I’m excited to share a guest blog with you from my teenage daughter, Laci! It’s our prayer that you’re inspired and encouraged to carry on and keep going!!

Today in our world, quitting is becoming more and more common. So many of us give up as soon as hard things come our way. But it is important to know that although it is hard in the moment, it is worth the struggle. Struggle is real, and it is hard to overcome, but it is worth it. We need to learn not to give up, even when life is challenging, because God wants us to keep going.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) says:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Maybe you have heard this verse before, but I encourage you to look at it differently this time. God has something special for us every time we set our eyes upon His word.

This verse from Hebrews reminds me of my newest adventure: track.

Currently, I am a part of Justin Garza High School’s first ever track and field team. It is also my first season of track and field, and as a freshman in high school, it is exhausting! It is not always easy to get up early in the morning, go to a long day of school, and then give all the effort I can at track practice. And I admit, I really can’t do it all on my own. I don’t have a lot of strength left after enduring these tiring days! But God is with me, and He is ready to be my strength! I need to give it all to Him!

As the song Carry On by Tauren Wells says, “Help me walk out in faith, into the wind and waves. And be my strength when all my strength is gone. I need You to carry on.” God is with me when I need Him most! He helps me through my hardest moments. With Him, I am able to carry on, to keep moving forward. To keep running the race God has set before me.

All of us face difficult situations in our lives. Most likely you are facing a hard situation right now! But I want to share three things that are so important to remember when you feel like quitting…

1. Give it all to God! Even though what you are going through seems impossible to overcome, God can handle it! He is a big God, and all you need to do is lay it all at His feet. Give your burdens to Him, trusting that He can handle it!
2. Find people in your life that you trust who can be your spiritual coaches and help you through what you are facing! It is crucial to surround yourself with believers who can be your spiritual coaches. People who can help you through what you are facing! Also, it helps to think of people who have made a big impact in your life. If possible, get in contact with that person and ask them if they have any advice for you. For me, I know of some people in my life who have had a big impact on my life, and it makes a big difference to have people like that.
3. Surround yourself with positivity! No negativity!! Positivity is super important, and when you are going through hard times, it is important to stay positive! God doesn’t want you to be miserable and sad all the time! We have so much to be happy about! God has called us as believers to build each other up, and to be positive! Also, it is important to speak life over your situation! Don’t focus on all the things that could go wrong! As Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” Let’s choose to be positive today.

Now that I have shared these three things, I encourage you to remember them! Don’t give up on your dreams and goals just because you can’t see them working out!

If I stop doing track now, I won’t get to see the end result; I’ll be stuck imagining what I could have done successfully in track.

No matter what you are facing, carry on! Trust that God is in control, that He is willing and able to help you through whatever you are going through. Don’t give up! God is with you, and I pray that you would have the courage today to keep going, with God’s help!

Finally,

“For I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Carry on.

💕

Listen to: Carry On by Tauren Wells