Published one year ago today.
(Last night’s 11.7 mile run and this entry is dedicated to the following people, Traci Spinks, Herb Williams, Mike Logan, Glenn Pearman, Todd Hayes, Bill Bauman, Sonny Hankins, Wallace Edwards, Carrie Ann Lyons, Al Sheneman and David Edwards. All who I care about deeply and whose name I lifted up to God during my run.)
Stories of men and women who look death in the face and survive, or those who face great challenges, always inspire me.
People who simply refuse to quit.
They will not give up.
They find a way to live.
My mother often said in the final two years of her life, “I refuse to die. Not gonna do it til the moment that God takes me. Until then, I am living.”
I often write of hope and it being the last true weapon we retain in our battle against death or any other challenge.
Hope is our last line of defense against any enemy in our life.
Those who cling to life with a white knuckle grip are my heroes.
However, it may not be an actual physical death to be overcome.
It may be the loss of curiosity toward today and the day following.
It may be the loneliness one may feel even in a world of over seven billion people.
It may be holding on to faith as your child or a loved one, or a friend, fights for every breath, and you thank God for every additional heart beat that God gives them.
Hope for you may come from a less than obvious place or an otherwise hidden source of inspiration.
Or you may be that person someone looks to for hope.
Those without hope are not hard to find.
It is those who possess hope and willingly give it away that are rare.
Be the rare ray of hope for someone.
Ask God to bring the hopeless into your path.
You will know them when he does.
Maybe even jot down the following verses on a piece of paper and keep them on you for the right moment.
I will do the same.
Then we can give them away to whomever may need hope at that moment.
“Death stared me in the face — I was frightened and sad. Then I cried, ‘Lord, save me!’ How kind he is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects the simple and the childlike; I was facing death, and then he saved me. Now I can relax. For the Lord has done this wonderful miracle for me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall live! Yes, in his presence — here on earth!” Psalm 116:3-9 (TLB)
Refusing to ever give up or live without hope,
John
If we truly believe and love God, His strength and love for us will carry us through anything, I am living proof of this, and thank you for including my name with these wonderful people.
John, I so appreciate our friendship and your continuous support through prayer and encouraging words. Keep on keeping on brother. Your daily reflections are inspiring.
John – you humble me friend! I was talking to our sweet Dody yesterday – a friendship Dan and I have had with the two of you nearly 20 years. You are a gifted writer full of truth, encouragement and challenge. The Lyons’ family love y’all! Thank you for your prayers! Keep writing. Keep inspiring. Keep challenging. God is using you my friend!!!