The Message of LeadershipSample

NEVER GIVE UP

"Paralyze resistance with persistence."
-Woody Hayes

The leadership of Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt always inspires me because they knew how to overcome great obstacles through steady persistence. These men are my heroes. I like them because they inspire me to be persistent in the face of adversity. They never gave up!

When I was in college, I almost gave up. Two summers in a row I almost didn’t return to college to finish my degree. Money was tight and I was lacking direction. Why should I try so hard when I didn’t even know what I was going to do with my education?

But God spoke to my heart each time, and I became convinced that if I prepared, He would give me the opportunity I needed. I thought my success might come in sports but it didn’t. And as I lay in my hospital bed after two consecutive surgeries on my knee, I finally gave up on that dream and began to despair. Has that ever happened to you?

But slowly God began to build me back up after my lost hope. He reminded me that my life was never really about sports—they had just been an avenue to build my character—He had bigger plans for me. So with His help I started over and regained my confidence to move ahead by faith.

By the end of my senior year, I had a degree and a job, and I have never looked back. Sports were not my long-term place of service, but they were an important schoolroom for me. The lessons I learned have served me well. God may change your direction but He will not abandon you. If you persist, you will discover the purpose He has designed for your life and that will bring you more satisfaction than you can possibly imagine. Never give up!

Essential Insight 19: Never give up, no matter how dark the clouds over your head. God has a plan for you that will bring unsurpassed joy to your life.