“Stick and stay. It’s bound to pay.” said a pastor we served under years ago. That phrase has come in handy so many times in our lives. We raised our boys saying it this way, “Cooleys don’t quit.” And I get it. I can already hear some of you thinking of the books, social media posts, and articles or heard sermons on the power of quitting. the contrarianism is great but for today’s purposes for this Happy Monday Blog, “stay with me” (pun intended) on this thought of staying power.

What I’m actually talking about is the fruit of the spirit, faithfulness, something very much lacking in our current culture and society. It’s quite interesting to contrast generations and see the difference in mindsets here. The Boomers stayed at their jobs for a lifetime for the most part and many missed fewer days of work than they had fingers in their entire career, didn’t use many of their sick days or vacations and piled up retirements, are now golfing and traveling. Others are using that fierce discipline, living on a simple, fixed income that is just enough for them, hoping it lasts them for the rest of their lives knowing their Gen X kids are certainly too busy to stop and take care of them as we try and convince ourselves that our 50’s are the new 30’s and so here we are still blazing ahead full steam ahead livin on a prayer. After all, life is a highway and we’re gonna ride it alllll night long. Gen Xers like myself, have stayed put far less than our parents but still seemed to long for at least the idea of a career to span decades. Even if we have changed jobs, most often, it’s been within the same or similar field. Millennials and Gen Z are all about multiple income streams and side gigs and it seems like few of them are setting out in life looking for one career. Supposedly, Gen Z is expected to have over 20 jobs in their lifetime and many different careers.

So this begs the question…What about Staying Power? Is that even still a thing? What about faithfulness and loyalty and stability? I think we need to lean into this question with our children and soon, grandchildren. Just because culture is demanding change and it’s the way the world is going, let’s ask ourselves how much of this is inspired by ever shifting morals, the breakdown of the family and lack of purpose and focus, or even depression and anxiety that is plaguing our world? How much of this is based on positive change, innovation, a new way of thinking that we all just need to come up with the times and get on board for? We must adapt for sure, but the question is how do we adapt to these ideals and still benefit from the power available to us from yielding to the fruit of the spirit of faithfulness? And how do we pass down to the next generations what it even means to have staying power?

A few thoughts:

Model staying power in our marriages even when it seems impossible.

Model staying power in our callings even when we want out, knowing God is saying to stay put.

Model staying power in friendships when the temptation is to be offended.

Model staying power in conversations where it would be easier to pop off and fly off the handle but instead peace keeps us quiet or returning wrath with a soft answer.

Model staying power when there are uncomfortable conversations and turmoil in the family but you choose to stay at the table.

Model rest showing the next generation that part of having staying power is by trusting God enough to take a break and by faith, know it’s not all in your power. Keeping the Sabbath holy is as much about our hearts trusting in God’s provision and us not trying to be god as it is about us actually needing rest.

Model finishing tasks and not just starting them and leaving them open ended, going on to the next thing. Finishing something well is a form of having Staying Power. Complete what you start.

Model staying even when it’s hard instead of cowering and disappearing when things get tough. Have the difficult conversations and work through hard things (no matter what your enneagram number is) instead of claiming, “Oh it’s toxic and I’m traumatized and this is my boundary…” over every little thing. This is one of if not the biggest lie of the enemy that is destroying relationships for Millennials and Gen Zers. And I get it…us Gen Xers, many of us, are not as gentle and kind as we could be and are learning from Millennials and Zers the power of these two fruits of the spirit, gentleness and kindness, not ones that I’d say exactly mark Boomers or Xers as our best qualities as a whole.

So here’s a thought, what if there was a giant scoop of honor we could all add to our relationships as we navigate our children becoming adults and working with 4 generations in the workplace? What if honor is a main ingredient needed for Staying Power? What if we choose to listen, request to be heard, and stay around for what we all need most…each other.

Happy Monday!

Adrienne