I wanted to write about what I have learned about quitting and persevering. I purchased this framed picture before I went to college. I liked the picture and figured I would need the reminder that God is good to follow through with all that He promises. I had no clue the challenges ahead of me, and how frequently I would fight the urge to quit when things got tough. What I have learned through my softball career, graduate school, sales career, and even now in marriage, is that there is a correlation between perseverance and God's faithfulness.
As I look back at my softball career, I see how faithful God was to me. While playing my first 2 years at the University of NC at Wilmington, I realized that not everyone wanted me to succeed. My first year I had a coach who liked me, and then my second year, had a coach who absolutely hated me. During that year, there were so many times I wanted to quit. She made my life miserable. I was being mistreated by my coach, and everyone around her. At times, I felt so small. I felt like quitting, and I didn't care if I ever played another game in my life. However, I didn't, and God was faithful. I turned my career COMPLETELY over to Him. Where did he take me? From one of the worst teams in the nation to one of the best. Literally, overnight. Sometimes God uses crummy circumstances to make us desperate enough to turn things COMPLETELY over to Him.
Tennessee was no cake walk. I was actually in over my head. The girls I was competing with and against for a spot on the team were some of the best in the nation. I was physically pushed to my limits. I was second guessing myself, left and right. I worked hard, but I was unsure if I could cut it. Especially when I went 0 for my first 15 at bats. I knew God had brought me to Tennessee, but I just wasn't sure I could succeed. Again, I turned it over to Him. I said, "God, if you want me to succeed, I will give you the glory, and if I don't succeed, I pray I will handle it in a way that people can still see You in me." God enabled me to do what I couldn't do on my own, and I graduated with academic and softball honors. I didn't quit, and God was faithful.
Grad school was tough. Corporate America was tough. Marriage is tough. Life is tough. As you go through life you WILL desire to quit. Remember, there is a time to walk away from some circumstances (not the same as quitting)....and there is a time to fight through some circumstances. One thing I have learned, regardless of my circumstance, is IF you decide to persevere, your circumstance may not change. BUT, you WILL see God keep his promises to you. God never promises that your life will be easy. He never promises a happy life. He doesn't promise that people will like you, you will be rich, you will be safe, healthy, or successful. He does promise pardon of sin and sanctification of his people. He promises help during temptation and trials. He also promises guidance and a life after this world. All along, never leaving our side.
The benefit you get, through perseverance, is NOT an altered circumstance or outcome; although, sometimes your circumstance DOES change. You get to look back, after the storm is over, and see that God is good, and He does keep his promises. You get to SEE Christ. You get to see how He directed your path, changed your heart, and enabled you to do things you couldn't do on your own. If you quit, you miss out. You miss God using your crummy circumstance to show Himself to you in a real, tangible way. Sometimes you miss miracles that He does in your heart, and in the heart of others. I pray you boys learn that quitting isn't the answer. Learn to face "it," whatever "it" is, and learn to hand it over to the Lord, fight as hard as you can fight, for as long as you can, and persevere. There is always an end to the storm....during the storm, try to be the better man, practice giving it to God, and being patient. Remember, God will walk with you, He will use it to change you, and you will look back and see His faithfulness in it all.
Love you always and forever,
Mom
