Paul wrote to Timothy as a father would to his son. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul used two terms to describe his life journey: 1) Life is a fight. This fight is different from brawl or quarrel as we define in our days. This fight is strife to keep oneself align with one's faith. To live in a way that corresponds to one's belief. I have kept the faith was the result of it. 2 Timothy 4:7. 2) Life is a race. A race has a beginning and an end. In the midst of a race one may feel tired, one may feel like giving up and one may feel a need to "push on". All these will be over when we finish the race that God set for us. The best part of it all is that Jesus promise He is the finisher of our faith (Hebrew 12). We are not in the race alone. The end result of a race is a reward. Every finisher is not merely rewarded with trophies but a lasting satisfaction of completing it. That is why there are so many marathon runners in every marathon race despite only a few get a trophy. May 2014 be a year you decide to put up a fight to keep your faith and to participate in the race God has put you in. This is what you are created to be, to live outside of it will prove itself futile in time to come.