Sometimes our dreams are a long time coming. Perhaps there are things on your bucket list that seem completely out of reach. Don’t give up. One of the greatest gifts God has given us is the ability to look ahead with hope and the drive to keep going after our dreams.

Start every day with a Thank-You to God, because no matter what you are going through, if He weren’t by your side, it would be much worse. Even on days when you aren’t happy about the circumstances, say Thank You for the comfort of not going through it alone.

God will always lead you on the right path. If you have wavered from His instructions, ask for forgiveness, take His hand and get back on track. When temptations threaten your faith journey, help is just a prayer away.

When life seems dark and you feel tired and alone, trust that God is there. Reach for His hand and ask Him to refresh your soul. Call out to Him and let His strength work through you.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said that prayer should be an act of surrender. Many of us struggle with this unconditional surrender. Yet once the leap of faith is made; once God is accepted at His word and we are forgiven and reconciled by His grace, there is only one question most people ask: Why did I wait so long?

Recognize that you are God’s workmanship. You are created for good works! When you pray to God and open your heart to embrace His plans for you, everything changes. Priorities shift, confidence grows and with a humble spirit, you accomplish great things.

The Apostle Paul was an extraordinary man who took extraordinary actions. Perhaps many at that time thought that he was out of his mind. Truth was, Paul’s love of God drove his actions and led him to lead an amazing life. He cared little about those who thought he was a fool.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale coined the phrase “victorious forgetfulness”—the act of forgetting about whatever barriers keep you from letting go of the past so that you can have a prosperous and beautiful future. Forget your mistakes, your feelings of insecurity and fear. Focus on victory.