I read a story about a group of frogs traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep well. When the other frogs saw how deep the well was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the well with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs shouted at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

The moral lesson for us today is to be deaf when people discourage you and tell you to stop dreaming, and you are as good as dead, and that you can not fulfill your dreams and goals. But remember God will not start something that He cannot finish. You have seeds of greatness in you. Get your hopes up.

If you want to succeed, don’t mind about other people’s opinions when it comes to your dreams and goals. Don’t give up on your goal and keep your confidence in God. Do not pay attention to people who are not supporting you, individuals who are not helping you reach your destination, will always have negative opinions.

Remind yourself that you have seeds of greatness in you. You are designed to succeed. God sees the bigger picture of your life. It may be uncertain this time, and you see that it is impossible for your dreams happening, but the Bible is clear in Jeremiah twenty-nine verse eleven, “I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering.”

When I finished my college, my first job was called a liaison officer in a small travel agency in Ermita, Manila. In the Philippines, it is generically known as a lowly “messenger” as I have to deliver documents to different offices.

Isang umaga, my boss called me in his office, and I could see he’s having a bad day. He then told me how successful he is. He pointed his finger to his diploma and said to me,

“Alam mo, Don, eto ang aking diploma sa Ateneo De Manila. I finished my Masters in Business Administration.  I will be honest with you, but you have a speech problem, Don. When you talk, nobody understands you. What’s wrong with your tongue? I don’t think you will succeed in my company. Sorry, but I have to fire you.”

 Do you feel discouraged? Do people tell you that you have a “speech problem,” you’re too old, or too young, too fat and too thin or your lack of education and they don’t think you will succeed? I want to tell you to avoid listening to those lies. Say to yourself, “I have what it takes to accomplish my dream.” When people say it’s impossible, remember that what they mean is it is impossible to them. But not to you. You are created and designed by God to succeed.

 I loved that job as I wanted to earn money for my parents. I went home that day a bit upset about myself that I lost my job.

I moved on and applied for another job in a local employment agency. I was hired by a bank located in Binondo, Manila as a temporary staff in six months. I applied and became a permanent employee of the bank. When I was a young boy, I had a dream to go to the Philippines’ top schools. I enrolled and successfully completed my Masters in Business Administration at the Ateneo De Manila University.

After my graduation, a nearby college in Intramuros accepted me, and I became one of the youngest professors which is now a university. God brought me to where I should be because He has planted seeds of greatness in me. I refuse to accept what my first boss told me that I have a speech problem and will not succeed. I did not pay attention to those negative thoughts. I even made a beautiful lettering on a felt paper and posted on my door which says: “God makes me a winner.” Nabuhay sa akin ang salitang ito. I reminded myself that I was born to achieve great things in life.

You see, the opinion of other people of who you are does not mean it is true. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion but don’t take it personally if what they say does not match of your own perspective about yourself. The only one who knows you is You. People may say you’re a loser, and they know your name. But they don’t know who you are and what you are capable of.

At the time of this writing, and I am saying this not arrogantly, I went on to become a qualified immigration lawyer and advocate in England, United Kingdom and I represent my clients in immigration courts, speaking in English and won many, many complex cases. I am managing to help immigrants to bring their families, or study and work and live in the UK. I don’t have speech problem and managed to interact to other lawyers and judges. I am now living my dreams.

I want to encourage you: God will never take you this far just to leave you. He said in His word: I will never leave you nor forsake you…”

Peter was one of the closest disciples of Jesus. But when Christ needed him the most, Peter denied Him three times. One can say that Peter blew it. Sinira niya ang tiwala ni Hesus sa kanya. But when upon resurrection, Jesus saw Peter for the first time. Tinanong ni Hesus: “Pedro, mahal mo ba ako? Three times. Was it a coincidence that Jesus asked him three times? I don’t think so. I believe that Jesus wanted Peter to forget his failure. Jesus wanted to erase that bad memory and move on. Jesus believed again to Peter to lead the disciples and “feed the sheep of the Lord.”

People often focus on his negative actions — the doubt that nearly drowned him when he walked on water, and his denial of Jesus. But Jesus believed in Him despite his failings. But if you read the book of Acts, you will see that Peter was the “changer and mover” that he turned the world upside down and converted many people to Christianity. He preached one of his greatest sermons ever and many people around the world gave their lives and accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Jesus planted the seed of greatness into Peter’s life. He believed that Peter has something in him and that he would become the catalyst and will be used for the glory of God.

Today, don’t see yourself as an average person. See yourself as a great man and you are designed to succeed and impact millions of people’s lives in the world.

I once heard a man saying: “Be ashame to die until we made a major contribution to the world.”

Today is a new beginning for you. Remember that seeds planted within will grow and develop if you put your full confidence in God if you say ‘no’ to fear and ‘yes’ to something great and something amazing.