In life you ought to never take a stop to mean you are finished. Remember that none of us has fully achieved all that we can. That isn't to say we don’t have it in us to do so. Keep moving, and you will one day arrive at the crossroads between who you are and who you hope to be. But, don't feel discouraged if every now and then, you have to stop to reassess your current character and learn to accept that person. When you stop though, don't get stuck and refuse to move. Stopping should always be followed by starting again. This Lent stop and start afresh.

We should not give up trying to find our way. But that we should remember that sometimes it takes bending to avoid breaking. You can never learn or achieve anything by running away. We all face failure in our lives at times; whether they are recurring fears, lost opportunities, possibly even moral failures. Giving up can lead to regrets. The moment we give up, we have zero chance of a positive result. It is no longer possible to succeed because we have stopped trying. If it is a dream or a goal that is important to us, there is bound to be regrets. But as long as we hold out, there will always be a chance, no matter how slim, of attaining it. As long as we never stop trying, we could succeed against great odds. The times change constantly and unfavourable conditions could become favourable ones in time. The important thing is to hold out until an opportunity arises. NEVER GIVE UP.

Today we know Lent as a season of conversion, we acknowledge the ways we have turned away from God in our lives, and we focus on turning our hearts and minds back toward God. Hence the three pillars of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These observances help us turn away from whatever has distracted or derailed us and to turn back to God. Giving up something for Lent is ultimately a form of fasting. This lent, let's try giving up self-pity and self-doubt and our burgeoning egos. Let's focus on achieving our goals and not forgetting to uplift our neighbours. Let's use these 40 days as a renewal phase. Let's convert from negativity to positivity.

Ashley D. Mwanza

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