Finishing Strong

I grew up eating Kentucky Fried Chicken. Original recipe, extra-crispy, with 11 Herbs and Spices – it’s still the best in the world, in my humble, but accurate opinion. Colonel Harlan Sanders was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken and the inventor of that recipe that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Sanders’ father, Wilbur David Sanders, died when Harland was five years old, and—since his mother worked—he was required to cook for his family. He dropped out of school in seventh grade. When his mother remarried he ran away from home because his stepfather beat him. During his early years, Sanders worked many jobs, including steamboat pilot, insurance salesman, railroad fireman, farmer, and enlisted in the Army as a private when he was only 16 years old (by lying about his age).

At the age of 40, Sanders cooked chicken dishes and other meals for people who stopped at his service station in Corbin, Kentucky. Since he did not have a restaurant, he served customers in his living quarters in the service station. His local popularity grew, and Sanders moved to a motel and restaurant that seated 142 people and worked as the chef. Over the next nine years, he developed his method of cooking chicken with his famous 11 herbs and spices (still a closely guarded secret).

Sanders was sixty-five years old when he franchised his first restaurant. He used $105 from his first Social Security check to start the franchising business. Sanders is a perfect example of the power of finishing strong.

Paul puts it this way, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize …” (1 Cor. 9:24) and “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

In other words – Run the race to win … and the race is often won in the final few strides.

Some tips on Finishing Strong (a.k.a., How to Stay Young):
1. Stay Patient.
2. Stay Humble.
3. Stay Creative.
4. Stay Connected.
5. Stay Open.

Paul said that this is the way he ran the race: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

Here’s to Col. Sanders, God bless him (his funeral was attended by thousands and was held in the chapel of Southern Baptist Seminary in Kentucky) … here's to the best chicken in the world … and, here's to finishing strong!