Albert Einstein once said, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." He may have understated his intelligence, but he does so to make a point: For more than any other reason, he was successful because he was persistent.

I'm no Albert Einstein, but I can also say that any success I have experienced can be attributed to this same principle.

Solomon said, "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." (Proverbs 24:16) When I'm missing the mark in my life -- spiritually, financially, or in my relationships -- I have to remind myself several times a day that the difference between my being a wise man and a fool ... the difference between my being righteous and unrighteous ... is determined by my willingness to get up and keep going.

Some people give up easily. They give up on changing bad habits, completing their education, controlling their children, or saving their marriage. They will never know the success that comes from perseverance.

It is easy to try and fail and become discouraged. We’ve all done it. It is easy to interpret an early failure with absolute failure.

Have you fallen down? Has it happened more than once? If you're like me, you might be ready during these times to throw in the towel and call it quits. But remember this: if a goal is worth one good try, it's worth 10, 20, or even 100 more. Take another look at the dream God has placed in your heart. Then get up, and try again.

With Love,

Mike