October 2

Real forgiveness involves no holding back at all. One must go the whole distance in restoring relationships. I f one says, "I will forgive you the wrong you have done me, but I can never forget it," that is only qualified forgiveness. To make it real forgiveness, forgetting must be added.

October 1

Fear is the strongest thought pattern, save one. Faith is always stronger than fear. Where faith is, fear cannot live. Faith withers fear. You can crowd fear out by filling your mind with faith. It is an absolute, demonstrable fact that the person who practices faith, real faith in God, rises so high above fear that it can no longer affect that individual.

September 30

Along in September, up our way, the "line storms" come. High winds of gale force were driving across the ridge on our farm. I heard something groaning and found it was a huge maple tree, 150 years old. But it wasn't groaning; actually it was laughing. It was having the time of its life with that wind. Maybe it's going to come down, I thought. "Don't worry," it seemed to say, "I was here before you and I'll be here after you're gone." Oh, trees do go down sometimes, but then what happens? A little shoot comes up and a new tree is started. Human beings are of the same breed. They are absolutely undefeatable when they know they are. But they've got to know it.

September 29

To combat that "overwhelmed" feeling, use the old military maxim: Concentrate your forces and attack at the point where you may achieve breakthrough. Don't sit around wringing your hands because so many problems and difficulties beset you. Pick out one, break it down into manageable parts, and go after each part in turn.

September 28

Here is one week's treatment for tension, uptightness, and stress. Begin it today and continue for the next seven days:

First Day:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27)

Second Day:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee" (Isaiah 26:3)

Third Day:
"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest" (Exodus 33:14)

Fourth Day:
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself..." (Psalms 37:7)

Fifth Day:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Sixth Day:
"Let the peace of God rule in your hearts..." (Colossians 3:15)

Seventh Day:
"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul" (Psalms 23: 2,3)

September 27

While talking with a physician, I asked what he thought were the physiological advantages of optimism over depression. He told me: Depression in the mind increases the possibility of infection at least tenfold. Optimism actually may help as a force burning out infection. People who maintain a confident attitude have a strange power over sickness. I recommend an attitude of optimism and faith as one of the greatest aids to health.

September 26

Always start the day with prayer. It is the greatest of all mind conditioners. Even if you do not have the time, pray. It is that important. Always begin the day with the thought of God, His love and care, and with the thought of your responsibility for serving Him.

An old friend of mine said it well: "Fill the mind full of God and the whole day will be full of happiness, even if the going gets hard."

September 25

"Do you ever try talking about God?" I asked a woman whose marriage was not going well. "No," she answered, "my husband talks a great deal about God, but not in the way you mean. When we talk, we argue and quarrel about bills and every unpleasant thing you can think of." I suggested she try returning thanks at the table, for a start.

Usually, her husband would sit down and glumly pull up his napkin. Finally, one night, she interrupted softly, "I'm going to return thanks." She did the same the next night, and the next, and the next, until, finally, he said: "Okay, it's my turn. I am going to return thanks!"

After that, it was easier to talk about things sanely. They tell me that now their marriage is "in good shape."