Finishing Strong

As my eyes scanned the titles of the books on the shelf, they stopped at this one.

I"m looking for a book to read in the morning as part of my devotions.

Finishing Strong.

Yes, that was what I always wanted to do.
Finish strong.

And now, if I go by national average I'm inching up to the finish line. But, if I live to be 100 years I'm only ten plus years beyond half way.

I take the book out. It is a book from Christian's library. A book I spotted when Liz was sorting through and packing up. "Can I take this one?" "Sure".

He had such a varied interest in books. But the thing that I loved was that he was interested in being better, learning more, and applying knowledge. I know that I have told you this before but when I went downstairs to "his" room in Italy and saw the book about developing a good marriage opened by his lounge chair, as if he just got up from reading, I knew that he was and would have been a wonderful husband and father.

Finishing Strong.....it's a book for men. It's about going the distance for your family. But why can't I read it? Us girls want to finish strong too.

So I open the cover and begin to read.

The Priority of finishing strong. So few do, finish strong. We need to make it a priority. Oh sure, we all finish. But what will we look like? So many road blocks, wrong turns, and just plan lack of endurance. Finishing strong requires some things...., grit, determination, a vision and finishing power. And most of all the time devoted to developing a moral and spiritual character so that no matter what comes up or at you, you can continue on with the Lord.

Steve Farrar talks about the perils to finishing strong. Lots of perils. Sin can shipwreck ones life. Spending more time on externals rather than the eternal. A person's character not keeping pace with their accomplishments. Being unteachable and unaccountable.

And the prototypes of a stong finisher. I have many older women in my life that have been a prototypes of a stong finisher. One of my good friends, Fran, is 83. I called her on Mother's Day and she was lamenting to me that she is sometimes so frustrated with herself because she feels herself getting lazy. "WHAT?" Now this woman taught 1st grade Sunday school every week until last year. For twenty five years she did a monthly meeting on Women of the Bible. She was the area director of CBS for the whole south east until a couple of years ago. When I visited her in South Carolina this past spring she gave a reception for another lady in ministy for 40 people in her home. And then two weeks later had 30 ladies from church over for lunch. She sends out about 25 birthday cards to different friends each month and calls me every birthday and sings to me. She was the lady who sent me a "care" package every week when I was in Hope Lodge. She loves the Lord and people. She's modeled finishing strong for so many girls. I want to be like that.

I want to live out this verse from I Corinthians 16

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong"

And from I Timothy"

"And I thank Christ Jesus my Lord, who has enaabled me, for he counted me faithful"