Find a way to win! Do not allow circumstances, emotions or the opinion of others to cause you to accept defeat. Figure out what you must do to win in your situation. The spirit of victory is inside you. Stay alert to the Holy Spirit who will lead you to your triumph. Great military figures always remain determined to win the war they are involved in.

One of the most controversial and yet colorful figures in military history was George Patton. His ruthless sweep across France during the summer of 1944 was contrary to military wisdom. Yet, his strategy culminated in spectacular success! One of Patton's main keys to victory was the undeniable spirit of victory that he instilled in his soldiers.

He is noted for saying the following: "Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow, and of the man who leads that gains the victory."

It is God's greatest desire that, as believers, you and I progressively learn how to be led by His Spirit. However, there is a powerful enemy that stands in the way: our emotions. Satan is the most powerful enemy we face externally, but internally, it's our emotions that give us some of the biggest problems.

"Criticism is the death gargle of a nonachiever." The person who wrote this quote recognized that critical people are those who have failed to reach their own goals. They want to destroy your attempts to achieve. Rather than working on their own challenges, they spend time pointing out your alleged flaws. Your real challenge should be to focus on where you are going. Refuse to allow critical people to stop you in the pursuit of your goals.

Everything you have done is not wrong. Recognize that you have done some things right. Sir Winston Churchill, the early 1900s British politician, left us with many powerful words that can encourage us while we are moving forward. Churchill recognized that there are evil motives in some people. He was quick to vocalize his concerns about the menace of Adolf Hitler's Germany. Churchill repeated his warnings and as a result was appointed as prime minister in 1939. He was not merely being critical but presented facts. There is a time for releasing facts and information.

Churchill said, "the greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes." Don't allow critics to put you in bondage. Everything you have done is not wrong. Discover the good things you are doing and keep moving forward. Let the critics be the nonachievers. You be the achiever you were meant to be!

Is the fight against same-sex marriage primarily one fought between religious groups and the gay community? Are there any issues that a secular society should consider in this fight? We have found at least eight negative sociological outcomes that could occur if same-sex marriage is legalized.

The first impact would most likely affect the number of marriages in the United States. Fewer people would see marriage as the ultimate covenant between two people. The proof of this lies in the state of Massachusetts where only 43 percent of same-sex couples who cohabitate have utilized the state law which grants them marriage rights. Heterosexual couples in Massachusetts are more likely to marry (91 percent) but the degree to which same-sex couples marry devalues the commitment for all couples and the number is likely to decrease. In the Netherlands, only 12 percent of gay couples have chosen marriage; this low number is consistent with other countries that have legalized same-sex marriages.

The quality of preparation determines the quality of your future assignment! Successful people have normally spent years preparing for their greatest accomplishments. They were willing to invest time, finances and lots of hard work into their dreams. Great athletes didn't give up when they were tired or injured. Physicians spent lots of long, sleepless nights studying and walking the corridors of hospitals. Many successful businessmen invested and then lost the investments. Yet, these people got up and tried again.

Times of stress, tiredness and loss are merely lessons that every successful person must walk through. Learning to see the preparation process in each difficult moment helps you better understand your assignment. You are not where you will be in the future. You are in your time of preparation.

Strive for quality rather than a quick fix. Keep getting up when you feel you have fallen down and are injured. Keep walking forward; don't retreat. Keep believing for restoration of any loss in your life. Before you know it, you will have moved into your future assignment. You were willing to prepare, and now you'll be known for the quality of your assignment!