Why does this always have to happen to me? How is it even possible for our family refrigerator, dishwasher, and washing machine to all break down on the same two weeks leading up to Christmas when money is already uncomfortably tight? Yup! They did! What happened to me and my family was a case of happy holidays Murphy’s Law. Murphy’s Law is the invisible, unwritten, universal law that says if something can go wrong, it will. And it will also go wrong at the worst possible moment.

Most of us are now probably wondering why the world would choose to be so cruel and create all these difficulties for us. Well, there is no easy answer for that question, but I think I can tell you this for certain, our Creator isn’t that interested in building up our creature comforts. Our Creator is more interested in building up and chiseling out our character. Difficulties are put in our paths so we can push against their resistance and build up our physical, mental, and spiritual muscles. So let’s stop complaining, and let’s get busy building ourselves up and chiseling ourselves out.

You know, it’s been said that the quality of a super hero depends a lot on the size of the bad guys that the hero has to deal with. Would superman be considered the mega superhero that he is if all he ever did was fly around and pull stuck cats out of trees all day long? Nope! Superman is super because he has to contend with the kind of difficulties that the evil mastermind Lex Luther repeatedly lays in his path. Superman has big enemies and big difficulties, and thus he has big super powers and performs big acts of courage. In consequence, that valor leads to big muscles, big miracles, and a big superman character!

Now teens, go learn, lead, and lay the way to a better world for all of us. Remember that out of difficulties grows miracles. And once again, thanks in advance for all that you do, and all that you will do…