_{Finish Strong}

I confess.  I am big picture type of girl.  I love imagining things, drawing them up in my head, dreaming about how to accomplish them, purchasing the supplies to do them, preparing the space in my home to create them, and especially love the rush which comes from starting them…

What I am not good at is finishing them.

Its genetic, this trait.

I inherited it.

And, while I would love to give you the many reasons I think this is true about me, none of them really matter. 

I was not always this way.

In my younger years, I was more of a "completer".  Back when it was just me…and, well, just me, I was able to finish what I had started.  

But, it took a lot of energy and effort.

I have a few individuals who would call me undisciplined, unfocused, and a bunch of other  terms which they would "kindly" say to me in their effort to make me "better" or so that they made sure they had done their "job" of letting me know I had/have shortcomings.  Trust me.  No words were necessary.

I already knew.  I already know.

When your library is full of "how to", "how you should" and "what you need to do" books, you have a general idea that perhaps, maybe you have some work to do in your life.  

But, at this age I am loving so much, this 52 years on this planet, I am learning some things….one of which is that the very person from whom I get these characteristics is the very person on this earth I most dearly love and want to emulate

Because what I see in this person is that they put others before themselves.  They take/took care of their family's basic needs to support the non-basic needs of those they love

And, the funny thing is…the amazing truth is….

That, now that this person has children raised and time for self, they do finish things, just like I am starting to do….

Their home is tidy, their dishes washed and up in the cupboards.  Their car is clean and their hair is lovely at all times.  Their body shows evidence of a person who has time to self-care and their eyes sparkle as laughter streams out of their body in true joy of life.

They give me hope.

That, yes, even I, who these past many years am unable to finish what I start, can make the big turnaround…

And, finish strong

Does it really matter? This starting things and not finishing them?

Yes, I think it does.

But, not for the reasons you may think.

I believe that God wants us to follow through because in doing so, we learn to….well, follow through.

Finish 

Finish strong

We know the saying that "life is a journey not a destination" but I disagree.  Life is a destination.  A heavenly one.  One planned out for us before we were even born, before we were knit in our mother's womb…before…

And, what I am learning from myself and what I want to teach my own children through emulation of this truth is that 

Growing the ability to finish strong does matter

THAT in truth, what is actually the "journey" part of this life is growing into the realization that being able to stay the course and finish strong here will help us walk the path to the "starting gate" there….

We are practicing on this earth how to walk to non-earth…..to heaven

And, finishing strong requires a few things….

Knowing where you want to finish

Keeping your heart and eyes on the finish

Keeping your steps on the path to the finish

Keeping your ability to pick up yourself when you fall off the path and get back on it to the finish

Growing your ability to help others along the way stay on the path to the finish

Finishing requires the ability to…..finish

To follow through to the very end

To stay the course

To keep on keeping on

To never quit

To never give up

To keep striving

You get the picture

Finishing strong requires heart

And, while I may not be sure of many things, one thing of which I am most sure of is that I have a heart and not just the physical beating-in-my-chest kind of heart, but a heart which seeks out His heart….

And, once you know that about yourself, so many things become possible, so many doors are opened, so many things which used to hold you back are released and you are able to move forward to the finish line…

I know this because I am His

The great heart-maker

The great heart-designer

The great heart-restorer

The very same One who created in me a purpose for this life and who will keep me here until I have fulfilled this purpose, is the very same one who will walk with me to the finish line

Who will carry me on the days I cannot walk

Who will lead me and return me, to the path on which I need to travel

Who will hold my hand along the journey until I reach the other side

When you know that you are not alone on this journey of life and that the destination to which you are heading is laid out before you by the ultimate strong-finisher, you can let go of a lot of things….

And you can follow

And, you can finish

Finish Strong

Blessings,

Lesa