Persistence and Perseverance

January 2025 Blog Post - by Valerie E. Patton

My dear sisters and brothers in Christ! Happy New Year! What a blessing it is to see

another day, another year! I don’t know about you but I’m happy glad to be here! What a

start to this new year! It all seems so daunting so negative! It is not! This is a time for us

to put on our amour, be persistence, and have perseverance to move forward to do the

work we have all be called to do! As we as we hear in 2 Peter 1:5-8: “For this very

reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

and to knowledge, self-control, perseverance.”

What are we saying here…stay focused, we must discern with all our heart, keep a cool head, and stay alert. As you have heard many times, things are not always as they seem. Or better said by my 90-year-old mama “beware of the Johnny Jump Ups!” Yes, a lot is going on in our cities, states, nation, and the world but don’t give in…go beyond the headline, pray with all

your heart and soul, keep the faith. Don’t be caught napping! We are people who have

weathered many storms and though it may and probably will get rough, know that if you

trust and believe help is on the way!

We must be persistent in prayer, faith, and doing good! As in James 1:2-4: “Count it all

joy, my brothers and sister, when you meet trails of various kinds, for you know that the

testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” We got this! God got you! We will be

pressured and stressed but your faith will see you through. For such a time as this, you

must show you true strength, character, and have hope of can be! What doesn’t kill you

makes you stronger! Let’s find our joy and grow! As in Proverbs 12:24 “Diligent hands

will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” What are going to carry forward and

sustain? We are the hard workers who will lead not matter what the circumstance! As

we plan for this new year and research all the possibilities, we will be successful

opposed to those who rush into something without taking the time know what they are

doing!