Dear brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul reminds us to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead as we press on toward the goal of winning the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Amid life’s challenges and uncertainties, it can be tempting to dwell on past failures and disappointments, allowing them to hold us back from moving forward in our faith journey. However, God calls us to fix our gaze on Him, the author and perfecter of our faith, and to keep pressing on toward the prize of Eternal Life that awaits us. Let us not be discouraged by the obstacles in our path, but rather, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, knowing that our efforts are not in vain. May we be filled with the Spirit through the recitation of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and may our hearts overflow with gratitude and praise to the Lord who sustains us every step of the way.