“Life is a series of experiences, each of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.”

I am reading this book ” Peace from the broken pieces. How to get through what you are going through”  by Iyanla Vanzant.

I so admire her courage and willingness to share her story with others after having lost so much. Her courage gives me the strength to carry on as I too find peace from my broken pieces. 

Here is an excerpt from the book.

It is often difficult to identify the exact moment that your life falls apart. In most cases, it is not a one-shot deal. If you ask people who have had the experience of losing everything they love or believe in, they will probably say it was not a one telephone call or one letter, one revelation or realization, that caused the collapse of life as they knew it. I now understand that my life fell apart one piece at a time. Piece by piece; one experience, one situation and one circumstance at a time, until I found myself standing in the midst of broken promises, splintered relationships and shattered dreams.
The breaking down into pieces of a life is a painful thing to watch and even more painful to endure. Even more devastating is that as your life begins to unravel, day by day, piece by piece, there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it…….  Lives were not built to fall apart, but to grow and flurish. The reality is, however, lives do crumble.

Read the book if you can.
But if you can’t, I just want to leave you with some encouragement.
In life, sometimes we have to be pruned and cut down in order to grow healthy and strong. Sometimes we have to die in order to live, and sometimes we have to lose in order to gain.
The process that we all have to go through in order to reach our full potential was not designed to kill us, even though at times it seems like we will crumble under the weight.  Just like gold, we too have to be purified by fire. In order for God to bring out the best in us, he sometimes allow us to go through some painful things. Don’t despise the pruning process, if we endure to the end, our reward will be great. Be strong and stay in the fight. You can’t see it now, but your setbacks are a set up for greatness.
Positive Affirmation: Today I will endure to the end and count it all as joy the trying of my faith. All is well.