Tyler Perry - Higher Is Waiting

E VER SINCE I was a little boy Ive known there was something greater than myself: something bigger, something strongersomething higher. This holy force was protecting me, loving me, and keeping me close. It was helping me live through physical pain and emotional heartache, and guiding me to envision and believe in extraordinary possibilities despite all the challenges I faced in my life. It was revealing insights into the connection of all souls. It was pointing to the generosity and beauty of natures gifts. It was offering unyielding hope. It gave me faith so strong that nothing, no human being nor horrendous event, could destroy it. This inner knowledge and strength was as real to me when I was a child as my own breath.

Today I know, without a doubt, that what I was experiencing then, and what I continue to experience now, is the essence, power, and grace of God. There is no other explanation for the ways in which my life has unfolded and the ways it continues to grow.

Over the years, whenever a connection rang a bell and stirred my soulwhether to help sort through a problem, make a move in a particular direction, offer thanks and gratitude, adjust my perspective, honor a mentor, embrace forgiveness, bolster resolve, release a desire, let go of anger, help another soul, or enable me to reach higher and manifest a dreamIve tried to find the time to sit quietly, contemplate, and meditate on the lessons I learned. Once the message ripened and was clear, I would write this new awareness into a cherished leather-bound journal. Higher Is Waiting, composed over a ten-year period, is a collection of these insights, inspirations, and life lessons.

Higher is divided into four sections that revolve around the metaphor of a tree. I would ask you to consider it, as I do, the Tree of Life. It describes the various stages of spiritual growth from my early childhood years to the present. Ive titled the sections Planting the Seeds, Nourishing the Roots, Branching Out, and Harvesting the Fruit. The climb through these four stages has led me to higher, and the ascendency continues ever upward. With faith and grace, I believe, the sky is limitless. Thats the truth for meand its the truth for you.

It is my hope that as you read this book, it will spark God within you and ignite a flame that makes you feel like you can go higher; know higher is waiting; understand that higher is not only a place in your thoughts, your finances, your love, and your compassion, but that it is waiting in every single aspect of your life, on every step of your journey. My hope is that these readings elevate you to a new level in all areas of your life.

I also wrote this book thinking about all the people in my life whom I love dearly and who struggle with love, loss, financial difficulties, disappointment, frustration, anger, and forgiveness, and who yearn for a better life for themselves and their children. My hope is that the lessons in Higher Is Waiting, along with Gods words in the Bible, can be of service to them.

What I know about the Bible is this: Those whom God helped to ascend to a higher place were all flawed individuals, except for Jesus. They had made mistakes. Some had done terrible things and yet were still able to find their way to higher.

From kings to Moses, and Paul to Peter, when you consider all these biblical figures and their life struggles, youll see God was right there with them. He took those souls with lifes most damning issues and led them to higher. Being aware of this comforted me as a child and still does to this day. It told me that even though I am human, and have made my share of mistakes, gotten lost, and taken the wrong turn, my very humanness could not destroy the life that God was creating for me. Once I accepted this truth, I was able to go higher.

Thats why Im hoping that, as you read this book, youll know that no matter how you see your life nowwhether its rolling along in greatness or flawed and feeling heavy and burdened with mistakesno matter who you are, no matter what you were born into, or where you came from, there is a higher place we can all reach, one where we can achieve our greater potential. Higher isnt for just one special person; its for everyone. Its for all of humanity. Its for all souls who open their minds and their hearts to receiving.

Higher is waiting for everyone.

M Y CHILDHOOD WAS A STORY of discouragement, belittlement, and unthinkable abuse, and yet I rose above. There was no way I could have found any kind of happiness, hope, or vision if my mother, Maxine, and my aunt Mae hadnt shown me the grace of God. They, as well as other powerful souls, were my spiritual role models. They didnt have great mansions or millions of dollars to leave me when they passed, but they planted the seeds of grace, the invaluable gift of knowing God.

As I look back over my early years and as I walk along my path today, I am grateful for those seeds planted in my childhood. From their powerful inspiration grew my unshakable desire to keep reaching higher and my devotion to help all people do the same.

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Learning God Is in Control

B Y THE TIME Fridays rolled around I was itching like poison ivy to get as far away as I could from Edgar P. Harney Elementary School. It was especially agonizing knowing Mamma was parked right outside waiting to drive us straight to heaven on earthAunt Maes house in Greensburg, Louisiana.