Live With Dorothy

Introduction
Good morning, family! It’s Dorothy, back again. We’ve been on a powerful journey through
Acts 20:22–24. In Part 1, we locked solid in faith. In Part 2, we declared purpose over
popularity. Now, in Part 3, it’s time to talk about finishing strong. Life will test you. Life will
challenge you. But God wants you to run your race until the very end.

See, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Some people start fast, but they give up when
storms hit. But Paul shows us what it means to run the race with courage, no matter what
comes.

1. Paul’s Example: Running with Resolve
Paul said in Acts 20:24, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of
the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

Paul faced prison, persecution, beatings, betrayals, and loneliness—but he refused to quit.
His mission mattered more than his comfort. He was resolved to finish what God gave him
to do.

Lesson: The external—trouble, pain, persecution—must never dictate the internal
Instead, your inner conviction in Christ must drive how you handle the external.

2. Modern Illustration: Military Courage
Think about our military veterans. They don’t stop halfway through deployment because it
gets hard. They finish the mission—even when it costs them dearly. Some return with
wounds you can’t see, some with scars that never heal, but they carry the honor of
completing their assignment.

Family, you and I are soldiers in the army of the Lord. You can’t drop your weapon because
life gets heavy. You’ve got to finish with courage.

3. Historic Illustration: Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was born into slavery. He could have given up after escaping to freedom.
But he didn’t stop there. He spent his life fighting for justice, equality, and dignity—not just
for himself, but for generations to come.

His course wasn’t easy. He was hated, threatened, and opposed at every turn. But he
finished because he knew his mission was God-given. And today, his courage still inspires
us.

4. Application: You Have a Mission Too
Family, don’t think Paul’s course was unique. You have a race too. God gave you a purpose.
It might be raising children to know the Lord. It might be building a business with integrity.
It might be standing up for what’s right in your community.

But here’s the truth—your race won’t be easy. There will be distractions, disappointments,
and discouragements. Some days it’ll feel like you’re running uphill with weights on your
back.

But courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s moving forward despite it. Courage is saying,
“Lord, I may be tired, but I’m not quitting. I may be bruised, but I’m not backing down. I will
finish my course!”

5. The Internal Must Lead the External
The world tries to pressure us into stopping. Fear of failure. Fear of people’s opinions. Fear
of the unknown.

But Paul shows us: the Spirit inside of you is stronger than the storms outside of you. When
your internal conviction is anchored in Christ, no external circumstance can move you.

Think about Jesus—He didn’t quit at Gethsemane, even when sweat like drops of blood fell
from His brow. Why? Because His mission was bigger than His suffering. And because He
finished His course, we now have eternal life.

Family, your course isn’t finished. Your purpose isn’t over. Don’t let fear, doubt, or
distraction move you. Declare today: “None of these things move me.”

God called you. God equipped you. God will strengthen you. You’ve got to finish your race,
not in defeat, but with joy!

So today, make up your mind: I will not quit. I will not stop. I will finish my course with
courage, because the One who called me is faithful!

Challenge for the Week