Perseverance

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish”. – John Quincy Adams.

  • Hebrews 10:36- You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what He has promised. 
  • Hebrews 11:27- By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger, he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.  
  • James 5:11- As you know we count those blessed that have persevered.  You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.  The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. 
  • James 1:12- Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

Every day brings its own problems (temptation, greed, lust, agony, pride) the list goes on and on.  There is hope however!  We can choose, like Job and Moses, to persevere and overcome whatever the problem is that life has thrown at us today.  Persevering today will reap us benefits tomorrow.  Be strong, be courageous, do not fear, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  God has said that He will never give us more than we can handle, and those that persevere He has promised the crown of life.  Today you can persevere!  

(Photo by Jason Hogan)

Overcome!

I’ve had enough! It’s no one’s fault but my own!  My lack of discipline has been shown! 
I don’t feel like that justifies my ignorance, however.  I can’t live like this forever! 
Mistake after mistake, how many dumb decisions can one person make?! 
To that, there is no right answer, mistakes are just a cancer.
  Most are treatable, though; it depends on how far you’re willing to go?! 
Can you push yourself past that limit?  That moment when you think there is no way to win it!?
  I know I can, I have before, even after people had hope for me no more! 
So I’ll get past this as well, even if in pain I must dwell. 
I know afterward, I will reap my reward, of this I am assured! 
I’m going to overcome every lousy decision; this is my mission, and my mission I will stand by.  I will not fail, I’d rather die…
(Overcome! is a poem by Justin Heupel) (Photo by
Gayatri Malhotra)

Unturned Tides

Tides unturned with lessons unlearned…  Life goes on, I remain strong. 
Bigger waves come; all I do is run. 
I’m still above water, but running has become harder. 
What to do now?  I’d like to swim but I don’t know how.
A storm is coming, and there is no running. 
I try to float, but there is no hope. 
A wave takes me under…  I begin to wonder… 
Who am I now?  Who stole my dreams, and how?
  The further I sink, the more I think… 
I’m almost to the bottom, my hopes are gone; somehow, I lost ’em.
  Ok, here we go…  The end of the show! 
Oh no, this must be a dream, wake up quick…  It’s not as bad as it seems! 
Ok ok! I’m awake and alive…  What a scary dream…  Things are never as bad as they seem!

Tired Thoughts is a poem by Justin Heupel (Photo by Ian Espinosa )

Life

When you should be dead by rights and death is in your sights.
When you wake up from a coma and you still smell death’s aroma
When you can’t eat, and it hurts to speak, and comfort is all you seek.
When you can’t walk, and people can’t understand you when you talk.
You can’t drink, you can barely think, and every color looks pink.
When you lose fifty pounds and don’t understand certain sounds.
When you are weak, and your future looks bleak.
When you can barely lift a pound, and a wheelchair is your only way around.
When you can’t write, and people tear up at your sight.
When you don’t have control, and you feel all alone.
When your passion is taken, and you feel mistaken.
Then you see life in a different way, you thank God for every day.
Your thoughts grow deep, and you are thankful for sleep.
You are thankful for every meal and are grateful to be able to feel.
You think before you speak and wisdom is what you seek.
You try to make people smile and help them through any trial.
You are happy to be alive, and for great things, you strive.
You appreciate the little things in life, and that brings you less strife.
You appreciate your family more, and you don’t mind being a little sore.
Happy you will be, be patient, you will see!
If you let it, life will be great. Just wait! Do your best and God will take care of the rest.

(Life is a poem by Justin Heupel) (Photo by Greg Rakozy )