Stories and life lessons from the author's experiences

Have you ever thought you couldn't do something, but then to your surprise, you were able to do it after all? Merle wasn't a hunter. When his friends invited him to go deer hunting, he said, "What's the point of me going hunting? I couldn't hit a deer if I saw one."

But he borrowed a bow and went along for the camaraderie of the hunt. When a buck walked into sight and stood within range, Merle knew he needed to at least try for it. He was stunned by the result!

Surprised by Success includes sixty-five stories of both successes and failures from the author's life. Each story begins with a question and concludes with a lesson or nugget of wisdom, making this book useful for personal reading or a resource for parents and teachers. Readers of all ages will enjoy these stories and be encouraged to live wisely.

Contents

Stories From My Childhood

• 1. Tell the Truth
• 2. Don't Pretend to Be Something You're Not
• 3. Forgiveness
• 4. The Power of Imagination
• 5. It Should Be Fun for Everyone
• 6. The Truth Will Be Known
• 7. Say Yes to Opportunity
• 8. Don't Go Forward While Looking Backward
• 9. Angels Are Watching Over You
• 10. Who Is With You?
• 11. But Is It Possible?
• 12. Little Things Matter
• 13. Make Sure Your "Help" Is Really Helping
• 14. No, Winning Isn't Everything
• 15. People Are More Important Than Animals
• 16. Honor Your Father and Your Mother
• 17. Desires Can Change
• 18. Never Give Up Hope
• 19. Do What You Can, Trust for the Rest
• 20. Show Respect for Others
• 21. Ask, Seek, and Knock
• 22. Use Your Skills and Gifts
• 23. The Pride of Life
• 24. Teamwork Gets the Job Done
• 25. Worry Doesn't Protect Us
• 26. We Do Not Scare God
• 27. Learn From Others Before Trying Something New
• 28. God Is Generous
• 29. Make Sure You Understand the Words

Stories From My Youth

• 30. Shame and Forgiveness
• 31. Surprised by Success
• 32. Terror Is a Great Teacher
• 33. Learning From Embarrassment
• 34. Fear Distorts Perception
• 35. The Power of a Guilty Conscience
• 36. Jesus Sees Us Wherever We Are
• 37. We Act on What We Believe
• 38. Ingenuity Solves Problems

Stories From My Adulthood

• 39. Choose Your Own Adventure
• 40. Know When to Ask for Help
• 41. Just One More Time
• 42. Who Knows Where You Are?
• 43. Listen to the Little People
• 44. Heaven Is Real
• 45. What You Want Might Be Harmful
• 46. What Are You Known For?
• 47. Do What Needs to Be Done
• 48. We Cannot Manipulate God
• 49. Where Are You Now?
• 50. I Need to Worry About Myself
• 51. Lay a Good Foundation First
• 52. Who Is In Control?
• 53. Get All the Details Before Making the Agreement
• 54. We Don't See Our Own Problems
• 55. Our Perspective Changes Things
• 56. We Tent to Push the Boundaries
• 57. Is It Right, Wrong, of Just Different?
• 58. Speak the Unspoken
• 59. The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
• 60. We Know True Love When We See It
• 51. Respect the Advice of the Elders
• 62. Even the Best-Laid Plans Can Go Wrong
• 63. It Might Look Impossible, But It Might Be Real
• 64. Ask the Opinion of Others
• 65. How Bad Is It?