Ecclesiastes 7:8 “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”

As you set out on the journey God has prepared for you, here a just a couple of last things to keep in mind. Don’t lose sight of your destination. There may be many tempting places and things to see along the way. But just as the Israelites were not intended to make a home in the desert but carry on to the Promised Land, so to your journey has a preordained end. And that end will be far better than anything you pass along the way! No matter how much fun the trip is (or isn’t) remember it’s not about the journey, it’s about the dream. – the end. You also want to make sure as you near your goal, you don’t become cocky or overconfident. While it is exciting to look back and see how far you’ve come from where you began, in many ways the last part of the journey is the most dangerous. Don’t get in a hurry. Be patient. Don’t get a big head! As the end comes in sight you will be filled with all kinds of emotions. Do a heart check and make sure that one of them, the main one, is gratitude.

Pray: Heavenly Father, keep me focused Lord on the destination and don’t let me get taken in along the way. No matter how attractive the scenery, keep forever in the front of my mind the dream that got me started in the first place. May those traveling with me help contribute to my patience as I head towards what you have set on my horizon. May my heart remain grateful to you through it all. You’ve placed a dream in my heart, O’ Lord…what an amazing gift. Thank you, dearest Father, in my blessed Savior’s name – Amen