Off To A Good Start?

Resolve, endurance, fortitude, perseverance, determination, steadfastness, tenacity–all characteristic of someone who holds the course, fights the good fight, and finishes the race.  Many there are who with great bursts of energy jet from the starting line once inspired to follow Christ more closely.  Many there are who quickly lose steam and falter, fade in their own strength, and fall far short of the finish line.  So many of us start out strong, only to give up when the Christian life becomes a struggle.  We grow weary.  We tire.  Our inspiration turns to hopelessness.  Our enthusiasm becomes exhausted.  Why is it so many of us give up?  Perhaps we have forgotten what we live for, would fight for, and were at one time ready to die for.  Perhaps the obstacles have taken toll and left us without of anything left to give.  We do have hope in Christ.  He will help us get through.  But we must not lose sight of our purpose, goal, and our Lord.  We must not give up.  We must not quit.  We must find through Jesus the determination to carry on.

You are in a race.
There’s no turning back.
Stand up and run with endurance that which has been set before you!



God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down;
when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening;
when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely,
and our souls have lost their courage. 
Flood the path with light,
run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;
tune our hearts to brave music;
give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age;
and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls
of all who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honour and glory. 
~ Augustine