By Donna Matthews, Evangelism Enthusiast
I have fallen in love with Theodore Roosevelt (sorry James) - his writing and wisdom are so inspirational and I can't seem to stop reading. I was introduced to this great man at a conference I recently attended when the speaker Dr. Brene Brown quoted the following:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore RooseveltThis quote strikes me because I'm currently in the arena…I am laying myself out everyday to be used by God…whether that is in the church office, the mission field (which is everywhere by the way), in my family and with my friends.
And frankly, right now, it is very uncomfortable. There is a lot of pruning and refinement in my life now and change is currently my 4-letter word.
I'm emotional, I'm scared and I'm tired
But really, at the end of the day, would I want it any other way? Like that song that says better one day in your court than a thousand elsewhere.
Refinement is tough, it takes a lot of courage, but in the end I will know I ran the race to win.
Blessings - DM+
I have fallen in love with Theodore Roosevelt (sorry James) - his writing and wisdom are so inspirational and I can't seem to stop reading. I was introduced to this great man at a conference I recently attended when the speaker Dr. Brene Brown quoted the following:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore RooseveltThis quote strikes me because I'm currently in the arena…I am laying myself out everyday to be used by God…whether that is in the church office, the mission field (which is everywhere by the way), in my family and with my friends.
And frankly, right now, it is very uncomfortable. There is a lot of pruning and refinement in my life now and change is currently my 4-letter word.
I'm emotional, I'm scared and I'm tired
But really, at the end of the day, would I want it any other way? Like that song that says better one day in your court than a thousand elsewhere.
Refinement is tough, it takes a lot of courage, but in the end I will know I ran the race to win.
Blessings - DM+
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