Today’s Inspiration. Do you ever start doing something differently with every good intention to keep up with it, only to give up days or weeks later? Most people think about this around February, when all of their New Year’s Resolutions lay forgotten by the wayside and the Girl Scout Cookies they bought from their friend’s daughter sit enticingly on the kitchen counter. I’m thinking of diet/food analogies now because I recently ended a health/weight loss challenge and without that motivation and accountability, I’m floundering and my appetite is growing.

Sigh.

As this challenge month is drawing to a close, there is one word that keeps coming to mind as being important: continue. Because what I’ve been challenging you to do—what you may have spent the past month doing—pray, read the Bible, love God and love people and love yourself intentionally, and encourage and build each other up, is important to do beyond this month. It is important enough to continue. You may have been doing something like this already; even if you have an established, daily habit of your own, this message is for you, too. Continue.

Paul urged the Thessalonians to do that in the verse we’ve been using for a few days now:

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)

Did you see that? Just as in fact you are doing.

I know you’re already doing it, acknowledges Paul. Be sure to keep doing it. Continue.

Today’s Challenge. Your challenge today is to pray about what God wants you to commit to continuing to do—between you and him and with the help of his Holy Spirit. Or perhaps there’s something new you need to start and then continue. Write it down. Figure something out and start small. And then find someone to keep you accountable—without someone there to motivate and encourage you, you may end up scarfing down a box of Girl Scout Cookies.

Today’s Participation. Share what you’ve decided to commit to online (#writinglifeaugustchallenge) or in conversation with someone.