Endurance.

Happy New Year Friends!

I want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to my faithful & supportive readers. Also, to any new readers: Welcome to The Example Generation Family! I am so excited for this new year and new season of life.

*quick update* On January 3rd, I officially returned to Physical Therapy School. I am so relieved and so grateful to be back. Let’s see what God does next!!!

As I was praying and preparing for 2019 and the new school year, I noticed God reinforcing some powerful words and effective principles for success and sanity. I plan to spend the next few posts highlighting them, and I’m really hoping that you’ll comment below and share your thoughts with me. Let’s begin with…

# 1 – ENDURANCE

When I was younger, my favorite bible passage was Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. I’m not really sure why. Maybe it was the poetry of it, the rhythm, the repetition, or the confidence of it. I know now, that it gives me peace to know that every difficult season will end, and a better one will come along. I know now, that it reassures me that God has a purpose for every season of my life.

Last year, I came across this blog post on the “6 Spiritual Seasons of Life.” 1– The Dry Season, 2– The Waiting Season, 3– The Grinding Season, 4- Tests & Trials, *5– Spiritual Warfare, and 6– The Happy Season. Well, as you know, 2018 was certainly # 4 (aka my Stormy Season). Although I don’t have a shiner, catchier name yet for this new season of my life…I am confident that it is a Grinding Season *[Update: as of March 29th, I have made the observation, that this season is also a Spiritual Warfare season; read Vision to learn more about this]. Right now, I have so much going on between being in back in grad school, working two part time jobs, blogging…it’s a lot to balance! However, I’m recognizing it for what it is: a season. A season that has come to serve a purpose, a season that will teach me new lessons, a season that will bring new joys; a season that will pass, just like all the ones before.

“The Grinding Season: This is also known as: The Busy Season. This is the, “I don’t have enough time to get everything done!” time in life……“

*Spiritual Warfare: “If you are being spiritually attacked, you’re doing something right that Satan doesn’t like…But don’t be afraid….God is always in complete control”.

Unlike previous busy seasons of my life, I’m not busy because I’m trying to distract myself or run from emotional pain. This is a necessarily busy season, and God has made it really clear to me that my ENDURANCE is crucial to surviving it. There is absolutely no way that I can sprint through this season, I have to pace myself. That means being very intentional about self-care by setting aside time each week to read a book, watch a movie, paint my nails, exercise and certainly to go to a church service. I have to intentionally set aside time to pray in the morning, placing my day (my schedule, my assignments, my to-do list, & my anxieties/fears included) in God’s hands. I have to remember to practice mindfulness throughout the day, in order to maximize my effectiveness and minimize my anxiety. I have to remind myself that this season may appear to be overwhelming, but it is serving a necessary purpose. For me, this busy season is setting me up for my future career, my next season, and for blessings that will exceed my expectations.

How about you? Are you in a Grinding Season? What are you doing to build up your spiritual stamina? Who is supporting you in this season of your life?

Here are 5 scriptures that encourage me to ENDURE:

• Galatians 6:9 (ESV) “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

• Romans 15:4-5 (NIV) “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,”

• Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV) “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.”

• Isaiah 40:29-31 (ESV) “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

• James 1:12 (NIV) “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

💜 Love, Moniqué Danaê ‭‭