All of us get depleted at times. There are seasons when life takes all the energy out of you. Whether it’s a personal challenge, a time of sickness, job or financial pressures, or some other problem, we can find ourselves at the bottom of a very dry spiritual and emotional well. To move forward again, we need to be replenished. Merriam-Webster defines the verb “replenish” as “filling or building up again.”

Most folks look forward to weekends. It’s a time for a little extra sleep, some catch-up work at home, or perhaps some enjoyable activity. Even the most spontaneous people usually have some kind of weekend plan. One thing vital to our weekend is worship with God’s people. It’s one of the wisest decisions we can make and habits we can develop.

We often think of muttering as a bad thing. It usually refers to unintelligible speech. If you’re a parent, you have likely reminded your child to stop muttering! It’s interesting to note that God actually instructs us, as His children, to do the opposite.

You’ve heard the famous Vince Lombardi maxim, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” There is great power in perseverance, diligence, grit, old fashioned “gutting it out.” These things pay high dividends. The Bible teaches us the value of not giving up. One of the most well- known Bible passages reminding us of this truth is found in Galatians 6:9 (NIV) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

We sometimes use words like “driven” to describe a highly motivated, self- starting, achievement-oriented person. This individual usually has clear goals, strong discipline and a high commitment to the things that matter to them.

You’ve met them before. Perhaps you’ve even been that person. I am talking about the person who refuses to change their thinking, despite the facts. It’s the one knowingly stuck in their destructive ways, yet unwilling to do anything about it. We use an adjective for folks like this — stubborn! It’s a highly negative character flaw that guarantees bad decisions.