The Encouraging Word: 3/23/2006

When Life is a Tough Trail

My wife and I took our first off-road bike trip on a rugged, 17 mile trail in the Ozark Mountains. As beginners on old road bikes, we started down a ½ mile rock slide and met a couple of expert bikers coming out. One was bleeding from a nasty scrape covering his forearm.

“You won’t make it on those bikes!” said the bloody one.

I replied, “Oh, we’ll make it, if we have to carry the bikes.”

“O.K.,” he said, “but it’s really rocky and rough!”

“Thanks,” I shouted over my shoulder as I discovered my brakes couldn’t stop me.

We made it, and even rode the bikes – most of the way. Life’s that way: Success is more a matter of determination and persistence than even skill or knowledge. If you have determination and persistence, you can gain skill and knowledge, but you can not reverse them.

This is Mike Neely with the Encouraging Word!

This is Mike Neely with the Encouraging Word!

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