For the longest time, I used to joke that I was REALLY good at giving up. I actually meant this when I said it. When I didn’t do well on something, it was easy to just stop or decide to never try again. I was easily discouraged. BUT GOD, has done so much more than I can ever imagine or think…I have been through so many places of blessing and uncertainty but through it all, God sustained me. He taught me to keep on going, to keep running this race.
This picture is a testament of what the last year and a half has been like for me. Long and late nights, studying and typing papers. Sometimes, the classes took more time than I had planned, some classes simply kicked my butt and professors challenged me. I kept going…No matter how hard or how much I wanted to cry and throw in the towel and say forget it! Believe me, it was more than once or twice…When Chris got sick and his health became uncertain in the beginning of this year, I wanted to quit, to focus on him and the kids. He encouraged me not to stop but to keep going. It was the worst 6 months with his health being uncertain but we all kept going. Other things have come up that should have taken my attention away from my studies but I am still going.
This evening, I wrote two sets of 10 page papers. I hit submit at 11:54pm and all my work was due at 11:55pm this evening. I have 1 more week of this class and then off to another class for 7 weeks. Since October 2016, I have taken 9 classes. I kept going, I didn’t give up. I am going to keep going and I am not going to give up…like the little engine that could, my heart and mind is set on, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”
I say all this not to brag, but because I want to show you the possibilities. I was totally good at giving up that I even encouraged some others in my family to give up. God has given me this urge to fight for things and keep running after things that He has set before me. I know life gets hard, certain situations will come up and you will be tested. Sometimes you have to stop what you are doing and focus on that one thing. Sometimes, you are tested to see if you are going to give up when the things get hard and get tough. I want to encourage you this evening, don’t give up! Keep going! Do the work! Trust in God to help you!
