Life isn’t always easy.

Life isn’t always fair.

Life can change with one phone call, one conversation, one unannounced visit.

No one is guaranteed the next year, the next day, or even the next hour.

What you decide to do with that will determine your life’s trajectory.

Sometimes, it’s not talent or even skill that causes one to survive well.

Often, it’s just sheer grit that causes the survival.

It’s the simple will power to get up, to keep breathing, to continue one step at a time.

You don’t have to be perfection, just live.

You don’t have to be a huge success, just stand.

You don’t have to be the American hero everyday, just fight.

Fight to survive. Fight to live. Fight to win.

There’s always someone coming behind you who needs to see your achievement in real time.

It may be the very inspiration for their next breath.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

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 endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2