hell keep building your heaven.

Champions are made in the dark before they are revealed in light.

Wind either breaks a tree or teaches it to dance.