NEVER GIVE IN! NEVER GIVE UP!

This has been a week of exhaustion, frustration, failure, and letdowns. It has also been a week of rest, excitement, success, and triumph. This has been a crazy week.
This week, throughout all my classes there was a single theme that seemed to be running…don’t give up…don’t quit. I find it fascinating that the week when I am having the most struggles is the week our lessons all pertain to not quitting or giving up! Interesting timing of these lessons, wouldn’t you say? 

I know that there is no such thing as a coincidence. I know that these lessons happened this week because it is when I needed them to happen. I needed to hear and read Elder Holland’s talk entitled Good Things to Come. I needed to be reminded that we all have trials and struggles. If we didn’t, then I suppose we’d either be dead or God’s and thankfully I am neither. I’m not ready to be dead or a God…just yet. 

Trials are the things that force us to move, to grow, to get up and get on. Trials are blessings. I remember in a General Conference, someone spoke about praying for trials and then getting them. Well, I’m not THAT crazy! I have no desire to start praying for trials. I think the Lord knows what I need and will give it to me when I can handle it. I’m not about to start mucking around with His job! 

In the book A Field Guide for the Heroes Journey, I read three excerpts from some of Sir Winston Churchill’s speeches during World War II. I loved the fire and passion he had. What a great motivator. I can only imagine how moved those listening to him were when he said, “You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be.” I was ready to go to war when I was done reading his three excerpts!

I guess my takeaway from this week, which I’m not lying when I say I am glad is almost over, is this…never give up, never give in, keep on keeping on, keep on truckin’, get up, get out, get moving and above all else…serve others because when you do, you are doing the Lord’s work!

So, even though this week kind of sucked beans a little, it was also wonderful. Today is my father’s 86th birthday! What a blessing to still have him with us! Another blessing…8 weeks and 1 day from today and I will be seeing my daughter for the first time in almost a year. Rest assured, that will be the best hug ever! Perspective my friends…is the glass half full or is it half empty? Lemons or lemonade? Quit or keep going? For me, all I can say is never give in, never give up! I hope you will say the same thing too!

(B183)