Dear Friend,
The Tour De France is one of the toughest, most gruelling races in the world – 138 racers take 21 days to cover over 2000 miles. In 1989, US cyclist Greg Lemond was 50 seconds behind the leader Laurent Fignon, going into the final leg on the final day of the race.
The distance of the final leg from Versailles to Paris at 44.5 km was considered too short. The experts said the course was slightly downhill and way too easy for the leader, making up that 50-second gap was deemed impossible for Greg.
It was viewed by everyone as being absolutely impossible to overcome. Well, that is, to everyone except Greg Lemond. See, it would have been easy for Greg to give up, to listen to the voices of doubt, to surrender the idea of winning, and simply settle in for second place.
Instead, Greg Lemond did just the opposite. He believed he could win. He rode the race of his life and he chose to finish Strong. Greg not only overcame the 50-second difference, but he went on to win the Tour De France with an 8-second lead.
By choosing to finish strong he both silenced his critics and rewrote his own legend with a great comeback and a magnificent finish. And while Greg danced in victory on the Champs-Elysees, his defeated competitor sat and wept.
August is almost here.
How do you intend to approach the last 5 months of this year?
Are you going to play to win and finish each day strong?
Are you going to give it everything you have got and deliver a magnificent finish?
Or are you going to give up and hope to write yet another New Year resolution?
I want to challenge you today to make a decision to finish strong.
You may have heard the parable about the five seagulls sitting on a pier. If one decides to fly away, how many seagulls are left? The answer is five. Why five and not four? Because deciding is not doing! You have to act on your decision to make something happen.
I have good news for you.
The Grace for Completion has been released over you.
Go in this thy might! And trust God to carry you on Eagles’ wings.
Shalom
