How to Endure to the End

March 2, 2026 Hello and Happy Day! This is Dr. MaryAnn Diorio, Novelist and Life Coach, welcoming you to another episode of Winning with the Word. Today is Monday, March 2, 2026, and this is episode #5 in Series 2026. This episode is titled, “How to Endure to the End.” Before we get into this week’s message, I’m excited to tell you that my featured book for this week is my popular historical novel set in Italy, The Madonna of Pisano. The Madonna of Pisano is Book 1 in my popular trilogy, The Italian Chronicles. If you’re a fan of Hallmark romance and epic stories set in beautiful, exotic Italy, then you will love The Madonna of Pisano. It is the story of a courageous, single mom fighting for her son in the midst of betrayal, treachery, and deceit. You won’t want to miss this powerful, heart-wrenching story of forgiveness and hope. Get your copy of The Madonna of Pisano at the link below. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0930037227 And now let’s dive into this week’s message.The Importance of Enduring to the End Have you been feeling weary lately? As though you can’t go on another day? Have you been troubled by what’s going on in the world and, worse yet, even in your own family? If so, my friend, you are not alone. You may be wondering what is going on. Life isn’t the way it used to be. Something is different. Something has changed, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. All you know is that, lately, you’ve been feeling more anxious than usual, as though the world is falling apart, and you can’t do anything about it. If this describes you, you are at the right place at the right time. Let me shed some light on exactly what is happening and why you feel the way you do. First of all, you have good reason to feel these emotions. In fact, my friend, caring people everywhere are feeling them. Responsible, thoughtful people are feeling them. And for good reason. Let’s look at some of those reasons: 1. The world’s thinking has turned upside down. Good is now called evil, and evil is called good. The Bible warned us of this in Isaiah 5: 20: In that verse, the Lord warns those who no longer think straight. Here is what He says: “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” While these upside-down thinkers may think they’re in good shape with their false thinking, they have a rude awakening coming. If you grew up before the 21st century, you still have some idea of the difference between right and wrong. Why? Because you were taught according to a Judeo-Christian consensus. Moreover, the society in which you grew up more or less still espoused a Judeo-Christian value system. But that is not the case today. Judeo-Christian values are blatantly and brazenly opposed with vehemence and, in many cases, with brutal violence. Christians are being persecuted like never before. Even here in America, we are witnessing increasing opposition to Christians and Jews who believe that the Holy Bible is God’s manual for life. 2. A second reason you are feeling anxious is that the world is being invaded by demonic forces that have been unleashed because of humanity’s increasing love for and obsession with sin. Never in my 80 years on this earth have I witnessed sin without shame as I am witnessing it today. Never have I seen sin celebrated as it is today. I grew up in the fifties and early sixties. Yes, there was sin, but there was also a stigma of shame attached to sin. People did not openly flaunt their sin but hid it because the culture disapproved of sin, and deep down, people knew they were sinning. Today, people proudly flaunt their sin and encourage others to sin with them. Listen to what the Bible predicted about this very behavior thousands of years ago. I’m going to read a passage from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1, in the New Living Translation: “But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they ...