Perseverance

Recently, I’ve learned a very important lesson, one that you would have thought I’d have learned sooner. Disney movies aren’t just for kids. In fact, I realized that Disney movies make up my top 5 favorites. This realization came a few weeks ago while my brothers were watching Cars and I was supposed to be doing school. Remember what happens at the ending when Lightning McQueen is speeding toward the finish line about to win? The King of Dinoco just wrecked, McQueen sees it as he is about to cross the line, what happens? 

He stops. 

He loses the race. In one second McQueen gave up a dream he had chased for a lifetime. And he turned around. He got behind King and pushed him toward the finish line. Because all of a sudden, an old friend finishing the race was more important then the trophy he had always wanted. That mindset shift is what I want you all to have today. I want to focus on the principle behind McQueen's action, that everyone should finish their race. That means you, and everyone around you.

That quality is called perseverance.

Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” We easily get bogged down in little things that distract us from our real race. We have to throw that off and persevere in what is before us. What is that though? Why must we persevere and what are we headed toward? Paul answers that question for us in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” We should strive for holiness and to be more Christ-like every day. The upward call of God in Christ Jesus is our ultimate goal. Continue toward things that glorify God. Persevere in things that make you more like Christ.

That’s not easy. Life isn’t a perfect Disney world where everything is always going to be ok. And you see, we love new things, celebrate new years, are excited about new speeches, but it’s not as fun toward the end of it. When that new and exciting quality wears off, and we’re faced with hardships and trials again, we wonder how to persevere and where we will find the strength or desire to do so. But we have to see things out to the end. Because that’s what truly matters.

One of my favorite quotes, shockingly not from a Disney movie, is by Winston Churchill. This quote has been the theme of my last few years as well as the title of this blog and it sums up this idea of finishing our race. He says, 

              “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” 

The courage to continue is what matters. Things seem better and more enjoyable when they’re new, but the reward is in finishing them.

Stick with things to the end.

Romans 12: 11-12 tells us to be “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer” Diligent, fervent, persevering, devoted. That’s what we must be in everything we do.

And don’t just persevere for your sake, but help others finish their race as well. For the sake of helping out a friend, lightning Mcqueen sacrificed a dream and pushed someone else across the finish line. Throughout this year, some of you have been Lightning McQueen. You have gotten behind me and pushed me toward the finish line. To you, I have to say thank you. I’m writing this because of your perseverance. I want to encourage all of you to do that. Help others have the courage to continue. The year is closing, but continue to encourage one another.

James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

It is our joy to persevere so that we won’t be lacking.

Just this year, I’ve had some pretty impressive failures. I’ve also reached some goals. We all have had our ups and downs this year. We must continue to speak boldly and change this world for Christ. I don’t know what's happening next in your life, but I do know that we must press on to the upward calling of Jesus Christ. We have been equipped to do that, we have the strength and the tools. All we need is the courage to continue.

When "I miss you" isn't enough

I miss my friends.

Most of you know that I compete in public speaking league called Stoa and get to go all over the country competing at tournaments. And those people I compete against? They are my best friends. Many of them live in a different state. I see these people for three or four days in a row each tournament and then I don’t see them again for months. And right now? That hurts. I find myself so often sending them a message with the words “I miss you”. But it doesn’t feel right. Those words are supposed to mean that you think fondly of the moments you've had with someone and you can't wait to see them again. That comes nowhere near describing what I feel. “I miss you” can’t describe how much I love them and want to be with them again. It doesn’t explain the way I long to create new memories with them or how thoroughly I’ve enjoyed every second with them. “I miss you” sounds so inadequate. 

People talk about, sing about, and write about heartbreak and the pain of missing people you love. That is what I feel right now but about multiple friends who I love and want to see again. And I know, that’s odd for me to say being an introvert and all. But I love speech and debate tournaments because I get to see people. Normally I miss them after tournaments but I know exactly when I’ll see them again so the missing them is tempered by the expectation of seeing them soon. Right now though, I don’t know the next time I’ll see many of my friends. Many of them I won’t see for five or six months. It’s sad. Maybe the solution is just to not make friends that I will miss, then I won’t have to deal with the separation. But ya know, I wouldn’t trade those friendships for anything in the world. I don’t regret being friends with these amazing people. Because knowing them has changed me and significantly improved my life. So though it's hard to be apart from them for so long, knowing them makes it worth it. Having someone close enough to you that you can say “I miss you” when you’re apart is valuable.

The really sad thing is that we often don’t cherish the moments we do have. It’s sometimes easy to take friendships for granted, or even take people for granted. When we’re around someone constantly we aren’t thinking about how hard life will be once they’re gone. I want to encourage you today to cherish your friendships. Value the people in your life right now. Because graduation is coming up. Chances are, you know someone who will be taking the next step in life and moving away. Spend time with them and show them that you love them. Yes, it will be hard when they leave, but make the most of the moments you have with them. So that even though “I miss you” will be said, you won’t have to regret time taken for granted or moments that were wasted. 

Because of my many long distance friendships, I miss so many people. It is hard. I hate when I begin to forget the sound of their voice or memories we shared begin to fade. Yet I’m so glad for them. I don’t take any of my friends for granted and every moment around them is precious because I know that I will miss them later. Right now, I just have to deal with that feeling of loneliness. But if you ever see me randomly burst into laughter, it’s because I am remembering that odd conversation in the hallway. Or if I suddenly begin to tear up, I’m probably thinking of deep conversations I’ve had with a close friend. I miss spending that time with those friends, but I’m grateful for them and I eagerly wait for the next time I’ll see them.

I say “I miss you” every single day, multiple times a day, to many different people. It isn’t enough. It doesn’t explain how badly I want to see them and how lonely I feel right now. But it’s all I have. It has to be enough. So please, cherish your friendships. And if you’re feeling lonely, if someone you love feels far away, tell them you miss them. Remind yourself of the good times you’ve spent with them. Because friendships are worth it. People are worth it. 

My Dream

One of my all-time favorite movies is Tangled, because it shows the value of chasing after dreams. And one of my all-time favorite songs is from Tangled, it's called I See the Light. Every time something good happens, I think of that song. Likewise, hearing the lyrics reminds me of all the good things in my life. Recently, one of my biggest dreams came true and naturally, I was thinking a lot about Tangled and the lyrics to this song were constantly in my head. Afterward, one of my friends asked me, "So, what's your new dream?" I couldn't really give a legitimate answer because I hadn't thought about it a lot.

Now I know.

My dream is to save lives.

Interesting dream, right? I know it sounds crazy and idealistic. Obviously it's a good thing and most people want to do it, but why is that one of my biggest goals in life? And how in the world am I going to accomplish it?

It's my dream for two reasons. First, I believe too many people die too young of things that are preventable, one thing in particular. Second, I can relate to the problem that I want to fix on multiple levels.

How will I accomplish it? By spreading hope. We all know that hope is important, but I believe it can also save lives. What if saving lives didn't require any special skill? What if we all could do it? 

This year I wrote a speech on depression and have performed it at tournaments in multiple states throughout the year. Ever since the beginning of the year, I have wanted to post it for you guys to read. On several different Monday's I told myself I was posting that speech, and several different times a balked. I rewrote it, reformatted it, changed it, edited it, but every time I was too afraid. What if I put an idea into someone's head? What if I become responsible for something? What if I'm wrong? But I realized that not speaking wasn't the right action. I like to think of my blog as a platform. And in moments of illusion I tell myself that I can use this platform to change the world. Even to save lives. So with the information I know, why haven't I raised awareness? With how passionate I am about depression, why haven't I spoken up more about it?

 Well, there is no shortage of excuses and honestly, they are legitimate reasons. Depression is hard to talk about. It's controversial, so the chances of me being wrong or you disagreeing with me are very high. It's personal for many people, so it's likely I offend someone (though I promise I don't mean to). And I don't have all the answers, so maybe I make life worse for someone or give false hope. However, there is a problem that you and I can help solve, so the least I can do is raise awareness. It wasn't until a few days ago that this fact, that we can help right now, really impacted me. I decided I need to speak up. Because here's the thing: depression is a disease that is taking lives every day. And in the moments  when it's not taking lives, it's making some people's lives miserable. Very little I say can be worse than me saying nothing (at least, that's what I hope).

So here's what I know: Depression effects 16.2 million adults, 1 out of 8 adolescents, and 360 million people globally. Every 100 seconds it claims another life. Don't take my word for it, go research it. The numbers are there, we just have to find them. And these aren't just statistics. They are more than numbers on a page. These are real people with real stories who just don't think there's an end to the pain. How can we help them? How can we save lives? I believe that the cure for depression is joy. True joy. Sounds simple enough, but it can be very difficult. 

 Yes, depression is a sad reality for many, but it doesn't have to be, and no one ever has to let it defeat them. In 2nd Corinthians 12:9 God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In our weakness, His power to give us joy is made perfect. The command "rejoice in the Lord always" isn't a burden, it's a gift. It's the solution to depression. Joy doesn’t mean always being happy, or always smiling, or always shouting to the world in exuberance. It can be the quiet pleasure of realizing God is in control and every moment is for His glory. We have hope in God’s grace and power to give us joy. 

For some people though, it seems impossible to cling to hope for another second. For some, that joy seems nonexistent and that truth seems unbelievable. 

That's where you and I can help. My dream is to hear people's stories, understand their pain, and help them find the solution. I know that I want to dedicate the rest of my life to fighting for those who don't see a reason to fight anymore. There's three steps that I think can help people struggling with depression find a way out, steps that I implore you to take with the people around you. 

 1. Deepen your relationships. Statistically speaking, you know someone who is struggling right now, you can help by discovering who that is and understanding them through a deeper relationship. 

2. Tell them they're not alone. Loneliness is painful, and people struggling with depression don't feel like anyone is there for them or understands them. Make sure the people around you know that you love them and are there for them. 

3. Speak truth. For those who think they are unloved or can’t continue, the Bible provides all the answers. Show them that God is in control, His power is perfect in weakness, and He can give us the strength to rejoice in Him. By speaking the truth, you are reaffirming the ability to find joy in the most hopeless situations.

It took me a while to speak up. I hesitated for longer than I should. But I realized that, often, we don't help until it's too late. And then the regrets are overwhelming. So I implore you: join me in trying to save lives. Make that your dream. Statistically speaking, you know someone struggling right now, chances are you know who it is too, or at least you have your suspicions. Ask until you know you're getting an honest answer. Figure out people's struggles, sympathize with their pain, and show them that there is joy. I know that I can make a difference. But all of us working together? We can make an impact, a ripple of joy that can touch millions of hearts and change lives. If we all choose joy, we can show others that there is a reason to rejoice.