Happy Monday. “Success is not based on where you start, it’s where you finish—and I finished.”
So said Bob Ireland at the conclusion of the New York City Marathon, November 6, 1986. He finished last, the 19,413th person to finish.
Bob was the first to run a marathon with his arms instead of his legs. This forty year old had lost both legs in Vietnam years before.
When asked why he ran the race, he gave three reasons:
- To tell the world he was a born again Christian.
- To test his own endurance.
- To promote physical activity.
By the way, his time? Four days, forty-eight minutes, seventeen seconds.
Perhaps you feel weary in your “race” today, contemplating “giving up.”
The race of life can get very hard. Pain sets in, discouragement comes, aging occurs, so many obstacles appear.
Once in a while we just need to stop, get a second wind and focus again on our goal. Is it to finish strong?
I have been interested in the story of Diane Nyad who swam from Cuba to the Florida Coast recently.
Her dream began in 1978. She tried four times and failed.
In 2013, at age 64, she tried again. Everything seemed to slow or stop her. She began to chant, “Find a way, find a way.” As she tired she said to herself, “Focus on the six inches ahead.”
She finished!
My need today is to refocus on that great crowd in the grandstand, cheering me and saying, “Focus on the next six inches.” I can do that!
A quote from Bro. Hyles is needed if we are feeling pain:
“It doesn’t hurt one bit more to limp forward than to limp backward.”
See you at the finish line!
Monday with Beverly 
I needed this today; thank you!
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I needed this today; thank you!!!
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🙂 Thank you and have a blessed day.
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I want to hear that voice of my wonderful Saviour say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Thanks for the encouragement. May God richly bless you. Keep the posts coming.
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Mrs. Hyles: thanks for the reminder. Focusing on the next six inches of the run can be tough, but with God’s help I can do it. I always enjoy your Monday posts. Please keep them coming.
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Love this…a few more inches…I get it…thank you for your words… lv nancy
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Blessed blessed blessed thank you.
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Mrs. Hyles, thank you for this today. Charlotte
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I liked this!! Very good advice. It was, in fact, the frequent encouragement that Bro. Hyles gave in college chapel to “Don’t quit!” That helped me to keep going and finish getting my college degree and it also gave me practice at not quitting all through my life. Thank you, Mrs. Hyles. I love you.
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Thank you for those amazing examples. I’m going to try to “limp” forward!
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Thank you for giving hope to hurting hearts. Your words of encouragement are a sweet salve to many who are weary. Thank you for your labor of love!!!
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As always Thank You for your encouraging blog. You are a blessing in my inbox every Monday! God bless you Mrs. Hyles!
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Wow. So wonderfully written. Powerful. Thank you for the great words.
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