Photo by Stijn Swinnen on Unsplash
It’s the end of summer, and as fall approaches people are beginning a new school year, football fans have prepared fantasy teams, and many are evaluating what’s left to finish the year’s goals. May I first start by saying how thrilled I am about being the only one in my household who isn’t 
beginning a new educational program? I feel like cranking up the music and doing a happy dance! Attending school takes perseverance (no matter what level or program). I was pregnant while completing my Associate’s degree, and I was in the military while completing both my AS and BS curriculums. No matter what I was going through (enough for a book rather than a blog), or how long it took, I was determined to persevere through to completion of these degrees. Then I experienced managerial economics with a professor who lost half of his students after the first day of class. I had to make a decision, quit or persevere. I wanted to achieve the MBA program, and this class was required. Sure, I could’ve withdrawn and registered for another professor the next semester, but I didn’t want to postpone completion of my final degree. So, I pushed through and got an A- (I had to look that up because I wasn’t sure)! The best part of it all is being an example of perseverance for my family. I now am encouraging my loved ones towards the pursuit of their educational goals. There will be classes that seem just too difficult, but perseverance will see them through. Besides, they’re smarter than me!
What about sports? That takes physical endurance as well as the mindset to keep pushing 
towards a victory. I love football season. The game displays all sorts of examples of perseverance. For example, how much it takes to be drafted. What about the injured players that push through a game or through rehabilitation? I appreciate the teams that persevere to the end when it seems as though there is no way they could possibly catch up. I know they have to, but perseverance just may prove otherwise. Isn’t that what happened during Super Bowl LI? Yes! My team didn’t let me down! I displayed my “Boston Strong” attitude while walking around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta National Airport in my Brady Jersey while the team displayed that same attitude at NRG Stadium in Houston. When I returned home, just in time to be the only one rooting for my home team at a neighborhood Super Bowl party (my husband didn’t outwardly show his support for my team and decided to dress neutral), I endured the teasing while the champions proved perseverance is power on that gridiron! That’s what it’s all about; the ability to stay strong, stand still in the moment and have faith during times of adversity.
Perseverance is powerful. Many times, it’s easier said than done. That’s why I always say we should all encourage and support one another during life’s trials. Also, what’s most important in our own minds often determines the level of our commitment. If a ten-pound weight loss really doesn’t matter, commitment to persevere may easily waiver. If a loved one is ill, there may be determination displayed like never before to do whatever it takes to care for the ones we love. An educational goal may be something for which to press forward. For another, it may not be that important. Perhaps for some things, a shift in priorities is necessary. What matters to you? What should or should not matter? Life brings forth many changes. Often times, we may need to make some changes in our own minds and make something matter. Once something is important and there is an understanding of why it is so, motivation may then drive persistence.
Whenever I feel like giving up, I turn to those who honestly care enough to encourage me, I read the bible, and look towards other examples of those who’ve excelled after adversity. When I look at people like Jen Bricker (who’s currently having a blast right now traveling in Austria), I think, “Look at what she’s overcome? How can anyone know her story and quit?” Her mental outlook and physical endurance are such magnificent examples of how possible it is to overcome life’s difficulties. So, if you’ve made some new years resolutions that aren’t anywhere near completion, regroup and tackle those tasks. You can finish strong before the first of 2018! If you’re one to feel gloomy at the start of the school year, think positive about being another step closer towards your goal. If you are suffering through any trial in life, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). Your perseverance may just be powerful enough to help change a situation from impossible to achievable.
