T. D. Jakes: It's a culture shock to go from obscurity to notoriety in...

Stop watering things that were never meant to grow in your life. Water what works, what's good, what's right. Stop playing around with those dead bones and stuff you can't fix, its over...leave it alone! You're coming into a season of greatness. If you water what's alive and divine, you will see harvest like you've never seen before. Stop wasting water on dead issues, dead relationships, dead people, a dead past. No matter how much you water concrete, you can't grow a garden.

T. D. Jakes

greatness garden past

When people walk away from you, let them go. Your destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you, and it doesn't mean they are bad people. It just means that their part in your story is over.

T. D. Jakes

destiny mean people

There are people who can walk away from you... let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you... Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person, it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over.

T. D. Jakes

destiny caring mean

If you think down, you will go down. If you think up, you will go up. You’ll always travel in the direction of your thinking.

T. D. Jakes

ifs thinking

Surround yourself with people whose definition of you is not based on your history, but your destiny.

T. D. Jakes

destiny definitions people

God is not preparing the Blessing for YOU, He is preparing YOU for the Blessing

T. D. Jakes

preparing blessing

Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary storm.. No matter how raging the billows are today, remind yourself: "This too shall pass!"

T. D. Jakes

storm decision matter

Come hell or high water you will never take me back to the place I was before. I have been through too much to let life whoop me again. My faith is stronger than it's ever been, my mind is more tenacious than it's ever been, my soul is more absolute.

T. D. Jakes

soul mind water

Much like the removal of moles and skin lesions is done to prevent them from growing into more serious skin abnormalities, removing minor discord before it becomes a calamity is an important use of our time. Most people don’t like to make waves and they swallow frustration and bury true feelings, not wanting to compromise temporary tranquility, never realizing that massive turmoil doesn’t start out massive—it grows beneath the skin like a cancer that could have been avoided with early detection.

T. D. Jakes

cancer frustration people

Your words will tell others what you think. Your actions will tell them what you believe.

T. D. Jakes

action believe thinking

I have certain standards for myself so if something drops beneath that standard or if the opportunity doesn't fit who I am authentically at my core - I don't invest time where my brand isn't respected or where what I have to offer isn't appreciated.

T. D. Jakes

who-i-am appreciated opportunity

Not everyone will be happy when you begin to better yourself. Those who are for you will not just celebrate in your triumphs, but they will also pray with you through your tribulations.

T. D. Jakes

better-yourself triumph praying

When you begin to realize that your past does not necessarily dictate the outcome of your future, then you can release the hurt. It is impossible to inhale new air until you exhale the old.

T. D. Jakes

hurt air past

Real value isn’t in what you own, drive, wear or live. The greater value is found in love and life, health and strength, friends and family!

T. D. Jakes

life-and-love family-and-friends real

As much as it pleases God to bless you, there will be moments when everything you try goes up in smoke. There will be moments when the one you counted on most walks away and leaves you groping through blinding tears and wailing questions of why. Plans and goals can be circumvented by the most disappointing of times, leaving you learning the art of patience and the acceptance of a denied request.

T. D. Jakes

goal acceptance art

Sometimes what makes us insecure and vulnerable becomes the fuel we need to be overachievers. The antidote for a snakebite is made from the poison, and the thing that made you go backward is the same force that will push you forward.

T. D. Jakes

insecure poison needs

You can't be who you are going to be and who you used to be at the same time.

T. D. Jakes

used-to-be be-who-you-are used

There are some fires you can't get out of- you've got to go through the fire - you've got to go through the flood - you've got to go through the test - you've got to go through the struggle that you might decrease and he might increase.

T. D. Jakes

struggle fire might

God is a businessman. He is not going to do business with someone who shows no sign of potential return. He invests in people who demonstrate an ability to handle what He has given them.

T. D. Jakes

return giving people

If you dont like the way your life is going, redesign it. Redeem the years you lost. Restore your vision, revive your passion for living, and reclaim what was dormant inside of you. I cannot give you the dream but I can give you the tools to reach the dreams you have inside.

T. D. Jakes

passion dream years

It's a culture shock to go from obscurity to notoriety in a flash. Its more to it than talent and money; its pressure, stress, enemies, critics; you have to develop relationships and a team. There are all of these things that go along with taking a leap and following your dreams.