One day, my wife and I had the privilege of meeting a woman who happens to be a best selling cookbook author and restaurant owner. Her restaurant is named Silvia’s, appropriately named after herself. Her story is remarkable and an encouragement to any person who has ever thought of living their dream.
She was 82 years old at the time we met her as she managed her businesses alone with her adult children on a part time basis. Mrs. Silvia Woods has all of her faculties in place and can tell her story like it was yesterday. She now owns an entire city block in Harlem, New York where her famous restaurant is now standing.
Mrs. Woods informed us of how she became the owner and operator of her own restaurant, markets her spices, and authored a bestselling cookbook. She makes a bold claim that it was all God and no one else. She praised God for every door that He opened for her, but she said that it was not easy.
In fact, she continued to repeat how difficult it was in the beginning, operating a black-owned restaurant in a drug and gang infested area during the 60’s. “Drug addicts were so prevalent that I just decided to feed them and they never gave me any problems”, said Mrs. Woods.
The challenges that are easy to accomplish will usually not yield forth the fruit necessary to produce consistency conducive to winning life’s battles. Just because God open doors, does not exempt you from having to persevere as though the challenge is erased.
I have learned that the bigger the challenge (giant), the greater the reward! If it were easy, then everyone would have accomplished it. When your contemporaries stopped at hard and difficult, you must move beyond it to “I did it!”
Through perseverance, you will gain the necessary knowledge to combat and conquer your fears and overcome your challenges. Life experiences have a greater impact when, despite challenges or stress, you are victorious. Do not stop in pursuit of accomplishing your dream because perseverance will qualify you as for victory.
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