The Definition Of Success

Joshua Cotter
October 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Wherever you may be today -- on your way to work, at home, or just leaving church -- my heart goes out to you, and I greet you warmly. Wherever your mind is at today, I entreat you to keep God and True Parents at the forefront of the steps you take. The definition of success is relative to each person's life experience and value system, and for me, it's connected to my ability to fulfill my commitment of love and devotion to God as His son, to my family as a husband and father and to True Parents as a servant leader in our church. The effective balancing of these three areas of my life is my picture of success. How have you defined success for yourself and your family?

From my own experience, I believe that each of us should come before God with humility, acknowledging that we are created as His sons and daughters, and that all of our talents and abilities were given to us for a reason. Then all of our dreams and aspirations can be shared with our Heavenly Parent so that when they are fulfilled, we can celebrate together with Him. Once I was sure that I wanted to give my life to God, I prayed that He would quickly raise me up to become the most responsible person for His providence. Then, with confidence that He was guiding my life, I could say "yes" to any mission to which I was called, knowing that God would give me the tools, the heart and the wisdom to deal with it.

As I look back at my 35 years in this church, I can say that I have been successful in consistently responding to God's call from the very beginning, and I have never wavered or faltered since that first commitment I made to him in 1975. When I was blessed in marriage with my beautiful wife in 1982, we then together offered our lives for God's will, receiving many additional blessings during the time of our Blessing. We felt that God was reaffirming that if we were willing to offer our lives to Him, that He would care for our family. This has proven to be the case.

Our movement's greatest success is that we have supported our True Parents as the Messiah and Lord of the Second Advent to the best of our ability. Although we have many times fallen short of their expectations, we have helped them to create a foundation for incredible growth and development, and we have not abandoned or betrayed them, as has happened so often to other central figures in history. The most important success that any of us can achieve is to become mature and loving true parents, on the foundation of being faithful and loving husbands and wives, because this is the ultimate purpose and fulfillment of our life.

From True Parents I have learned that true and lasting success comes when we have a lifestyle of prayer, humility before God and others, the willingness to learn from anyone (even one's grandchildren), and most of all, a heart of true love and forgiveness that never gives up and has eternal hope for each one of God's children. May you keep this in your heart and take it upon yourself to actualize success, centered on God and True Parents, for yourself, your family, and your communities.

God Bless you.

Rev. Joshua Cotter

Executive Vice-President, HSA-UWC