I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

 

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

 

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

 

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

 

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo and was determined to start a bluegrass band, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Belá Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Bela Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Bela Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Bela Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

Don't Give Up

Since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too.  For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.  1 Peter 4:1

There have been times in my life that I have tried to finish certain tasks or objectives and just simply given up.  Others, I have remained faithful and disciplined and have been successful.  When we set goals, or more importantly, when God has called us to a task, we should never give up.  When we give up, we miss out on the blessings of reaching our goal and we also are telling God that we don’t trust Him to help us get there.

Just because God asks you to do something, it is not a guarantee that it will be easy.  In fact, I can hardly recall anything that God has asked me to do that ever was easy.  This principle can be applied across our lives-from our marriages, to parenthood, to friendships and relationships, from work to projects; we are assured that the journey may be difficult, but in the end, we will face no worries or problems in heaven.

Jesus guarantees difficulties in this world, but He also promises none in the next!

Under Pressure

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.  I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.  Matthew 11:28

Many people today are stressed out far beyond anything a human being was ever meant to endure.  Chalk it up to both husbands and wives having to go to work outside of their homes in a an attempt to ‘keep up with the Jones’ in addition to balancing their home lives, but many people, our family included, are stressed-out!

We are all created different, uniquely created by God’s design.  What is difficult for me may be simple for someone else, and vice versa.    Unfortunately, if you are like me, it’s hard to resist comparing and contrasting ourselves with other people.

Jesus was not stressed out.  Then again, He was not controlled by His circumstances or the demands of other people, either.  In John 14:6, Jesus simply states, “I am the Way.”  And you know what? He’s right-His way is the way to peace, joy, and righteousness.

The next time you feel like you are under immense pressure, ask yourself how would Jesus have you handle things?  Allow Him to fill your soul and learn to take His approach to life and it’s never-ending challenges!

Don't Give Up

Since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too.  For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.  1 Peter 4:1

There have been times in my life that I have tried to finish certain tasks or objectives and just simply given up.  Others, I have remained faithful and disciplined and have been successful.  When we set goals, or more importantly, when God has called us to a task, we should never give up.  When we give up, we miss out on the blessings of reaching our goal and we also are telling God that we don’t trust Him to help us get there.

Just because God asks you to do something, it is not a guarantee that it will be easy.  In fact, I can hardly recall anything that God has asked me to do that ever was easy.  This principle can be applied across our lives-from our marriages, to parenthood, to friendships and relationships, from work to projects; we are assured that the journey may be difficult, but in the end, we will face no worries or problems in heaven.

Jesus guarantees difficulties in this world, but He also promises none in the next!

Don't Give Up

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.  Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Bela Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not the latter, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!  

Joyful

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  Psalm 30:5

I have done some soul searching lately and have pondered whether my happiness depends on everything in my life being just right.  Based on my present circumstances, and the reality of everything not going my way, I’d say that my happiness sometimes does depend on everything being ‘just right.’  If everything went my way, the children would always do what I asked them to do on the first time, my wife and I would never have disagreements,  I would close every sale that I pursued at work, and my Auburn Tigers would be National Champions every season.

We all experience times in our lives that we feel down, but we cannot let our circumstances control our emotions.  The enemy is a discourager and will stop at nothing to fill our minds with negative thoughts and emotions, but Jesus is our encourager and is always there to lift us up.  He came to give us all love, peace, righteousness, and joy-all the things that help lift our spirits up!

We all feel sad or down at times, but those feelings are only temporary because joy comes from above and makes everything better!

Don't Give Up

Since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude He had, and be ready to suffer, too.  For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.  1 Peter 4:1

There have been times in my life that I have tried to finish certain tasks or objectives and just simply given up.  Others, I have remained faithful and disciplined and have been successful.  When we set goals, or more importantly, when God has called us to a task, we should never give up.  When we give up, we miss out on the blessings of reaching our goal and we also are telling God that we don’t trust Him to help us get there.

Just because God asks you to do something, it is not a guarantee that it will be easy.  In fact, I can hardly recall anything that God has asked me to do that ever was easy.  This principle can be applied across our lives-from our marriages, to parenthood, to friendships and relationships, from work to projects; we are assured that the journey may be difficult, but in the end, we will face no worries or problems in heaven.

Jesus guarantees difficulties in this world, but He also promises none in the next!

Don't Give Up

Let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away from all that will distract to Jesus. Just think of Him so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.  Hebrews 12:1-3

There have been plenty of times that I have started something, given up and then quit something. For instance, I really wanted to learn to play the banjo, so I purchased one along with an instructional book and DVD. I attempted to play the banjo along with the video and became so frustrated, that I quickly gave up and returned everything back to the music store.  (I think Bela Fleck was teaching the lesson on the DVD...) If only I had given the instrument just a little more effort and practiced more, maybe I could have learned to play the banjo.  Who knows? I could have been in a bluegrass band by now….okay, maybe not the latter, but it never hurts to daydream!

Our lives are much the same, particularly our walk with Christ. There are plenty of times that we are faced with difficult situations that wear us down and make us want to give up, but once we have Christ in our lives, He gives us His never-ending strength and energy to endure.

We must keep looking to Him and seeking His strength when we feel like giving up and saying "I quit." We must follow His example and keep on pressing no matter what we are facing!