Sometimes we go through things that leave us barely surviving. Life is full of tough times that can devastate us. However, the Lord wants to rebuild, restore, and renew us so we will be Thrivers, not just survivors! It requires unrelenting faith and deep discipline to overcome. I know this firsthand.

 

I was born with an extremely severe cleft palate - no nose, no upper lip, and no upper palate. I had problems with my breathing. As it was 1959, the surgeons were scared to operate to close the hole for fear I would die on the operating table. One person commented to my mother that perhaps it would be a 'blessing' if I died, because if I lived, I would never be able to speak or eat properly and would be an outcast with a meaningless life of suffering. Praise God this person's words were completely wrong, and by God's grace and healing, I am now an international conference speaker.