“Never give up.” It’s probably one of the most cliché phrases you’ll hear as you’re building your career. But there’s a reason these sayings are clichés—you never know when success really does lie around the next corner.

J.K. Rowling had just gotten a divorce, was on government aid, and could barely afford to feed her baby in 1994, just three years before the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone, was published. When she was shopping it out, she was so poor she couldn’t afford a computer or even the cost of photocopying the 90,000-word novel, so she manually typed out each version to send to publishers. It was rejected dozens of times until finally Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, gave it a second chance after the CEO’s eight year-old daughter fell in love with it.

King was broke and struggling when he was first trying to write. He lived in a trailer with his wife—also a writer—and they both worked multiple jobs to support their family while pursuing their craft. They were so poor they had to borrow clothes for their wedding and had gotten rid of the telephone because it was too expensive.

King received so many rejection letters for his works that he developed a system for collecting them. In his book On Writing, he recalls: “By the time I was 14...the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and kept on writing.” He received 60 rejections before selling his first short story, "The Glass Floor," for $35. Even his now best-selling book, Carrie, wasn’t a hit at first. After dozens of rejections, he finally sold it for a meager advance to Doubleday Publishing, where the hardback sold only 13,000 copies—not great. Soon after, though, Signet Books signed on for the paperback rights for $400,000, $200,000 of which went to King. Success achieved!

During a class at Fresno Pacific University, a speaker asked one of the spouses in the audience:

"Does your husband make you happy?"

At this moment, the husband stood up straighter, showing complete confidence. He knew his wife would say yes, because she had never complained about anything during their marriage.

However, his wife answered the question with a resounding "No." "No, my husband does not make me happy."

The husband was baffled, but his wife continued:

"My husband never made me happy, and he does not make me happy. I am happy."

"Whether I am happy or not is dependent not on him, but on me. I am the only person on whom my happiness depends.

I choose to be happy in every situation and every moment of my life, for if my happiness depended on another person, thing or circumstance, I would be in serious trouble.

Everything that exists in this life constantly changes: the human being, the riches, my body, the climate, my boss, the pleasures, the friends, and my physical and mental health. I could quote an endless list.

I need to decide to be happy regardless of anything else that happens. Whether I own a lot or a little, I am happy! Whether I'm going out or staying home alone, ​​I'm happy! Whether I am rich or poor, I am happy!

I am married, but I was already happy when I was single.

I'm happy for myself.

I love my life not because my life is easier than anyone else's, but because I have decided to be happy as an individual. I am responsible for my happiness.

When I take this obligation away from my husband and anyone else, I free them from the burden of carrying me on their shoulders. It makes everyone's life much lighter.

And that's how I've had a successful marriage for so many years."

A Soldier’s Gift: An Amazing True Story

by Rabbi Yaakov Cohen

One act of kindness has unintended life-altering consequences.

Click here to watch this amazing video from Aish

Saved by a Priest

By

Rabbi Chaim Morgenstern

Last week I wrote a story how an anti-Semitic goi brought a Jew back to his roots. In the following amazing story told by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, a priest became Hashem’s shalich to do the job.

Jason Kaufman was brought by his mother to an interview with Father Richard Kelly, the principal at St. Bartholomew High School, a prestigious catholic school.  Jason wanted more than anything to get accepted to this school.  During the interview, Father Kelly said, " 'Kaufman’ sounds like a Jewish name.  Are you Jewish?"

Jason answered in the affirmative.  He was then startled when Father Kelly asked him if he knew the Hebrew alphabet.  Jason said he didn't.

Father Kelly noted how surprised he was that a Jewish boy did not know the Hebrew alphabet, and then said, "I will accept you to the school, but only on one condition - that you agree to study the Hebrew alphabet with me every day during lunch hour."

Jason naturally found it very strange that the Father would make such a condition, but he was thrilled to be accepted, and so he agreed.  Sure enough, each and every day Jason would sit with Father Kelly during lunch break studying the Alef-bet.  Toward the end of the year, Jason reached the point where he could read Hebrew. 

Father Kelly then asked Jason if he had ever heard of the Humash, and Jason answered in the negative.  The Father explained that the Humash is the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament, and he said he wanted to learn it with Jason.  Over the next couple of years, they completed the entire Humash with Rashi's commentary.  Jason was a very bright student and grasped the material very quickly.  He also found himself enjoying the learning.  When they completed the Humash, Father Kelly told Jason that they were going to study some Mishnah - the foundation of the oral tradition.

They studied some Mishnah each day, until one day when Jason walked into to the Father's office and found his book closed.

"Jason," Father Kelly said, "you've been an outstanding student, and you've mastered everything I taught you.  I feel you should continue your Jewish studies in a yeshiva, as I have taught you everything I know about Judaism.  You belong in a yeshiva, not here."

Jason heeded the Father's advice and enrolled in yeshiva.  There he was exposed to Gemara learning for the first time, and turned out to have a knack for it.  He loved every minute of learning and was thrilled with his new life.  Soon thereafter, he was fully observant.

That summer, he decided to visit St Bartholomew High School to meet with Father Kelly.  When the Father saw him, he extended a warm, enthusiastic greeting.

"How's it going?" he asked.  "What brings you here?"

"First of all," Jason said, "I came to thank you for what you've done for me.  Secondly, I wanted to ask you why you did this.  Why in the world would a priest devote so much time to teach a Jewish kid about his heritage and encourage him to study in yeshiva?"

"That's a very good question," Father Kelly said.  "You deserve a good answer."

The Father began telling Jason his story.  "I always knew I wanted to be a priest so I could have an impact on people's lives.  I joined a school where I studied for the priesthood, and everything was great.  The school had a tradition of sending students to Israel after several years of training for a year of growth and self-discovery.  When I was in Israel, I found myself in Jerusalem's Old City one Friday afternoon when suddenly a siren was heard.  All the stores closed early, and sometime later everybody came out wearing their finest clothing.  I saw fathers and sons walking together, all headed in the same direction.  I was taken by the sight and decided to follow them.  I watched as thousands of people gathered at the Western Wall to pray.  It was a sight to behold.  As I marveled at the awesome spectacle, I felt a tap on my shoulder.  A total stranger warmly asked if I had a place for dinner, and I said I did not.  He invited me, and I accepted the invitation. 

"After dinner, the man asked if I wanted to hear an inspiring lecture by a rabbi.  I once again agreed, and he brought me to a yeshiva called Aish HaTorah.  The class was electrifying.  I had never experienced anything like it.  I was blown away.  I decided to enroll in the yeshiva, where I was introduced to Rabbi Noah Weinberg, the head of the yeshiva.  I learned the Hebrew alphabet, and then Humashand some Mishnah.  The staff invested a great deal of time and effort teaching me, and I was very appreciative.

"As the year drew to a close, it came time for me to leave and return to my studies for the priesthood.  I didn't know how I would tell them that I wasn't Jewish, but I had to do it.  Eventually, I scheduled a meeting with the Rosh Yeshiva and I told him that I was leaving.  He asked why, and I explained to him that I was studying to be a priest.

"The Rabbi was furious.  'How could you do this to us!' he cried.  'How dare you!'  He was angry that I caused the yeshiva to waste their efforts teaching me, efforts that could have been invested in Jewish students.  He shouted, 'I will never forgive you for this, ever!'

"I was stunned and shaken to the core.  I wanted his forgiveness in the worst way.  I begged him, but he refused.  'I'm so sorry,' I said.  'Is there anything I can do so you will forgive me?'

"After giving it some thought, the Rabbi said, 'You are going to become a priest, and you will have many students.  One day, somebody will come to learn with you, either in your school or in your church, and although he will look like a non-Jew, you will know that he is Jewish.  I want you to teach him everything you know about Judaism, all that we taught you here, and make him observant.  When this happens, I will forgive you.'" 

Father Kelly looked at Jason and said, "You are that student.  I had been waiting years for this opportunity."

It is truly amazing how Hashem runs the world, how far He will go to bring back an unaffiliated Jew attending a Catholic high school.