Mattie Stepanek Quotations

God gives me hope that there is something greater than us, something better and bigger than the here and now, that can help us live.

I've gotten books published. I've met famous people that are very nice. I look back and I say, 'Wow. Thank you, God, for giving me this gift. And thank you for helping me to keep going.'

Expressing my feelings and then the opportunity to share it with others is just such a gift.

We're divorced from my father because he did some mean and scary things to us.

People will come up to me everywhere and say, 'Ah, I saw you on 'Larry King,'' and, 'Ah, I saw you on 'Oprah.'' And it's really nice, and a lot of people say, 'Is it a pain?' And I say 'No.' And it's not annoying.

The doctor said, 'He can't last a week.' And I did. And they said, 'There's no way this kid's going to last a month.' And I did. And so they said, 'Two years. He's not going to make it.' Two years. 'Five years. He can't do that.' I lived to be five years. 'He's never going to hit double digits.' And here I am, a new teenager.

...if you live feeling like Your glass is half empty, well, It may as well be empty all the way.

It's the song in your heart that wants you to help make yourself a better person, and to help other people do the same. Everybody has one.

Keep all special thoughts and memories for lifetimes to come. Share these keepsakes with others to inspire hope and build from the past, which can bridge to the future.

Wars should be fought with words, not bombs, not weapons. And calm words. I think that wars should be fought over a chessboard and a cup of something to drink.