The Heart of Perseverance
Perseverance is one of the most important facets of success, yet it is difficult to cultivate in another person. The trials and struggles that we go through in life, help produce the perseverance required to live life well. However, constantly failing in every situation and experiencing setbacks in every arena of life leads the soul toward depression and hopelessness. That hopelessness is what the under-resourced teens of Spokane YFC experience daily in their lives.
We believe that even when life is at its hardest, when darkness surrounds us, there is still hope. One of the youths at our center, Ethan, learned this lesson this past winter. Ethan joined us on a snowshoeing trip at Mount Spokane. We met in a lower parking lot and set out with 10 kids in tow, trekking up the mountain. Our friend Ethan quickly learned that his body was not prepared for the work required to make the summit. After only half of a mile, Ethan was ready to throw in the towel and give up.
No one was able to make Ethan get up and finish the hike. Only Ethan could decide for himself to rise to this challenge. Yet, he could not do it alone. Ethan gave up, he gave in to the despair and hopelessness of his situation. Yet, as we’ve said, there was still hope. A leader joined in with him and changed his mindset. It was no longer about climbing the mountain, it was about making it to the next tree, the next stone, the next curve in the trail. Slowly but surely, with pain and difficulty, Ethan made it from one milestone to the next. Finally, with every ounce of his energy used, Ethan looked out from the summit on the world before him. That day he saw with new eyes the possibility within him, that he is not limited by his situation but through perseverance, he can overcome any mountain.