I like this quote: the strongest hearts have the most scars.

I may not consider myself a strong person, but when I admitted my weaknesses, I found strength in someone much stronger than myself. For most of my life I walked in deep darkness, not being a good boy, surrounding myself with people from the margins of society, I was a very rebellious person, full of pride, arrogance, and anger, with no regard for other people, and, on top of that, spent a lot of money on wild parties and did things I’m not proud of today. I have gone through many storms in my life, from prison to homelessness, in one moment I lost everything I had and almost everyone I had.

But it was a turning point in my life. In my darkness I found the light, or rather the Light found me. This light showed me only one true way through life that every person should follow, and his name is Jesus Christ. From the bottom that my way of life has brought me to the man I am becoming, a man who doesn't have to wear a mask to impress others, a man who knows who he is, a man with a restored and renewed character and a true purpose in life that is greater than himself, a man who wants to inspire people who, regardless of the worst circumstances they find themselves in, can always become the person they have always wanted to become deep inside.

I chose life, not death, I chose light, not darkness, I chose holiness, not sin, I chose righteousness over wickedness, I chose sobriety over intoxication, I chose love over hatred, I chose peace over anger, I chose selflessness over selfishness, I chose truth over lies, I chose joy over sadness. But this was only possible when I fell into pieces and humbled myself before the God of all creation, and He began to put all the pieces back together, and now I am becoming the man He planned me to be from the very beginning.

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„External oppression, stimulation and pressure awaken the great power within the self and, instead of causing harm, serve to improve character and personality. Social, perhaps economic, oppression and persecution often have the unintended effect of awakening the power that lies within man. Throughout world history, hardship and oppression have forced people to exert their genius and live lives of impressive

 

Extracted from book “For young people” from Masaharo Taniguchi achievements.