2025-10-01
Micah 7:8 NIV
One author writes: “Grit is passion and perseverance for long-term goals. It’s a marathon, not a sprint… You’re not just running, but getting hit along the way. Grit keeps you moving forward through the sting of rejection, pain of failure, and struggle with adversity. When life knocks you down, you may want to stay down and give up, but grit won’t let you quit… True grit starts with knowing what you truly want. When you know what you want and you can see it, you’ll work hard and persevere to achieve it. True grit is also driven by clarity of mind, purpose, passion, optimism, faith, love, hope and quite honestly – stubbornness.
Knowing your why, refusing to give up, ignoring the critics, believing the possible, loving what you do, and showing up day in and day out keeps you on the path toward your vision. There’s something inside each of us that wants to feel worthy and be someone of value… The truth is not everyone will share your vision and believe in your project. But always remember that the circumstances around you and the opinion of others don’t create or define you. Life is never created from the outside in. You create life from the inside out. The grit and spirit you possess on the inside will create the life you experience on the outside. If you have a vision, keep it alive. Remember your purpose. Show up every day and do the work.”
John Quincy Adams said, “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear.” So, stay on course and keep moving forward, and you will succeed.
Soul food: Lev 16; Lev 23:26-32; Heb 9:1-14; Heb 13:11-16
2025-09-30
2 Korintiërs 4:9 NLV
Navorsers aan die Universiteit van Pennsylvania sê vir ons dat ‘n sleutelteken van sukses nie talent, ‘n titel, rykdom of ‘n goeie voorkoms is nie. Dit is die vermoë om oor ‘n lang tydperk hard na ‘n gefokusde doelwit te werk; om ten spyte van uitdagings, struikelblokke en mislukkings aan te hou vorentoe beweeg. Paulus skryf: ‘Op elke manier word ons onder druk geplaas, maar ons is nie verpletter nie; ons is verward, maar nie wanhopig nie; ons word vervolg, maar nie in die steek gelaat nie; platgeslaan, maar nie vernietig nie’ (verse 8-9 NLV).
Hier is ‘n paar bekende mense wat eers platgeslaan is, maar opgestaan en aangehou het. ‘n Memorandum wat ná Fred Astaire se eerste oudisie uitgereik is, het gesê: ‘Kan nie toneelspel nie. Effens bles. Kan ‘n bietjie dans.’ Walt Disney is deur ‘n koerantredakteur weens ‘n gebrek aan idees afgedank. Hy het ook verskeie kere bankrot gespeel voordat hy Disneyland gebou het. Albert Einstein het eers op vier jaar oud begin praat en eers op sewe begin skryf. Sy onderwyser het hom as volg beskryf: ‘Verstandelik stadig, ongesellig en al ewig besig om dwase drome te droom.’ F. W. Woolworth se werkgewers het gesê dat hy nie genoeg verstand het om klante te bedien nie. Winston Churchill het op laerskool gedruip. Hy het eers op ses-en-sestig-jarige ouderdom, na ‘n leeftyd van nederlae en terugslae, Eerste Minister van Brittanje geword. Hy het sy grootste bydrae as ‘n senior burger gelewer. Abraham Lincoln het een keer gesê: ‘Hou in gedagte dat jou eie besluit om sukses te behaal, belangriker as enige ander besluit is.’
Wanneer die lewe dus jou planne in die wiele ry, staan weer op en hou aan!
Sielskos: Ef 1:1-4:16; Joh 1:1-13; Ps 92; Spr 22:24-25
2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania tell us that a key predictor of success isn’t talent, title, wealth, or good looks. It’s the ability to work hard for a prolonged period of time toward a focused goal; to keep moving forward despite challenges, obstacles, and failures. Paul writes: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” (vv. 8-9 TLB).
Here are some famous people who got knocked down but kept on going. A memo issued after Fred Astaire’s first screen test said, “Can’t act… slightly bald… can dance a little.” Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. He also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and didn’t write until he was seven. His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in foolish dreams.” F. W. Woolworth’s employers at the dry goods store said he hadn’t enough sense to wait on customers. Winston Churchill failed at junior school. He didn’t become Prime Minister of Great Britain until he was sixty-six, after a lifetime of defeats and setbacks. He made his greatest contribution as a senior citizen. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”
So when life knocks you down, get back up and keep going.
Soul food: Eph 1:1-4:16; John 1:1-13; Ps 92; Pro 22:24-25
2025-09-29
1 Johannes 3:17 NLV
Tim Hansel vertel van ‘n kweekskoolprofessor wat sy homiletiekklas (preekkunsklas) op ‘n ongewone manier aangebied het. Elke student moes ‘n preek oor die verhaal van die barmhartige Samaritaan (Lukas 10:30-37), lewer. Hulle moes van klaskamer tot klaskamer gaan en liefde en deernis aan ander verkondig. Sommige studente het tien minute tussen klasse gehad, terwyl ander minder tyd gehad het, wat hulle genoop het om vinnig te maak om op skedule te bly. Elke student moes ook in ‘n aangewese gang verby ‘n ‘bedelaar’ stap wat doelbewus deur die professor daar geplant is.
Wat daardie dag gebeur het, was ‘n kragtige les. Die aantal voornemende predikers wat stilgestaan het om die bedelaar te help, was uiters laag, veral onder diegene wat onder druk vir tyd was. Hulle was so besig om hulle te haas om oor die barmhartige Samaritaan te preek, dat hulle reguit verby die bedelaar, wat die kern van die gelykenis was, geloop het.
Christus se woorde in Matteus 25, wat geskryf is om jou te laat dink, bid en uitreik na mense wat seer het, kan as volg geparafraseer word: ‘Ek was honger, en julle het ‘n komitee gestig om dit te bespreek. Ek was in die tronk, en jy het by die huis vir my vrylating gebid. Ek was naak, en jy het teen die moraliteit van my voorkoms geprotesteer. Ek was siek, en jy het God vir jou gesondheid gedank. Ek was haweloos, en jy het vir my van die skuiling van God se liefde gepreek. Jy lyk so heilig en so naby aan God, maar ek is steeds honger, eensaam, koud en in pyn. Maak dit vir jou saak?’ Moenie net oor God se liefde praat nie; bewys dit!
Sielskos: 1 Sam 27-31; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 63; Spr 22:17-23
1 John 3:17 NIV
Author Tim Hansel tells about a seminary professor who set up his homiletics class in an unusual way. Each student was required to deliver a sermon on the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). They were to go from classroom to classroom preaching love and compassion for others. Some students had ten minutes between classes, while others had less time, which forced them to hurry in order to stay on schedule. Each student was also required to walk down a designated corridor past a “beggar” who had been deliberately planted there by the professor.
What happened that day was a powerful lesson. The number of would-be preachers who stopped to help the beggar was extremely low, especially among those who were pressured for time. They were so busy rushing to preach about the Good Samaritan that they walked right past the beggar at the heart of the parable.
Here is a paraphrase of Christ’s words in Matthew 25 that’s designed to make you think, pray, and reach out to hurting people: “I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club to discuss it. I was imprisoned, and you stayed home to pray for my release. I was naked, and you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick, and you thanked God for your health. I was homeless, and you preached to me about the shelter of God’s love. You seem so holy and so close to God, but I’m still hungry, lonely, cold, and in pain. Does it matter to you?” Don’t just talk about God’s love; show it!
Soul food: 1 Sam 27-31; Matt 28:11-20; Ps 63; Pro 22:17-23
