Persistence and Patience with Guest Janet K Brown

And let us not be weary in well-doing; for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal. 6:9

“Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” Napoleon Hill

Some say a successful career comes from 10% talent and 90% persistence.

Last year, we visited our daughter and son-in-law in Colorado. While there, we took a day trip to Estes Park. What a beautiful place that is. We walked along a rippling river. At one point, a fast-moving waterfall caught our attention due to the thousands of salmon seeking to jump to the top of the falls.

Before they give birth, salmon head upstream to reach their own hatching place regardless of how far they must travel. Some swim thousands of miles. When they reach their destination, they’re exhausted but still lay their eggs as planned. God made the salmon a determined, persistent creature and a lesson for those of us who grow weary.

God never gives us a task that He doesn’t also supply the strength and wisdom to finish. Whether you’ve been called to write like me, or you’ve been ordained to preach like my pastor, we all get tired and discouraged along the way.

That reaping in due season spoken about in the above verse of Galatians 6:9 is what we today call “delayed gratification.” And, we hate it. The five minute micro-waved baked potato is no longer quick enough. Not long ago, how exciting it was that cooking oatmeal only took five minutes. Now, if the box doesn’t say “cooks in 1 minute,” I put it back on the shelf and find one that does.

God, through the Apostle Paul, tells us not to grow weary in our tasks, to not faint, to not quit. The salmon can teach us a lesson about persistence and patience.

How can we keep from growing weary?

God’s Word gives us that answer, too, but we don’t like it.

WAIT!

But they that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. Is. 40:31 

Once again, God uses nature (the eagle) to teach us His truths.

When we grow weary in the task ahead, remember the persistence of the salmon and the strength of the eagles.

In the immortal words of Winston Churchill, “Never give up. Never, never, never give up.”


Janet K. Brown lives in Wichita Falls, Texas with her husband, Charles. Writing became her second career after retirement from medical coding. Worth Her Weight will be the author’s debut inspirational women’s fiction, but it makes a perfect companion to her recently released, Divine Dining: 365 Devotions to Guide You to Healthier Weight and Abundant Wellness. Both books encompass her passion for diet, fitness, and God’s Word. Worth Her Weight marks Brown’s third book. Janet and her husband love to travel with their RV, visit their three daughters, two sons-in-law and three perfect grandchildren, and work in their church. Find her at www.janetkbrown.com on Twitter, @janetkbrowntx , and on Facebook.

I lost ninety-five pounds and have maintained the loss for seventeen years. One tool in my recovery remains the daily reading of inspirational books. I found my library incomplete when I searched for one that combined a twelve-step program with God as the Higher Power. The biggest secret to my success was giving up my will and letting God do it through me. Divine Dining is a book of daily devotions that came from my journals and memories. This is one woman’s road for success. I pray these thoughts help others reach the same healing God gave to me. It’s all about God. Divine Dining: 365 Devotions to Guide You to Healthier Weight and Abundant Wellness can be purchased at: Pen-L Publishing  and Amazon.