Greeting Everyone,
Has there ever been a time in your life where you wanted to quit? If you’ve been alive for any amount of time, the most likely answer for every man, woman and child is yes.
Weariness and struggles are a natural part of life. Whether you are trying to get through school and facing exams, are behind financially and see no way out, or are just simply trying to raise a family, LIFE can sometimes bring you down. As we face great challenges, there can be in everyone the desire to just give up.
One thing that I have observed in life is that persistence is a great character trait to develop. The determination to not back down, to not give in or give up. Strength, determination and fortitude many times can cause you to succeed where others more skilled or with greater education have failed.
Proverbs 6:6-8 tells us: Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise. Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
God’s word instructs us to simply look at someone with determination (in this case an ant!). I have learned many things from watching others live life. When I see a good trait in others I do my best to imitate or adopt that trait in my life. For a number of years I had a neighbor who would work all day and then when he got home, would work tirelessly around the house caring for his yard. It was meticulous! This taught me something about determination. No one gave him his beautiful yard, he earned it through hard work and determination to go until the job was done.
I heard an outstanding pastor, author and motivational speaker, John Maxwell say this one time: “Everything worth anything, is always uphill.” If what you want is worth something, it is going to cost you something. If you want to succeed at life, if you want a good education, a good family, a good bank account, a good and healthy body, or a good whatever, it’s going to cost you something.
Be a determined person. Develop persistence, determination, stick-to-it-ness. When you start something determine ahead of time, that you are going to finish. Set great goals for yourself and then start on the journey of accomplishing them. When you come to the end of your life, you will be able to look back and be satisfied. You will have left a legacy that others may follow and the likelihood is, that you will have changed the lives of others and helped many along the way.
As you live out every day, determine in yourself that you will never give up! Don’t let life beat you, win at the game of life. There’s nothing that you set your heart to, that you won’t be able to achieve, with consistent hard work and determination. And if you happen to get tired and want to quit, go find the nearest ant hill.
Be blessed beyond measure,
Pastor Dave
Pastor David received the Lord as a young married man in 1976, and, after serving for a number of years in various capacities as a lay leader in his church, he left the business world and entered pastoral ministry in 1994. He was ordained in December of 1995 as an associate pastor of Faith Christian Center in Seekonk, MA where he took over as senior pastor in 2000.
In 2010, Pastor David and his wife Ann began a new church work in North Smithfield, RI, which was known as Impact Church. In 2015 Impact Church merged with Praise Tabernacle of Cranston, RI and became a satellite location of Praise Tabernacle.
Pastor David believes strongly in the power God’s Word has to positively change lives and equip people to make a difference in the world around them.
With his supportive wife of 45 years they have raised 3 children and have 4 grandchildren. They currently reside in Lincoln, RI and are both lifelong RI residents.