Quotes from Tyler Perry

child. My fondest memories of times together were our Sunday mornings in church—just the two of us. When we were in God's sanctuary, we could safely open our hearts and let our souls be free and vulnerable. Church was our refuge, and Jesus, as my mother taught me, was our rock.

then all you have to do is stand and wait, and listen. Just stand.

My savvy grandfather, who owned a juke joint, always carried a straight razor in his pocket, and was nobody's fool, saw the truth behind Emmitt's big-man act. He knew he was a fake.

My soul-filled experiences have taught me to embrace disappointments, knowing

That [expletive] is lying to you!" he warned my mother. "He's a nickel slick and a dollar short." But my mother was insistent. She wore her father down until, finally, he gave his consent.

deeper lessons will be revealed; they've shown me God's hand in closing some doors and opening others; they've helped me release my past to create a future of hope; they've given me the tools to offer forgiveness, and put me back on the path whenever I lose my way. Strong roots are the faith from which grows the undeniable understanding that everything in life, the good and the bad, is a God-given opportunity to stand in the light. Everything.

You take a good look at my daughter. Check her out from head to toe. She don't have a scar on her nowhere. If ever you don't want her, you bring her back to me the same way you found her.

First there are Leaf People. These are the folks who are in my life only for a season. I can't depend on them or count on them because they have weaknesses of their own and are only able to offer shade. Like leaves, they take what they need and as soon as it gets cold, or a fierce wind blows, or the rain comes, they're gone. I am not angry with them; it's just who they are.

Finally she said, "Come on, honey, let's go to the ranch.

Then there are Root People. When I find someone who is like the roots of a tree, I know I've found someone special. Root People may be hard to find because they're

Emmitt spat back, "Girl, I wasn't doing nothing but lying to you. I ain't got no damn ranch. That ain't even my car. I just test-drive them on the weekends." He laughed ruefully. "I'm sitting here trying to find someone who'll give us a place to stay.

not trying to be seen. They do their work underground. But quietly and without fanfare, they provide help and support and nourishment. They are happy when I thrive. Come what may, they support my soul. They hold my soul up. A tree may have many branches and many leaves, and only a few roots, yet it is the roots that are strong, resilient, and powerful.

At eighteen years old, she found herself pregnant with my sister, and at nineteen pregnant again with my other sister. The abuse, beating, yelling, and belittling never stopped. At twenty-four years, she was pregnant again, and there I was, born into it.

The greatest gift I've ever been given is to be able to take care of my beautiful, amazing mamma—the strongest Root Person in my life.

I remember one really horrible fight when he was tearing into my mother—and then he came after me with a fury I had never seen before. I was beaten bloody that night.

when it comes to Root People, this is what I've learned along the way: They are here to help you, but in turn, like the roots of any tree or plant, they need to be nourished, too. Water them with love, appreciation, gratitude, and generosity. They want the best for you, and if your heart is open, you'll want the best for them, too.

One night I told my mother something that I had kept a secret. I had seen Emmitt touching one of my sister's young girlfriends inappropriately. When I told my mother, the look of panic and shock in her eyes made me feel like I might have shattered her soul. My own heart split open.

You tell her this? You little [expletive], I'll tell you something….I'll get you." My mother gunned the gas, and we drove off.

hear the damning things Emmitt said to me. Because of his cruelty, for many years, I didn't feel as if I deserved to be happy or successful. I didn't feel worthy because I had his voice resonating in my head, telling me that I was nothing, that I was horrible, that I didn't deserve anything good in life. When you grow up being told those things every day, they take root in your subconscious and undermine every positive event in your life.

You are worthy because God gave you breath in your body. You have a right to walk this planet just like everyone else.

You have a right to every good and perfect gift, because God said you are good and perfect. I challenge you to get to worthy.

When you know your worth, when you know your value, your life changes and you change lives.

The first time I put on my play I Know I've Been Changed, I took for granted that it would be a huge success. I envisioned folks lining up outside the theater and filling all the seats. I could hear their loud laughter and endless applause resounding in my ears. Feeling optimistic, in the summer of 1993 I spent every cent from my income tax return, money that should have gone to a car

IN THIS ERA of instant gratification and gotta-have-it-now impatience, it's hard to imagine putting everything you have, and I mean everything—all your money, all your