Attention will soon be focussing on the athletes running in the Olympics marathons. I often wonder what it is like three quarters of way there, when the body is screaming “I can’t wait for the finish line?” or thoughts are hammering with “I don’t want to let my country down”.

Of course, we all know that character is built around how we manage obstacles. Let me tell you, building a business sometimes feels like running a full marathon every day of the working week. Just when you think you’ve got over the longest hill, coped with the rain slicked roads and the going looks promising, something happens. It’s out of the blue, but you suck in your breath and keeping running.

It all comes down to faith, doesn’t it? Faith that the business plans in place will come to fruition. The apostle Paul wrote: “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1). Couldn’t be said better, could it? Small business owners are noble merchants; trusting their customer’s continued goodwill while simultaneously placing their livelihoods on the line. From days long past, they’ve formed the very fabric of life and truly deserve their own kind of Olympic gold medal coming as it does with well earned profit and a respected place in their local community.