My friend Sherry, who is incredibly spiritual and positive, invited me to go to hear Joel Osteen in the new Yankee Stadium. It’s called
“A Night of Hope.”

I’m there as I write this. Here are my notes, quoted as
directly as my Blackberry thumb can manage. I’ll do half today, half tomorrow.
(Somebody told me blogs should be 100 to 300 words. What great information! No wonder I’ve been tired, writing thousand-word tomes every morning.) Anyway, take it away, Joel:

“We want God to open up doors that no man can
shut…God is not moved by our needs. He’s concerned about us, but He’s moved
by our faith…Don’t magnify your problems: magnify your God…He doesn’t
always lead us the easiest way, but He’ll always get us there if we keep the
faith…Make up your mind to become everything God created you to be…Get your
hopes up. You can’t have faith till you first have hope…You would not be
alive if God didn’t have another victory in your future…Don’t be talked into
having a bad year…Your happiness is an act of will….Nobody can do this for
you. Choose to live this day in faith and not discouragement…Every day we
live discouraged is a day wasted. No matter where you are, God has you in the
palm of His hand…

 “If you’re going to live in victory, you have to
forgive others and yourself for yesterday. Let every day be a new a new
beginning…Don’t give up too soon. A lot of people give up too soon…Speak favor into your future, over your financial life, your family, your health…Praise
always precedes the victory. You’ve got to have an attitude of faith right
where you are. You’ve got to give Him praise and treat people right, even when
things are bad. Give God praise first.”