"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:2-4 I have been running the same path for about 2 weeks and each time I start out walking to warm up for about 4 minutes. As I finish my walk and start to jog, there is a downhill (thank you sweet Jesus). If this little hill wasn't there, I doubt I would get much further than a few yards. It's a great little boost for me to gain momentum and make me feel like I can make it a little further each day. About half-way through my run though there is a steady incline. As the turtles pass me and wave, I think "this is the week I am going to make it. I can do it". I usually make it to the top, but then I am finished. Out of breath and cramping up, I have to walk for a while before I start to run again. Each day as I have run though, I have gone further and further. As I reached the top of the hill today and turned around, I felt exhilarated to have made it and started running the downhill. What an awesome feeling to have your legs pushed to the limit and then find relief! Today I went the farthest I have run in a very long time. I was proud of myself. As I was finishing up my run, I was thinking about that hill. What if I had to start out with that hill? How far would I get? Would I find another less daunting path to run? This scripture came to mind about perseverance. How many times I have stood at the bottom of a huge hill in my life and thought "no way am I going to be able to get over this. No way can I tackle this mountain." That's when I have to take my eyes off the problem and turn my focus on Jesus. I let Him be a lamp unto my feet, taking one step at a time, and before I know it, I'm halfway up the hill. Sometimes I have to stop and catch my breath, or reach for help to get through a tough spot, but little by little the Lord develops me with each step I take. Much like how my legs are developing with each run, the Lord builds my character each time I face something I'm not sure I can handle and I turn to Him for guidance and wisdom. There's nothing like reaching the top of a mountain. Whether in life or in running, the view from the top is exhilarating! To know you can do it, with God's help, is one of the greatest blessings in life. Seeing what God can do through you what you couldn't possibly do on your own is what faith and hope are all about. He wants to do this in us. He loves us, and that's why he doesn't always want us to take the path of least resistance. The journey may be tough, but the rewards are worth it.