Are you being persistent and persevering?

I had to look up the definition of these.
Persistent: It's an adjective meaning continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition; continuing to exist or endure over a prolonged period of time.
Persevere: It's a verb meaning to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success.
and yes, I watched many of you persisting and persevering last week.  Trees down, children out of school, no power, evacuees in your home (including their pets), holes in the kitchen ceiling, rescheduled birthday parties, Bazaar drop-off, a Sunday USC game; but how did you weather these storms?  I saw most of you on Sunday many different places and I was amazed at what I saw; smiles, happy children, stories to share, continued persistence and perseverance; God's Grace!  But how did you do it I wondered?  You decided the hole in the ceiling looked like a cross, you came to church first, you prayed and kept your requests persistently before God.  You gave thanks because His mercies are new every morning.   Isaiah 43:1-3 tells us "Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you."  He doesn't say "if", he says "when"! 
The Gospel lesson this week is Luke 18:1-8 and it tells the parable of the persistent widow.  May we all be the ones who cry out to God day and night.  May we be those who live for him day by day, believing He will hear our prayers and answer our prayers. "I tell you he will see that they get justice and quickly." (Lk.18:8) 
I saw in you this week what Jesus will find on earth; faith!