Dear God, when I was in college my freshman year, I took a course in pre-law. I yearned to be an attorney and felt that was my destiny, my dream. My confidence and hope was shaken when I failed my first exam.

Almost in tears, I went to meet the professor to ask his opinion on what my poor test score meant. Surely, a failed test did not reflect a verdict on whether I could become a lawyer.

I said to my professor, “I failed my first test. Do you think I have the ability to succeed in law school and become an attorney?” Without batting an eye the professor said, “The failed grade reflects that you do not have the ability make it in law school. You should consider another career path.”

After a day of prayer and reflection, I went to the Registrar’s Office and dropped the class. I was not going to let my professor’s judgement kill my dream.

I cannot candy coat this event by saying the professor’s proclamation just spurred me on. The truth is that if I had lesser faith in my ability and in You, my Lord, I could’ve easily given up. I could’ve quit and not fulfilled the gifts You gave me or lived to serve You by serving others.

God, please help all Your children to overcome dream killers. Dream killers do not do Your work.

Please strengthen those who are discouraged by others to persevere. To have as much faith in Your plans for them as they have faith in You.

Please help Your children ignore and overcome dream killers. Then, may they follow the path which leads to the living dreams on Earth and peace with You in Heaven. Amen.

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Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 120-lawyer full service firm in Houston, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to the Bending Angel website.