This morning, I read about a winter Olympian named Shiva Keshavan. Keshavan is a competitor in the luge events at the Winter Olympics and has been since 1998 when the Olympics were held in Nagano, Japan.
This coming February will likely be the last time Keshavan competes in the Winter Olympics. Reflecting on his experiences, he said: “I gave my best. Maybe that’s the thing I want to be remembered for: He gave his best and he never gave up.”
A few days ago, I finished writing the first book in The Runners of Abra, The Last Runner. It’s been a whole year of writing, planning, editing, and getting the storyline just right so it can be finished. And now it is, awaiting the final revisions before it comes together in novel format.
Finishing a novel is always hard, but worth it. I’m so excited about where the story of Eric has gone. From the rice fields of Jedros to castles and inlets hidden by the fog, he’s had to journey through so many hard things. But never once does he give up. Even when things are dire. Even when it gets difficult. Eric keeps going.
As 2017 winds down to a close, I want to encourage you to keep going. Maybe you’re facing a hard time in life, or maybe things have been going well. Either way, God calls us to never give up fighting the good fight, to never quit the race, to run to the finish line.
2018 is days away and people will be making their new year’s resolutions. Maybe instead of a year resolution, make a life resolution: to keep going. No matter what. To make it to the finish line, no matter what hills come in the course of running.
Keep running,
Shaun.