For most of my adult life, I loved frequenting Leonardi’s, one of Buffalo’s best pizzerias. The sauce had just the perfect blend of sweetness and tanginess, and the mildly spicy pepperonis were nice and crisp on the edges. It was always so good, and there is no other pizza joint in my city (in my opinion) that can hold a candle to Leonardi’s. But unfortunately, in January, after 47 years of business, Leonardi’s closed its doors.

Supporters that used to watch my family vlog on YouTube (that I stopped filming after my medical emergency last year) used to see us go to Leonardi’s and rave about the pizza. It was our go-to spot for most of the major celebratory events in our lives.

Thousands of loyal customers in our city, just like us, were shocked and saddened to hear that Leonardi’s pizza-making days are over. Aside from their amazing pizza pies, Leonardi’s customer service was always fast, friendly and personal, and my husband and I developed a great relationship with the staff over the years. Sad as it is, the owners Hector and Anne said it was time to move on and admitted that the decision to shut down operations was a hard one.

But they were ready for some well-deserved rest and to enjoy the fruit of their years of hard work that led to business success. Our community appreciates all their years of service and wishes them well. I imagine that they wrestled internally for quite some time before announcing the big change that they desired to make.

Quite naturally, wrestling and change go together. Moving forward, even when moving on to better things, requires great struggle and effort. And sometimes, that struggle is a physical one.

In Scripture, for example, Jacob wrestled in his pursuit of change (Genesis 32:22-31). He wanted something different and better for his life, so he wrestled with God at the Jabbok River. The battle for his blessing was so intense, Jacob’s hip was knocked out of socket. And although he limped away from that struggle, he didn’t give up until he got his blessing. After that all-night wrestling match, God changed his name from Jacob to Israel which was Jacob’s reward for struggling and overcoming (v. 28).

Friend, there is no victory without struggle. This is what we learn from Jacob’s persistence.

As physically exhausted as he was, Jacob wrestled all night until daybreak, and you should follow his example. No matter how long it takes, don’t give up. Fight for your blessing. Fight for your family. Fight for your deliverance. Fight for your dreams, visions and goals. Fight for what you know is yours. And keep on fighting until daybreak which is the time of morning when daylight first appears.

Consider that Jacob had to fight through the darkness before his breakthrough came at daybreak. You must do the same. Fight through the darkness of depression, sickness, lack, heartache, disappointment and despair, and refuse to stop fighting.

Say to yourself, even at your lowest and weakest point: I won’t let go until I get my blessing; I won’t let go until I see the promises of God manifest; I won’t let go, no matter how long it takes or how hard it gets.

Fight the good fight of faith. Wrestle for your blessing. I guarantee you that when God sees your faith and your fight, He will reward you and bless you abundantly.

To remind you to persevere, I’m stirring the words Jacob uttered in the midst of his battle for a blessing into your cup of inspiration. In Genesis 32: 26, he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, hold on, fight on, press on, and you will see God release the kind of blessings and favor He reserves for those who fight and persevere.

Now, let’s pray.

God, thank You for encouraging me to fight the good fight of faith even when I feel like giving up. In hard times, when I feel weak and discouraged, I will not let go. And I believe that in due season, I will reap a harvest because I held fast to Your promises and refused to quit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!