Endurance

Me and Leslie and the kids drove down to Dothan to pick up a few things tonight.  As we passed John D. Odom Road on 231, we saw the Cornerstone parking lot off to the right.  It had a lot of cars in it reflecting the people gathered together inside for Wednesday night Bible study. While our time there was truly wonderful, I was so overjoyed that we don't have to make that 80 mile round-trip drive 5 times a week!  We are so very grateful to be doing ministry in Enterprise.  

We hung out in Dothan for a while, finishing the night with pancakes and waffles at IHOP.  As we got in the car Caitlin and I reminisced about the many nights we would finish service and get something to eat, only to be home at 10:30 - with the kids still needing to get up for school the next morning.  I was exhausted just thinking about what that schedule was like!  

But Leslie made a great point:  We did it for 6-1/2 years, by the grace of God, with His supply of strength.  And it built endurance into our lives.  Were it not for every bit of that training, we couldn't possibly think of doing what we are doing today.  As the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy, a young pastor, "(Be) strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus...endure hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ".  

Endurance is the mark of a good soldier.  But we don't possess on our own the strength to endure.  That strength is found in Christ. Whatever hardship you may be facing, remember that we're always training!  So endure by the grace of God that is found in Christ Jesus and SOLDIER ON!