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Famous Failures



            While pointing out how failure often precedes success, a recent newspaper article noted that…

1.    Harland David Sanders (1890-1980), the famous KFC 'Colonel,' had more than 1,000 restaurants reject him and his chicken recipe before he found one that would give him a chance.

2.    Theodor Seuss Geisel's (1904-1991) first book was rejected by 27 different publishers. He's now one of the most popular children's book authors ever.

3.    Thomas Edison's (1847-1931) teachers told him he was 'too stupid to learn anything.' He also famously invented 1,000 light bulbs before creating one that worked.

4.    Walt Disney (1901-1966) was fired by a newspaper editor because he 'lacked imagination and had no good ideas.' Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.' Today, most childhoods wouldn't be the same without his ideas.

5.    Oprah Winfrey (1954-) was fired from her television reporting job because they told her she wasn't fit to be on screen. But Winfrey rebounded and became the undisputed queen of television talk shows. She's also a billionaire.

6.    Henry Ford's (1863-1947) first auto company went out of business. He abandoned a second because of a fight and a third went downhill because of declining sales.  He went on to become one of the greatest American entrepreneurs ever.

7.    While developing his vacuum, Sir James Dyson (1947-) went through 5,126 failed prototypes and his savings over 15 years. But the 5,127th prototype worked and now the Dyson brand is the best-selling vacuum cleaner in the United States.

            To succeed, you have to be willing to fail.  You also have to have the patience to keep doing the thing you believe in until you get the results you want.  

            That is also true in spiritual matters.  I wonder how many blessings we have missed because we either did not believe God’s promises, or gave up on them too soon.  

            If we do what we know we should, and do it long enough, God’s blessing will follow.

            “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).

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