Prayer and endurance

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [the persevering Christians who have gone before us], let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him [remember, we have this joy in Christ too, as daughters by the Spirit of adoption!] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down [what He did because His work was completed] at the right hand of God." ~Hebrews 12:1-2

I sent out an email to mine and Natalie's Bible Study group, which is really just us and our friends- so fun- to see when we could do Bible Study before break, and Amy wrote back saying she'll have to skip out no matter when it is because she has papers to write. I wanted to somehow encourage her to hang in there for one more month, and Hebrews 12:1-2 is what came to mind. Poor Amy is always so stressed, and always writing papers, and I know the other girls are crazy busy too.
So I was thinking of all of you, my favorite people, and I know you are just clinging to Christ now- I know it is a deeper need for endurance, for strength, for hope, for joy, than any of us need to get through end-of-semester craziness. Know that I am praying daily, and I am so blessed to see my favorite women trusting so in the sovereignty of our God. "Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe..."
I love you :-) And I will be in Minnesota in a week!