Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience. – Colossians 1:11

I was speaking with a dear friend last night about patience and faith. She shared with me, you really cannot have patience without faith.

Losing an extreme amount of weight, or even just 40 pounds, takes faith, it takes patience, it takes endurance.

Life is an endurance race. It’s about finishing. So many diets start strong and then fizzle out.

This time has been different for me, different because God was included in the conversation from the beginning, different because I had clearly defined goals, different because I began knowing it was a race of endurance. That is why I committed to two years of tracking what I eat and drink.

Last night I sang before a roomful of hospital volunteers. I had an unusual confidence in my singing voice. I was a little raspy, but somehow I was not afraid. Maybe it was because of a dear friend in the audience. Maybe it was because I was singing with my sister and niece. Maybe it was because I felt His presence. Maybe it was because I wanted so badly to serve those who serve others.

Maybe it was because this is the journey God has been leading me on for some time, to a place where I no longer fear, where I trust Him, where I have faith.

This is a journey of endurance. I went from believing I could not sing to singing before a roomful of people. I went from believing I could never lose all the weight to being with a few pounds of my high school weight. I went from fear and anxiety to faith and peace, all because of Him.

Proverbs 10:4 says, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (NKJV)

Perhaps our race of endurance is about diligence. If you have not started your journey, now is the time to start. If you have started, stay the course. If you are taking a break, get up and get back to it. If you failed, get back on track now.

He’s not going anywhere. The finish line is still out there. We have a race to finish. Let’s run it together.