‘Power of the Plus Factor’ by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale teaches self-confidence and persistence — ‘the little extra that makes you a winner.’

MANILA, Philippines - Books have many lessons to offer a life, it’s many chapters revealing worlds of unfulfilled and fulfilled lives. Others see the night as a moment to rest and rejuvenate, but to children, nothing could be more interesting than to play in the sunlight with the flowers that blossom and the birds that fly free.

Power of the Plus Factor, written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, is my favorite book. It teaches self-confidence and persistence –– “the little extra that makes you a winner.” The storm that hit Miami was one of the greatest hurricanes that spewed from the Caribbean, and it was during this dark time that a story of the family of a man whose faith is tested was born.

Chapter 10, “How the Plus Factor Lends Reality to Hope,” is about Lucinda and Charles Sears, who never imagined that September day, when the full extent of the storm came and brought gusts of rain, would come. Their roof had been blown away like a cardboard and they had nowhere to hide. The couple grabbed their children out from their drowning little house. A tree that stood wrestling with wind was their only hope for survival. But the rain made everything so slippery that one of their little boys dropped and disappeared for a moment. They held their children above their heads to keep from drowning.

The water level rose and debris and floating branches battered the family. They had to hold on to their children to keep them safe. But once again, Charles slipped and he and their sons were nearly swept away. “We’re all going to die,” Charles cried. But Lucinda said, “We’re not going to die, the Lord is with us.”  Lucinda made her little daughter wrap her feet around her neck and pulled her two sons up higher until Charles got up of the tree and help her again. But no tree could warm their shivering bodies.

In the darkness of midnight, cold and hungry, Lucinda said with hope, “We will make it.” She began to sing:

“Father, I stretch my hand to Thee, No other help I know. If thou withdraw thyself from me, ah whither shall I go? Author of faith, I lift to thee, my weary longing eyes, O may I now receive that gift, my soul, without it, dies.”

As the hymn faded, the wind got tired from dancing.  Lucinda saw three flashes of light –– it was a sign. “Thank you Lord Jesus,” she whispered.

The water receded the next day and they found their way to the aid station. Though tired and hungry, no one was missing. They were alive and triumphant against the raging storm. It was the strong hope and faith from the woman’s heart that cradled the wind to sleep.

The author stated, “It is the plus factor that helps a person handles all the problems of life, called ‘mental attitude’ or ‘positive thinking.’”

Dr. Peale remembered his 5th grade teacher, George Reeves, who often wrote the word “can’t” on the blackboard and asked his class what they should do with it. The class would respond quickly “Knock the letter T off from the ‘can’t!’”  George Reeves would erase the letter T leaving the word “can.” “You are greater than you think you are! You can, if you believe, really believe you can,” George Reeves added.

Life is a failure without dreams, weak without hope, defeated without endurance and has no destiny without determination. A saying goes, “Life is a stage; each one has a role to play.” We must be ready to face whatever new episode would come into our lives. Because life is a kaleidoscope of fantasy, challenges, desperations, tragedy and comfort. But “never let yesterday’s tears overshadow tomorrow’s laughter.” Keep climbing though the road is slippery and hold on to the branches of hope and faith with prayers. When the night fades, then we can say, “We have the plus factor.”

THIS WEEK’S WINNER

Stephanie Loriezo has always loved to read books and write feature stories and school stage play scripts since grade school.  She worked as a missionary teacher and news writer in a Micronesian private school and is presently helping in her alma matter ( Negros Mission Academy) as stage play writer and director while waiting for her next school field work assignment in Micronesia this year.