Persistence/Don’t Give Up

I’ve been thinking about the theme of persistence and “Don’t Give Up” and at the same time, thinking about the terrible events that took place at the Boston Marathon.

So, with that in mind, I wanted to share  a scripture verse about running the race:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV)

Plus, I wanted to share a video from the 1992 Olympics [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QwNoZMOt_c ] that was about a runner (Derek Redmond) that suffered an injury in the greatest race of his life and decided that, even though he had no change at winning, he had put too much effort into this to just quit.  So, he kept going.  It was a struggle and the security officials were trying to convince him to quit.  Then, out of the stands, a man came running onto the track and towards this runner.  Security initially tried to stop the man that turned out to be the runner’s dad.  When he reached his son, he put his arm around him and helped him to finish the race.  However, just before the finish line, he stepped back and let his son finish on his own.

Well, sometimes we might be frustrated and ready to quit but that’s when our heavenly father puts His loving arms around us and helps us to carry on.  And sometimes our youth and our volunteers need for us to be there to help encourage them to continue the race.

Switching from sports to the world of entertainment, another story of persistence and not giving up was Sylvester Stallone who kept trying until he finally found success in the movie Rocky which he wrote and starred in.  Hear Tony Robbins telling the Sylvester Stallone story @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tknowAM50Y

Oprah tells the story of how Journey (best known for the song “Don’tStop Believin”) found their new lead singer Arnel Pineda who had previously been singing for his supper.  The first part is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vORqmUeGTCg  (plus there’s more at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dgE90yAuCU and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oTnjk5ZOEY if you’re really into Journey)

Finally, as my friend Vince reminded me, James Dyson famously created 5,126 prototypes for a vacuum cleaner whilst drowning in a sea of debt. But his 5,127th design was the breakthrough he needed and with it came the start of the Dyson company. The Dyson company today earns over 1 billion in sales annually.

Remember….never never never give up.  Success could be one try away.

P.S.  The video about the runner from the 1992 Olympics was shared in a sales meeting Monday at The Kansas City Star (by my friend Vince Coultis) and was  also the focus of my opening devotion at the youTheology Advisory Board meeting  that same evening.  Plus, a version of this blog is being shared at http://www.youtheology.org/

And, finally, I can’t have “Don’t Give Up” in the title without linking to the great song by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1nVscwU0pE