“If anyone could tell you the shortest, surest way to all happiness and perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming commodity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing”

Puppy Perseverance serves us well

Originally Published November 17, 2003

My dear friend, said with a chuckle, “Catherine, you are like a puppy with a shoe!”

Smiling, I questioned, “What do you mean?”

And with cheerfulness in her voice, she continued, “When a puppy grabs hold of a shoe he never lets it go. The puppy holds onto it so tight, that you can pick up the shoe, and the puppy comes up off the floor with it, because the puppy just keeps holding on!”

“You are like a puppy with a shoe,” she laughed and repeated again, “You just don’t give up.”

“That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed. “It is a gift.”

There is no alternative, for me….or for you, dear readers. We must persist, proceed and keep on keeping on…God is with those who endure and persevere. He will give us the strength we need to continue if we are striving in His will.

Many of us avoid things that cause us discomfort. I speculate that 85 percent of all difficulty we experience are for our own benefit and, therefore, endurable and constructive if we allow them to be.

We can overcome our obstacles, and make them into something of value if we persist optimistically and trust God faithfully. He will always help us to be our best in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

By changing our focus to see the growth possibility in the trial, though initiated by pain, it can become part of the motivation needed to persevere onto success. There is no growth without meeting challenges along the way.

Remember, that not every seed we plant grows into a beautiful flower. View setbacks as learning experiences. Many scientists or inventors have stumbled upon a great revelation through a mistake. In addition, they learn more out of difficult times than from their mundane days.

Doors may close; people can say, “No, you can’t do that…” or whatever. But if we carry on with patience and faith in our vision, I believe a window will eventually open.

It is not easy by any means to go on, especially if we have been discarded, discouraged, and belittled in the past. It is at the time, when our heart beats the loudest, and our hand starts to shake, that we should try and try again. Never quit, never relinquish, and by no means give up. We will achieve through perseverance.

Our reach should exceed our grasp. We never know what will spring from a small idea; consequently, we must stay on our toes and look for opportunity. Creative thoughts and steadfast action can lead to great accomplishment.

It is one thing to ponder about an idea, brainstorm and visualize, but it is another thing entirely to act upon the idea. I love to recall what it says in the Bible: “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26). So I must fight, if I am to win. Increase my courage, Lord!

The hand of God does not always call the qualified. Most of the time, He chooses the ordinary and steadfast perseverant. He will give us the equipment, we need to accomplish, if all is done for His glory.

An admirer once approached famed author, Harriet Beecher Stowe and asked if she could have Stowe’s autograph on the book she wrote, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” She replied humbly, “God wrote it. I merely did His dictation.” This book inspired a president and a nation to do away with slavery.

When we give unselfishly, we receive in abundance, and when we listen and follow God’s design and direction, we reap great wisdom. A goal that is attained for the betterment of others will always activate the heart of God.

Serving God calls for certain actions, like trust, obedience, and perseverance. And if we do that, He provides the success.

And so I carry on joyfully and tenaciously with puppy perseverance, and tell you, my dear readers, “Never give up!”