How Do You Spell Perseverance?

     I quit my desk job on Tuesday and went back into teaching...middle school students. It's not my nature to ease into anything. I must "jump from the frying pan into the fire," and unlike Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (men recorded in the book of Daniel Chapters 1–3) I have the smell of smoke on me. 
     But I believe God has me in this "fire" for a reason. What is the reason? To teach me perseverance. I may be wrong, obviously I do not know the mind of God, but I know my mind and I struggle with perseverance. Even as I tried to tell a friend this in a email, I realized I couldn't even spell it! So I looked it up and this is the definition attached to perseverance: steady, persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. (Dictionary.com) I thought this definition was poignant since I can recall asking God over and over throughout life, "What is my purpose?" 
     What I think has happened is He has provided my purpose on several occasions, but because Satan didn't want me to fulfill my purpose, after each high point, he came along and used people and situations to throw in low points to discourage me. And what's worse, I took his bait; hook, line, and sinker!
      I took my eyes off of the true fisher of men and became the lowly fish! The fish, the one in fear, fleeing here and there to avoid the enemy. As a child of the One True God, my job is to stand firm against Satan and seek to fulfill the promises of God each day. 

James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.