Don't you dare give up!

What’s your endurance like today?

Living in a house full of young, energetic and competitive athletes, my physical endurance is tested on a daily basis. From riding our bikes, lifting weights and running up hills with my three boys, they are always testing to see if I will slow down, give up, or quit.

During this pandemic, my family and I have spent time riding our bikes more often than we have in the past and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.?During our rides, it is typically my younger son who is always challenging me to “keep up” or “just give up”.?You see he doesn’t know that as a teenager, growing up in the city of Detroit, I rode my bike every day and everywhere.?He doesn’t realize that life has shown me that giving up is not an option.?He doesn’t realize that it’s not your physical endurance that will sustain you but your wiliness to lean on your emotional and spiritual endurance to take you through any challenging situation.??

The decision to give up or throw in the towel reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a good friend. My friend is an entrepreneur and the ultimate professional. You know the type, the person who arrives fifteen minutes before everyone, takes notes, can do your job and theirs without missing a beat. My friend is ever learning, studies her craft and is always willing to help.

During our conversation, she expressed to me that she was excited about recent project she was brought into, however she was frustrated with an individual on the team. She had known this person for a number of years and this individual was often combative, negative and it appeared, always looking for ways to degrade my friend. I can tell by the tone of my friends voice she was discouraged and within thirty minutes of the conversation, had the nerve to say to me, "Sometimes I just feel like quitting!" That was a pearl clutching moment for me. Why, because my friends don't quit! I began to remind her of how great she was and how she couldn’t quit because she was dealing with adversity. I reminded her of her personal and business brand and if she did quit, the potential negative impact it could have on the business she had built over 20 plus years.?I talked to her about endurance and the importance of sticking through things even though you might "feel" like quitting.

During our conversation, we talked about how hard things can get and the temptation to quit (especially now during this pandemic), can be an easy option. But like I warned her, I caution you, don't do it!??Don't give in to the temptation to quit! Stay the course, finish the assignment.?Don’t let anything or anyone (including yourself) get you off track from winning in life.?You can and will get through whatever struggle you are dealing with. You can and will pass the test.?You can and will win the prize.?You can and will endure.

Here are three ways to build your mental and spiritual endurance:

1. Pray:?I know, I know. I can already hear what you are saying, "Please don't preach to me!" That's not my intent. But if you had something that worked for you, you personally experienced the benefits and saw how it changed your life, wouldn't you want to share it with others? I hope you would. That's what I'm doing. I pray. I pray because...prayer works! I believe that your prayer time with God is the most important meeting of the day. This quiet time with, allows you to share with God what's on your mind, release what's in your heart and get instructions for the day.
2. Read God's word.?During this pandemic, I find myself really enjoying cooking, but I will admit, I am no Gordan Ramsay. I watch lots of You-Tube videos on how to make a certain dish or meal for my family. When I follow instructions given in these videos, man, I tell you, I love the results. My kitchen’s is transformed into a five-star restaurant and is amplified by the?aroma?of great home cooked food.?I am smiling ear to ear watching my family enjoy this meal I have specially prepared for them. Reading God's word and doing God's word is the same way. Your attitude changes, it changes the atmosphere of your home and your work environment. The bible is our instruction manual. It provides you with guidance, directions and instructions on how to navigate through this life.
3. Love people:?This can be sometimes be the hardest, because some people are down-right mean, evil and can get under your skin. But here is the secret formula, if you practice number 1 - Pray and number 2 - Read God's word, loving on people gets so easy.?

Don't quit! You no longer have to live a life full of doubt and defeat. If you really want to increase your endurance, pray, read your word and love on people. Then watch how your love gets stronger. your patience gets longer and your life gets richer.

Read: Romans 5:3-4

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#Enduranceisthekeyingredient