Toward the end of his career, the president of the college that I attended spoke often of his desire to finish his life well. From every appearance that I could observe, he did. But many people don't. They start well, but then problems cause them to stumble and they finish poorly.

Anyone can start a race, but it’s finishing the race that really counts. It’s getting back up when you stumble. It’s sticking with it through the hard times that are part of every life’s experience.

When I complete all the things that God has called me to be and do, and then when I die, I don’t particularly want God or anyone else to talk about how well I started. They can even skip the part about what I’ve done along the way. For me, the best thing of all would be for others to say, “He finished well.”