Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 NLT) 

I've tried so hard to get back on track with writing. Ever since I started this journey several years ago, it seems like the road has been uphill for me the whole way. But there have been times some moments of reflection and rest. 

Today, when I took a walk down an asphalt trail in the Village, my heart started to race as I climbed the first hill of my journey. I was tempted to sit down and catch my breath, but I walked on.

Eventually, I made it to the top of the first hill. I'd only been walking five minutes, but it seemed much longer than that to me. As I walked on, the trail leveled out for awhile. But I continued to face one hill after another during the entire walk. 

Since I took my camera along with me on my walk, I paused every now and then to capture an interesting shot along the way. I had only intended to walk for about 30 minutes. But when I checked my time, I had already been walking a half hour. So, by the time I made it back to my car, I had been walking for over an hour. 

I learned a few things about myself on this trail that I think I can apply to other areas of my life. 

1. Keep going. Don't stop, even when the journey gets tough. Even though the first hill of my journey today took my breath away, I decided to go on and press pass the pain.

2. Focus on a goal. Start with a goal in mind, even if you miss the mark or go beyond it in the end. Today, I planned to walk 30 minutes, but I discovered that I could survive an hour walk without any major health issues.

3. Enjoy the journey. For me, that meant taking my camera along on my walk to capture a few of the shots. I found myself focused on the sights, instead of the effort it took to walk the distance.

4. Reward myself after each success. After my walk, I sat down for a moment on a park bench after my walk and caught my breath. Then, I rewarded myself with a Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic (even though it wasn't "happy hour").

5. Record my victories. That's what this blog post is all about.

Photos/KarenJordan

What helps you keep going when your journey gets difficult?