I am reminded each day of the day God told me who I was. I didn’t understand and quite frankly, I was devastated. I was expecting God to say something a bit cooler than what He exclaimed…

“You are one to endure.” He said, as I cried my eyes out in an Old Navy parking lot.

“WHAT!?” 👀🤔😔

My heart was heavy and my soul wounded with so much of life’s most difficult moments. Yet God ensured me that it was a part of my purpose to endure until the end.

Since then, I have felt such a mandate as nothing more than a burden. Suffering was a commonality in my life but yet it was the very substance of my ministry.

November 2019, I found myself on the other end of a horrible nightmare. My world came crashing down and I could not understand it.

Nothing made sense. I couldn’t find any answers…

All I had were my tears and a small measure of faith. I took what I had and laid before the Lord…

“Forgive me Lord! My love has conditions from wounds I’ve carried way too long. Forgive me Jesus! I kept records of wrong and lacked patience and long-suffering. Forgive me, I repent!”

And just like that I was back in the parking lot of the Old Navy and I heard God say again,

“You are one to endure… You said it was a burden but my Word says it’s the greatest gift of them all!”

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor. 13:13

I immediately wept and dropped my head. I knew exactly what God was speaking of.

Love. It is patient, kind, humble for it is not proud. It is not self-seeking and keeps no record of wrong. Love protects, hopes, trusts…and love ENDURES.

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Cor. 13:7

I missed it. Because of my life of pain and sorrows, I missed it!

So, this time, I must stand on the Word and endure.

I must press through the humiliation and endure.

I must believe in my promise that’s stolen and endure…

And this time, until the end.

💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matt. 24:13