“Those who sow in tears will reap with a song of joy. Whoever keeps going out weeping, carrying his bag of seed, will surely come back with a song of joy, carrying his sheaves” Psalms 126:5-6

“If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap the beautiful fruits that will grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit. And don’t allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!” Galatians 6:8-9 TPT

“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord…being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile not wasted [it is never without purpose].” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 AMP

“My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy you can! For you know that when your faith is tested is stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking…If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God. True happiness comes as you pass the test of faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God” James 1:2-4, 12 TPT

Endurance is defined as “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; the ability to continue with an unpleasant or difficult situation, experience, or activity over a long period of time.”

Often times in American culture, people want the results quickly without the process of endurance to obtain them. Everyone wants to be healthy, but few want to go through the process of what it takes to be consistent in a lifestyle of eating healthy and working out. Most people want to skip the process and just see the results. However,  anything of value takes persistent pursuit to obtain and cost much.

This is especially true when contending for promises the Father has spoken to us. The promises come with a cost. Few people count the cost and fewer endure and press in to take hold of the promises. However, the ones who do come through branded and marked with the Holy Fire of God.

Promises are conceived from intimacy with the Father. However, there is the stage of carrying that promise before it is birthed. In this process, the child is developing and growing. The same with the promises in carrying them the vision is developed more. There is a process before there is the birth.

In the process, all is shaken and crushed to see what remains. Some of the people I have met who carry the peace of God the most have been in the most intense seasons where all hell came against them; but they learned to press into the Father despite and carry His peace. Look at the examples of our heroes of faith, they were beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, boiled alive; but they never gave up (2 Corinthians 11:22-30). They endured. Romans 5:1-5 always made me stop and think. How does hope come from suffering? I think of Jesus how he suffered. He was hung on a cross after being brutally beaten, so much so that He was beyond human semblance (Isaiah 52:14). However, Jesus arose from the grave! He restored our right standing with God so we could be in relationship with Him, from suffering came hope. There were so many intense moments leading up to that though like sweating drops of blood in the garden and praying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” Luke 22:42. He experienced what it felt like to be human; but He endured and pressed into the Father to do what the Father called Him to do.

Many times the process that leads to the fulfillment of the promise is not glamorous. Most people only see the end results of things or the testimonies and victories. Few hear of the intense process and endurance it took for those things to come to fruition. In those times there is growth and stretching. We learn to depend fully on the Father. We learn to carry joy in hardships and peace in the storms; because joy and peace come from dependency on Jesus. He is the source not us or our circumstances. “Even in times of trouble we have joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!” (Romans 5:3-5). His love washes over us. It is a love that endures and walks through the fires, trials, and process of life with us. We press into Him. He is our shelter and strength even in times of all out hell (Psalms 46, Psalms 91). He walks with us (Isaiah 43:2, Psalms 23).

After the process, there is a time where the actual birthing happens and the end result is beautiful; but the labor pains are intense. “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world” John 16:21.

Many of you know, I have been carrying in my heart to go to this nation in Zanzibar for 4 years now and working toward going there. It has been a process, there have been many tear filled days and times of wanting to give up and find my own plan to go to the nations. However, He who promised has been so faithful.

He has been faithful even in times of deep pain and hardships with my family. In family dysfunction, in losing loved ones, in loved ones facing serious illnesses, in depression, in heartache, in tear filled nights the Lord has never left me. His love constantly pursued me at my lowest points. He did not give up on me even when others did. In fact, he reminded me of His promises and His faithfulness more in those times. He always encouraged me to hope in Him and loved me. He healed me and brought me into new understandings of His love in the low points. He continued to breathe vision and life into my heart. At times it felt as if the Lord was putting out my fire; but He was just fanning the flames so it would burn brighter. Suffering produced hope. Opposite circumstances produced unshakable faith. The vision is so much stronger in my heart and is branded there now. I have no doubt I will be going to this nation soon. I have grown and learned so much. Now I am actually submitting my visa paperwork to go to this nation. I believe now is the time of birthing this vision. Soon my feet will hit Zanzibar. However, it has been a process.

I just wanted to encourage some of you to keep contending for the promises. All hell coming against you does not mean you are not in the will of the Father. Also just because the promise is taking more time to come to pass does not mean God did not call you. Do not abort God’s promises before it is time to birth them. Keep enduring and running the race despite every circumstance seeming to be opposite to the promises. Remember Abraham, “He is our example and father, for in God’s presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet. Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it. He took God at his word, and as a result became the father of many nations,” Romans 4:17-18.

Do not give up on the vision the Lord has spoken to you for it will surely come to pass. “Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest” Galatians 6:9. “Though it (the vision) tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come” Habakkuk 2:3. God is faithful. I know you may be walking through some of the hardest things you have faced so far in your journey, but do not lose hope. Do not give up. Endure, Christ is in you the hope of glory. He is the glory and lifter of your head. Do not fear. Look to Him. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus the author and finisher or your faith. Lock eyes with Him. Trust and depend FULLY on Him not your own understanding. Stay the course. Stay at the helm of the ship even through the storm. Do not abandon the ship. The Lord is with you beloved. He is for you and not against you. You can run into His strong arms and be embraced by His love. Rest in His strength. Rest in Him. His yoke is easy and burden light beloved. Come up under His yoke let Him carry the burden. Daily cast every fear, care, and weight on Him. “…Let us also get rid of every weight and entangling sin. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, focusing on Yeshua, the initiator and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who had endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and lose heart” Hebrews 12:1-3. “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but one who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. So now we can come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness” Hebrews 4:15-16.

Love you family. Continue to run with endurance. Thank you for reading my musings. Praying the Father used His word to encourage your hearts.