The word of God is not designated to any one group or nationality, but instead is available for all who wish to learn His word and apply it to his or her daily life. Even better, understanding the Bible does not require a degree in theology, but simply Walking with GOD Is a Divine Journey Spiritual development involves growing through life's experiences By Lisa Olivares Young iUniverse, Inc. Copyright © 2012 Lisa Olivares Young All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4759-0593-9 Contents Introduction.................................................................xiChapter I: Life's journey....................................................1Life is a wakeup call........................................................3Life as a teacher............................................................6The Past does not dictate your future........................................10Chapter II: Knowledge and Growth.............................................15How to Learn from your past..................................................17Mistakes create an opportunity for a victorious comeback.....................20Learning is a never ending journey...........................................23Life-long learning enhances your vision......................................26The Ability to Learn and Unlearn.............................................28Chapter III: Life is about Change............................................33Move When the World Moves Around You!........................................35Overcoming Life's Challenges.................................................40Waiting by Faith.............................................................43Chapter IV: Life Convoy......................................................49People and Choices...........................................................51The road less traveled!......................................................55Transition: Stages of Spiritual development..................................61Discovering your purpose.....................................................67Renewing Your Mind!..........................................................69Chapter V: Faith restores vision.............................................71Purpose to move forward......................................................73Your hearts desire...........................................................78Embrace your dreams by creating goals to get you there.......................81Sometimes life's set-backs are merely a Set-up!..............................84Building a Better Relationship with God......................................88Learning to Receive God's Correction.........................................93Profound Peace...............................................................96References...................................................................103Index........................................................................107 Chapter One Life's journey Life is a wakeup call If you are the average typical person who realized early on that you were not birthed into a perfect society, and even your parents or siblings were just as imperfect and constantly gave you pause, you are not alone. Many people meander through life thinking I wish I had different parents, I wish I were an only child or had brothers and sisters, there is always an underlying `I wish' or `what if' to keep our minds wondering. The reality is you are exactly where you should be, and have been dealt the hand that God intended for your life, now it is up to you what you do with it. "The word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart" (New International Version, Jeremiah 1.4-5). Regardless of how your life began, or from what lineage you derived, the promises of God are deeply imbedded within us to give us hope and the courage to seek the life he so graciously desires us to have. Prepare to pursue life! One of my favorite quotes by McNally states "your past cannot be changed, but you can change tomorrow by your actions today" (qtd. in Hudson and McLean xx). Therefore if we view our past experiences as lessons for tomorrow, we will continue to pursue life to the fullest with passion and a purpose. Ouspensky states "It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning" (qtd. in Hudson and McLean 52). The pursuit of life is probably the most ambitious way to live. This theory offers you several challenges; it encourages you to set goals and plan ahead, and to go after your dreams and never stop striving to achieve. Do we all possess the character of pursuit? No, for some the satisfaction of a children, family and running a household are pursuit enough. But understand that forward movement and the constant pursuit of "something" other than your self will ignite a certain hope and a desire to achieve more. We are taught early in life and it is