As I was walking on the treadmill one morning earlier this week I realized…..whether it’s the first mile you have walked in years or the final mile in a marathon after months of training that first mile is always the hardest.  You have to remain focused and determined to finish.  You may not notice the fruit of all the hard work invested right away but over time you’ll build up endurance, strength, and that extra energy you need to get through each day.  It really is worth it, stay focused.

It is hard enough for me to get up early and walk my one mile or more but yet often I set similar expectations on others.  I figure if I can raise multiples, write a blog post for the day, work, maintain my house, attend activities, and everything else I manage to squeeze into my day surely everyone else can do the same.  Right!?  These type of expectations are not healthy, mainly because I have no idea of what complications or road blocks the other person faces in their lives.

On the outside most people may look like they have it all together when in reality everything really could be falling apart.  Only God sees their heart.   If I had to walk a mile under the weight and pressure they are baring I would most likely crumble.  God does not call me to walk in their shoes but down the path He has given me.  While my day to day stress is not the same as my neighbors with His guidance I can have many opportunities to make a lasting imprint on the lives of others.  Instead of judging others or getting jealous of the easy life they seem to have set before them I need take those first steps down the next mile in my own life to focus on what God has for me to do today in my corner of the world.