Determination*

When I was a child, I remember reading the story The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. I'm sure you're familiar with it. As the little engine is climbing the hill it goes slower and slower the higher it gets saying to itself "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can". Until finally it reaches the top of the hill. You know how it goes, the little engine goes down the hill saying to itself "I thought; I could I thought I could..."

Every day, I am like that little engine and, I'm betting, so are you. We may have a meeting we are not looking forward to or need to make a call we don't want to make, but we need to do it. For example:

Several years ago I started a "soup kitchen" in the community where I was living. I did this right after I had congestive heart failure. I was very ill at the time was unable to work. There were days I felt so weak and tired that I didn't want to get out of bed, but being determined that this would happen, I shared this vision with the church I was attending, and they caught a hold of what I wanted to do.

After several setbacks like the church closing the soup kitchen got firmly established and continues feeding people week in and week out. The Soup Kitchen wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the determination of the people who came beside me and myself.

You see, "the difference between winners and whiners is that winners know they need to do the right thing then they feel good while whiners want to feel good before doing the right thing." `John C. Maxwell

Determination is at the heart of this. You and I know we have to do the things we should do so that someday we can do the things we want to do.

*Inspired by John C. Maxwell's Word of the day 1/2/16.