Perseverance

As a soccer player, I recognize a significant difference between endurance and persistence. In the first case, I know the end. For a game, that is 90 minutes, 120 if it goes to extra time, and penalty kicks after that. Endurance gets me there.

But Persistence is different. I pursue perfection in my skills. In fact, I can pursue endurance or stamina by working on my fitness so that I can go the full 90/120/PKs.

In my life, I want to pursue excellence in soccer. But I also want to pursue excellence in being a father. And it doesn't stop there, I want to be an excellent husband. And after that, a great friend to others. When they lay the flowers on my casket, I want others to say that I loved God with my life.

It isn't endurance that gets me to these places, it is perseverance. Right now, I feel a bit out of the game. I know that the testing of my faith will help develop perseverance.

You could say I'm still in a physical test right now. And perhaps these last five years have been an enormous faith test. But I'm not being tested in my day to day on the faith level. I can live my life pretty much like my neighbors.

To me, that is just getting through life. I know that I am more capable of just passing through this life. I need to get back in the game.