Persistence Pays!

I recently started a new weight-loss program offered through my company. Yeah, I know, with all the running that I do, why worry about weight-loss. The truth is, we get additional benefits and dollars added to our health savings account and besides, I’d like to safely improve my diet and dropping a few pound would make running easier since we move better when we weigh less. And, I want to be sure not to become complacent with my diet just because I can burn a lot of calories does not mean I should eat junk because I think I can. I really dislike keeping a daily food log but the truth is, when I have in the past, I know I drop weight because when I eat less, I have less to write down. With anything new it takes time to adapt and work it into our natural life routine. The same is true of attending church, daily prayer, Bible-reading and a host of other God-honoring practices. When we are not accustomed to doing something, it takes intentional and deliberate focus, persistence, and frankly discipline to do even the right and good things in life. At the core of all we do, live for, and expect from the life God has blessed us with is a real and honest question: “What’s my motivation?” For a lot of things in life, our motivations for what we do is simple: “Because it feels good!

Duh!!” Many of us, and at least for me, if I did only what I wanted to do, I would love being a career couch potatoes, eating cheese puffs and Little Debbie snacks, watching TV. But for me, more than likely indulging in this unhealthy and antisocial behavior with my genetics this would only make me sick and lead to a prematurely early grave. I am an Christian and I truly love the Lord, praise God, but I am willing and truly desire to hold off on that divine appointment because there are still many, many, many things I desire to accomplish for myself and others: walk my girls down the aisle at their weddings, Lord willing; see my son get married at God’s appointed time; experience grand children; visit the Grand Canyon, attend the garlic festival in Gilroy, CA and many more things in the Lord’s will and at the appointed time, but not prematurely earlier. So, our Heavenly Father offers us wisdom, insights, and guidance about how to live for Him and if we have a desire and motivation to do so, it becomes a natural part of our lives and we hardly think about it;!and, as God proclaims during the creation of the universe in Genesis 1:31, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.” Lord help me and all reading this post to honor you even when doing so may be undesirable or uncomfortable. Your son — our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — sacrificed His life so that we might live eternally with you. In His name we pray. Amen!