Determination!

Today I have often thought about the word: DETERMINATION

What it means? What is behind that word?  I like to compare stuff to running, because it is one of the few sports that you can actually do by yourself. You don’t have to have a team, a partner, you can just run all by yourself.

In 2009, I lived in Bethany, Oklahoma and attended Southern Nazarene University and ran Cross Country. I wasn’t extremely fast, but boy did I love to run. I got a little bit of a scholarship, but that really didn’t mean much to me. I was just glad to be part of the team, but most of all be able to run.

2 weeks before the state invitational I had to have emergency surgery. I still was determined to run in that meet. My doctor had released me to run and told me to take it easy.

It was the day of the meet and I really hadn’t run much, but my heart was in it. My heart was going to out weigh the discouragement in my head. So the race started and I took off, I had a good steady pace. I was coming around to finish my second mile and my coach was telling me to stop and that I could come out. I looked at him and said ” Coach, I got this” I wanted to finish the race. I didn’t want to give in or quit that easy. I was determined to walk across that finish line with a smile on my face.

So I was coming around this turn and boy I was cramping up. I kept digging a little deeper and a little deeper. I kept saying ” I can do ALL things through Christ who Strengthens me” I was about a 100 yards away, and I could see the finish line. I don’t know if you know anything about running, but when you get close to the finish line, you want to give it your all and people would yell “KICK” that meant to put it in high gear and go full force. There was  this girl in front of me and my goal was to pass her. I just wanted to pass her. I came around this turn and boy I kicked. I said I got this!! I’m not quitting until I reach the finish line.

When I stepped across the finish line. My coach and teammates cheered me on, gave me high fives. I remember my coach saying: “Not bad, for just having surgery” I believe I had set my personal record of like 24 minutes for 3 miles.  I was so excited.

You see in life. Things will get tough, you will be faced with all different circumstances, but you can’t lose your determination. You have to give it your all and at times when you want to QUIT, you’ve got to dig a little deeper. You got to say “I got this” when everyone else is telling you; you can’t. You have to tell yourself “YOU CAN.”  Never lose sight of your dreams, your goals, and know that the finish line is just around the corner. After you finish that goal, set another goal. Don’t let the hurdles take you away from the competition.

DON’T QUIT!!!

~J