By Shannon Marshal

One can see some interesting things in the woods. Down an old woods road where the bridge was blown out led to an abandon field. In that field was an abandoned truck. The trees growing out of the truck told the story the truck had not moved in many years. The truck was parked in that spot for a long time. I wondered what the story of the truck was. Was it broken down? Did the owner die? Why was it left sitting here all those years? Nevertheless, time marched on.

We sometimes get in a place in life and stop. We wait for life to catch up to us, forgetting life goes on. We can get in a place where our memories are bigger than our dreams. We can’t rely on memories, or we will just sit and reminisce. Dreams do not have a shelf life. Wisdom literature reminds us without a dream we perish. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29: 18) We need the concept of moving forward. Realizing we could accomplish more in what is ahead of us than in what is behind us. It isn’t over till it is over.

First, moving forward is timeless. All ages, all people, at any time can make the choice to move forward. We need to realize as long as we are still here, we have a purpose. Don’t lose your purpose. Howard Hendrix said two to seven years after retirement people die. Why? They lose purpose for living. Make the choice to move forward or to continue moving forward.

Second, moving forward out of tiredness. In Hebrews chapter 12 we are told “let us run the race with endurance…” (vs. 1). But in the same chapter we are told to “strengthen the hands which hang down..” (vs. 12) We maybe tired. But if we will be totally devoted to His will, trust Him, and make the choice to move from safe to faith, the future is better than where you are because you will be moving forward.