Gratitude was never meant to be an excuse for giving up on the obstacles God has put before you. Some of the most magical things he can bring us require faith and a lot of planning.

Being good is something that one must choose over and over again, every day, throughout the day, for the rest of one's life," Asher said. "A day is made of a thousand decisions, most small, some huge. With each decision you have the chance to work toward light, or sink toward darkness.

At that moment I remembered something Cal had told me: that there is beauty in darkness in everything. Sorrow in joy, life and death, thorns on the rose. I knew then that I could not escape pain and torment any more than I could give up joy and beauty

He gave a hard smile and the oxygen in my lungs evaporated. __eboth know I__ not a gentleman.___eah. Okay, let me out. I__ tired.___here__ something else,_ he said, and I groaned.__hat now?___his._ He stepped closer to me, so close that the containers weresandwiched between us. His eyeslooked down into mine, intent and golden, like a lion.__h, no, you don__!_ I hissed, dropping everything. I pushed hardagainst his chest; it was like shovinga tree.__es,_ he said very softly, leaning down. __es, I do.

I'm here by choice, I reminded myself. I'm here because I can't bear to be not- here anymore. I'm here because I can't tell right from wrong, light from dark. I'm here because I can't stand being me. I'm here because I don't want anyone to know where I am.

Hang on! God will strength in any act of your pursuit.