Victoria Osteen

God's not thinking about your mistakes, failures or shortcomings. No, His thoughts toward you are good.

Everybody can make a choice to be more positive. It's about who you hang around and what you choose to watch on TV. What environment you put yourself in. It's easy to get a negative internal dialogue. You have to be aware of what's playing in your mind.

In some families, parents don't read or don't have the money to spend on books.

If you're not a parent, if you're an aunt or uncle or neighbor, books are an amazing gift.

Relationships are people's No. 1 priorities. They want to have good relationships, and a lot of times they don't.

Books are such a great way to spend time with your children, open lines of communication with your children, and just build that strong foundation.

I read to my children, and now they love to read. I encourage parents to carve out just 20 minutes a day. It helps you learn more about them, and really opens the door for you to speak into their life!

It is my desire to break the destructive generational cycle of illiteracy in the home by focusing on the children. Reading to your child has so much value as a parent because it opens the lines of communication.

I just look at all the fruit and all the people's lives that are being changed and are being touched. And that's what we really focus on because we hear - every day we get mail, we visit with people, and their lives are being changed.

The truth is we just have a normal life, because we do have a church where our children are growing up pastor's children. And we just try to keep it really normal.

It's hard to argue with someone that won't argue with you.

Reality TV is to popular because it allows so many people to sit on the sidelines and just watch somebody else's life. God is saying, 'Don't sit on the sidelines of life. I have put so much in you, but you have got to be strong and very courageous. You have got to step out in faith.'

If you're not careful, you can fall into a destructive cycle of self-pity.

You hold the keys of change within you. You be the change you want to see.

Even in the tough times, He's still a good God.

I believe God put that desire inside of all of us so that we can evaluate ourselves in the light of His Word in order to become all that He created us to be.

God's Word is alive and powerful! When you declare these words over your life, the truth of God's Word draws forth the seeds of love that God deposits into us when we invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.

If we focus on loving others the way God does, scripture says that we will be fulfilling His whole law.

Choose to be kind. Choose to forgive. Let your love grow and shine so that people may look at the example of your life and glorify God in Heaven.

Life doesn't always give us what we are expecting.

As you keep your mind and heart focused in the right direction, approaching each day with faith and gratitude, I believe you will be empowered to live life to the fullest and enjoy the abundant life He has promised you!

When things don't go our way, we get to choose how we will respond. We get to choose our perspective. Will you focus on what you didn't get, or what you did get?

When you receive God's love and encouragement, it will empower you to do more than you ever thought possible.

You may have made some mistakes, but just like a parent helps their child when they are learning to walk, God will help you get right back up anytime you fall.

Imagine Him smiling down on you right now. Embrace His love. Remember, you are His most prized possession, the apple of His eye!

God has given us all wonderful unique gifts and talents to use to glorify and celebrate Him.

At the end of day, what matters most to God, what moves His heart, isn't our fancy words and impressive possessions - it's the condition of our hearts.

Let me encourage you, if someone has wronged you, and you still get that cringing feeling on the inside when you see or think about that person, take it to God and allow Him to keep your heart soft and sensitive.

We are God's creation, and we have a responsibility to keep ourselves at our best.

You have seeds of greatness in you! I believe our lives as Christians should be the most exciting because we have the favor and blessings of God on our side!

One of the most important things you can do in your life is to learn to pull back the curtain of fear so you can see it for what it really is - the enemy blowing a lot of smoke and pushing your buttons.

Oftentimes, people stay where they are in life simply because of fear. But do you know that fear isn't reality? It's only a thought in your mind.

It's amazing what you'll discover if you start exploring what God has placed within you.

There will be times when we do not agree on every decision or subject, but we should always believe in one another, support one another, and move forward through life together - connected.

Just because you have a disagreement with your friends or family members does not mean there are not plenty of other areas on which you see eye to eye. It just means you have a difference of opinion.

At one time or another, we have all faced the temptation to disconnect by giving someone the silent treatment. After being married to Joel for more than twenty-one years, I have learned that is not the best way to handle a disagreement.

Our relationships are precious, valuable treasures from heaven, and we should handle them carefully, always looking for ways to build bridges to each other's hearts.

If you will be the best that you can be right where you are, God will promote you and give you more.

Sometimes God presents opportunities that look insignificant or rather ordinary. Perhaps you don't see how they fit into the big picture for your life. But if God is asking you to do something, He has a purpose for it.

When we step out in faith and use the talents He's given us, we show that we trust God, that we believe He will bless our actions and cause us to succeed.

God doesn't want us to merely sit around dreaming about things we can do and be. That's a good place to start, but a poor place to stop. God wants us to turn our dreams into action.

Don't fall into the trap of putting yourself last on the list or not even putting yourself on the list. That's not balance; it's not even healthy.

I want to remind you today that the greatest Artist of all time created you. He dreamed about you long before you were born, before a single brushstroke of your life took place.

Know today that God approves of you. He's pleased with you. He may not always be pleased with your choices or some of the things you do, but when God looks at you, He sees His amazing creation.

You matter to God, and every detail of your life matters to Him.

God values you simply because He created you. You are precious to Him, and your value will never change.

It's no secret that in our society, and many before, people are trend followers. For some reason, they feel better about themselves if they are dressed in the latest fashion or have the newest tech gadget.

We have to be careful not to look for confidence in the acceptance of others because true confidence only comes from knowing God.

You are God's own masterpiece! That means you are not ordinary or average; you are a one-of-a-kind original.

If you focus on the actions of others and allow them to constantly upset you, then you are handing your peace over to them and giving away your power.