“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”  


Recently I read an inspiring story about a man who persisted in the most remarkable way throughout his life. The story reads:

A certain man went into business, but his venture was a total flop. He switched to politics but within a year his lack of success was apparent. He tried his hand for a second time at business but failed again. After four years of courtship he proposed to his fiancée - but she turned him down. All these pressures led to a nervous breakdown which required two years of convalescence. Following this, he relaunched his aborted political career with bids to be elected as speaker and then two years later, elector of the House of Representatives – and he failed on both accounts. Three years later, he was defeated as he ran for a seat in Congress. Five years passed before he sought office again - and was again defeated. Tragically his four-year-old son died during this time. That led to seven years in the wilderness, before running for the Senate – to no avail.

Things looked more positive the following year, when this man was nominated by his party as their vice-presidential candidate, but he and his colleague were defeated in the general election. Two years later when trying for a seat in the Senate he failed again. However in 1861, after twenty-four years of dogged persistence Abraham Lincoln was elected as the sixteenth president of the United States of America.

Every time I read this story I find I am encouraged to never give up. It reminds me to lean on God’s strength and guidance to keep running the race set before us. I don’t know what challenges you face but I pray you will feel inspired by this account and allow God’s presence to keep your feet moving in step with Him.

Rachael Orrell, Saltmine’s CEO