Persevering through Faith

Dear Friends in Christ,

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

To illustrate this scripture above, I have a story to tell you. This is someone we all know well. Someone who has been part of lives, our culture, and the last 2 or 3 generations at least, probably more.

This individual is on a first name basis in my household growing up. I know this individual well, and maybe you do too…but did you know his story?

“In the 1940s, there was a man who, at the age of 65, was living off of $99 social security checks in a small house, driving a beat-up car. He decided it was time to make a change, so he thought about what he had to offer that other people may benefit from. His mind went to his fried chicken recipe, which his friends and family loved. He left his home state of Kentucky and traveled throughout the country, trying to sell his recipe to restaurants. He even offered the recipe for free, asking for only a small chunk of the money that was earned. However, most of the restaurants declined his offer. In fact, 1,009 restaurants said no. But even after all of the rejections, he persisted. He believed in himself and his chicken recipe. When he visited restaurant #1,010, he got a YES.

His name? Colonel Hartland Sanders.

The Moral: There are a few lessons that you can take away from this story. First, it’s never too late in life to find success. In a society that often celebrates young, successful people, it’s easy to start to think you’re never going to be successful after a certain age. However, Colonel Sanders is an example that proves that argument wrong. This story also demonstrates the power of persistence. You have to have confidence in yourself and believe in your work for other people to believe it also. Disregard anyone who tells you “no” and simply move on.”

Rev. Anne’s reflection: In these times, it is very easy to become disheartened when there are so many obstacles to overcome on the road we call life. The roads are bumpy, filled with potholes, and sometimes boulders block the way. It is never a straight shot from here to there. I believe that as people of the faith, if we lean into our faith more deeply when we experience trials and tribulations making ourselves vulnerable, then that is when Jesus’ presence is felt even more deeply. He gives us hope. He walks the journey with us in mysterious ways that his presence is known only to us. For that, I am thankful. I am thankful that Jesus shows up.

May we always have the persistence of Colonel Sanders, the hope to be successful, and the faith to run a good race.

Citation:

Connie Stemmle, “It’s Never Too Late”, 37 Best Inspirational & Motivational Short Stories [2024 Update], October 30, 2023, Develop Good Habits Website,

https://www.developgoodhabits.com/inspirational-stories/

Blessings,

Anne+