There is a "great cloud of witnesses" found in the official saints of the church and in ordinary people we meet every day.  They are faith-filled inspirations who, by their examply, help us to persevere in our faith.  Living in a sea of conflict, change, challenge, and confusion, it is easy to grow tired and get weary.  With so many things in competition for our attention, it is challenging to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the Kingdom of God.  We have to keep running the race and continue proclaiming the Good News.  This message is not always welcome.  it can cause division, challenge accepted mindsets, ruffle peoples' feathers, and cause some folks to become defensive.  God's ways are not always our ways.  Even though often rejected by the world, the message of God in Jesus Christ must continue to be preached.  We can rely on the examples of faith before us and around us and not lose heart. As Jesus endured the voices of opposition, so too can we.