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Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

An example of faith being shown was on page 92 stating, "Nobody wanted to give up now, just before the end, so close to our destination" (Wiesel 92).

This shows the theme of faith because these people have faith that once they get to their destination, something better will happen, they might have faith in thinking they will see their family and friends again.

Another example of faith is on page 76 saying, "I can't go on...it's over..."(76).

This shows the theme by how Eliezers father is very sick and was weak. He just told him that he was just going to die anyway so he didn't want to hold him back.

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As a former collegiate distance runner, I understand what it takes to win a race. It takes hours of training. It takes hard work during practice and in the weight room. It also means putting away poor eating and sleeping habits. Clearly, a diet of ice cream and cake mixed with four hours of sleep is a recipe for disaster leading up to a race. In my own experience, a diet of lean protein with fruits and vegetables proved more successful along with going to bed earlier than my socially active peers.

I ultimately wanted to please God in my running ability, but I also struggled with running for the wrong reasons. Cake and late-night slumber parties were not the only thing I needed to lay aside. I prayed that God would enable me to win so I might have the opportunity to praise him for the victory.

Sometimes, I possessed pure motives and would end my prayer with wanting God's will to be done more than mine - even if that meant the dreadful loss. Other times, a sinful desire to win crept into my heart. I wanted God's will to agree with my will more than I wanted my will to become God's. I only wanted to praise God when he allowed my will to be done - when my will happened to be his will. I wanted to win, and I wanted him to want me to win, too.

The Race of Faith

In the Christian life, we run the race of faith. We don't strive for the crown that only one can receive. We strive to finish strong in our faith. God makes us all winners when we cross the line. We get him! Forever! Thus, we all win God by persevering in faith and getting to the finish line. But we, like runners, must lay aside hindrances of our endurance. Hebrews 12:1-3 says,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Runners not only properly nourish their body and recover well, but they also work hard to build endurance. They endure long runs. They do speed workouts. They lift weights. They stretch. They push through pain. They have sore muscles and tired lungs.

Likewise, as Christians, we work hard to strengthen our faith to endure the race of faith. We must seek him daily in his word and in prayer. We must seek fellowship among other believers and let our fellow church members encourage us in the faith. We must welcome rebuke and embrace trials. Personal discipline is essential if we are to keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

Every ounce counts in a foot race. The lighter the endurance runner, the swifter the runner. The same is true in the Christian life. Many things slow us down and eventually stall us in the race of faith. In my case, chasing self-centered joy and personal accolades. Sin clings closely. It's hard to get off, and it's heavy. We lay aside every weight and clingy sin. The farther we are from sin, the closer we are to Jesus.

When we sin, we take our eyes off Jesus and put them on ourselves. We choose to do our will instead of his. But we can't make it to the finish line without looking to Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith. When we set our eyes firmly on him, we will not grow weary in the fight against sin and in the race to persevere in faith. We remember the crown waiting for us in glory and continue running.

He Is Our Crown

The good news is Jesus made us lightweight runners. He took the burden of our sins and placed them on himself at the cross. Then he rose from the dead and sat at the right hand of God to pray for us to fight sin and continue in faith.

In my last collegiate season, Hebrews 12:1-3 was such a gift from God to run each race. When the gun went off, I pictured Jesus, who knew what the brutal cross would accomplish, enduring it with full joy. I didn't grow weary when I felt like giving up because Jesus didn't give up. As a result, I grew closer to Jesus. The physical race became a real-life vision of the cross where I could - in part - identify with him.

The race of faith is life's journey for the Christian. Imagine what would happen if we looked to Jesus every day. Every weight would fall off and every sin would untangle from us. Each look at Jesus would strengthen us to endure and finish well. He waits for us on the other side. He is our crown, and we will be with him forever. Every huff, every twinge of pain, and every prolonged day on earth is worth patiently enduring the journey to get to the finish line - to get to Jesus.

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As a former collegiate distance runner, I understand what it takes to win a race. It takes hours of training. It takes hard work during practice and in the weight room. It also means putting away poor eating and sleeping habits.

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An example of essential question #13 was shown on page 86 stating, "The idea of dying, of ceasing to be, began to fascinate me. To no longer exist. To no longer feel the excruciating pain in my foot. To no longer feel anything, neither fatigue nor cold, nothing. To break rank, to let myself slide to the side of the road... My father's presence was the only thing that stopped me. He was running next to me, out of breath, out of strength, desperate" (86).

This shows how if it weren't for his father, he would've given up and been dead. His father shows him to not give up, ever, find the strength in himself, and fight. Elizer's consequence would have been death, and he would have regretted it. Elizer lives off of his father for survival.

Another good example of essential question #13 is given on page 89, "Don't worry, son. Go to sleep. I'll watch over you.' 'You first, Father, Sleep (89).

This explains how they watch out for each other and have each others' backs. If they didn't watch out for each other, they would have both been dead.

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One of the hallmarks of a loving, healthy relationship is when partners envision their relationship as a kind of third entity-something in need of being served and supported in itself, by mutual accommodation; perhaps sacrificing what you want, sometimes, not just using the relationship as a vehicle for getting your partner to serve your own needs and desires.

But can accommodation and support for each other-mutuality-go too far, in ways that undermine the relationship? It can, especially when emotional issues, often unconsciously expressed, drive a partner's agreeableness. That can give rise to depression and, especially, regret and resentment. We see that in psychotherapy often, with couples who bicker and foment over what each says he or she went along with for the other, but says it was "unappreciated."

Recent empirical research documents how that happens, and why. Further, research shows that feeling supported by your partner is linked with greater willingness to take on new challenges and with overall greater wellbeing.

To explain and unravel all this, first consider that feature of positive, healthy intimate relationships. These partners consciously practice showing mutual support to each other's needs, always with an eye towards what best serves their relationship long-term. They do this with an understanding that when differences arise, they'll find compromise, a "middle way." Sometimes that means "giving in" to the other's desires in a particular situation-knowing that doing so best serves the relationship as a whole. But most importantly, that's done with trust that neither one will exploit the sacrifice for manipulative, self-serving purposes.

But men and women don't enter relationships in a vacuum. We learn gender roles in our intimate relationships. We form our patterns of attachment and connection from social norms and culture and from our experiences with our parents.. That inevitably includes some emotional issues that may lie dormant, and intrude upon our relationships as adult. Many memoirs depict that with devastating, often painful accuracy.
Regretting Your Sacrifice To Your Partner
Foremost among those personal issues is the consequence of bringing a low level of self-worth or self-regard into the relationship. Or when you feel insecure about how much you can trust or count on your partner's professed caring and love. The consequences can lead to accommodating and supporting what your partner wants as an ongoing way of relating to him or her. That fuels an imbalanced, unhealthy partnership, and is likely to generate a backlash of resentment, beneath the surface, until it erupts or just remains submerged, where it festers and creates a range of symptoms. That's what we often see in both individual and couples therapy.

Now, a recent study from the Netherlands documents that, from a study of 130 couples. Summarized in this report, the research found that people with low self-esteem tend to feel vulnerable in their relationship. That includes feeling insecure about their partner's support and love. According to lead researcher Francesca Righetti, "Low self-esteem partners...underestimate how positively they are viewed by their partner and how much their partner loves and cares for them. They also tend to think that others are not there for them, not available to provide support when in need."

The upshot of the study, published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, is that people with low self-esteem who decide to sacrifice personal preferences for their relationship come to regret those actions. And that has further, negative consequences for their wellbeing. Righetti says, "...they are more likely to regret those sacrifices and this leads them to experience more negative mood, greater stress and lower life satisfaction, even over time."

n short, they regret sacrifices they make because they don't feel appreciated or supported by their partner. And they can lope along like that, depressed, unhappy, and often to the puzzlement of their partner.
The Power Of A Supportive Partner
On the other side of the coin, a recent study from Carnegie Mellon University showed a link between experiencing a supportive relationship from your partner and a willingness to pursue new opportunities or tackle new problems, especially outside of the relationship.

Described in this summary, the study found that people with supportive spouses were more likely to take on potentially rewarding challenges. Moreover, those who did so experienced more personal growth, happiness, psychological well-being and better relationship functioning months later.

According to lead author Brooke Feeney, "Significant others can help you thrive through embracing life opportunities. We found support for the idea that the choices people make at these specific decision points -- such as pursuing a work opportunity or seeking out new friends -- matter a lot for their long-term well-being,"

But, as Feeney added, significant others can also "...hinder your ability to thrive by making it less likely that you'll pursue opportunities for growth." The study was based on 163 married couples and published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Both clinical experience and empirical research from studies like those underscore that what you bring into your relationship affects not only the kind of person you seek, but how you experience yourself within the relationship - for better or for worse. As I've written here in other articles, self-awareness is key, as well as whether you and your partner are on the same wave-length about how you envision a sustaining relationship - what you want it to look like, as you both change over time.

dlabier@CenterProgressive.org

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Why You Will Regret Sacrificing Too Much For Your Partner

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One of the hallmarks of a loving, healthy relationship is when partners envision their relationship as a kind of third entity-something in need of being served and supported in itself, by mutual accommodation; perhaps sacrificing what you want, sometimes, not just using the relationship as a vehicle for getting your partner to serve your own needs and desires.

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Over time Eliezer and the people in the camps where losing faith because of how long that they have been there for. As you know we have had a lot of terror attacks on the United States, like 911, Vegas shooting, and Boston bomber. Many people started to lose faith there because they thought we would be protected, but in the end we were still killed. Its how they go on with their daily life, and how they think nothing will happen. Now everyone is living scared because they don't know what is going to happen the next time they go out. These both connect with how no one sees things coming  and in the end get killed or hurt.

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Las Vegas is assessing the impact on tourism in the aftermath of the massacre that killed 58 people at an outdoor music festival -- and preparing for changes.

Analysts who closely track the finances of the city's casino companies say Las Vegas will see a short-term dip in visitors in response to the shooting.

Casinos and police may have to impose new security measures after gunman Stephen Paddock brought more than 20 rifles into his hotel room and drove a car filled with explosives into the parking garage.

The "What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" slogan has been put on hold, as has one unveiled in the weeks before the shooting by the owner of Mandalay Bay that said, "We are not in the hotel business ... we are in the holy s--- business."

Electronic billboards that typically promote restaurants, concerts, a topless pool and other entertainment are now showing a dedicated phone line for victims and their families, along with words of appreciation for first responders and casino employees.

"We've been there for you during the good times. Thank you for being there for us now," reads a black-and-white billboard message with the city skyline and "#VegasStrong."

It's hard to quantify the effect the shooting will have on Las Vegas tourism. Airplanes still carry loads of tourists to the desert oasis, convention-goers fill large halls to discuss the latest industry trends, and slot machines ring in the casinos.

But stock prices of the main Las Vegas casino companies all took a minor tumble after the shooting, in an indication the attack will have some effect on the industry. Analysts with investment bank Morgan Stanley forecast the shooting will decrease demand for the Las Vegas market for about six months and have a 4 percent to 6 percent economic effect.

The analysts looked into the effect of terrorist attacks on "revenue per available room," a key gauge of a lodging company's performance, across different markets to measure the shooting's potential impact. The report said not all markets are alike, but the effects on tourism of events such as the Orlando, Florida, nightclub attack have gradually become less pronounced and shorter.

On Oct. 1, Paddock, a 64-year-old professional video poker player, shattered windows of his hotel suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel casino and unleashed withering gunfire at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival below before killing himself. His vehicle was found at the hotel's massive parking garage with a potentially deadly cargo of 1,600 rounds of ammunition and 90 pounds of chemical explosives.

In the days after the shooting, visitors found marked police SUVs parked outside their hotels along the Strip. Security employees of the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore casino-resorts used hand-held metal detectors to check bags. Guards asked some visitors to pop their trunks.

But those measures have since been scaled back. A tour of several major resorts found no apparent new security measures other than guards checking room keys at Mandalay Bay.

Mandalay Bay's parent company, MGM Resorts International, owns more than a dozen properties, including casinos, convention space and arenas on the Las Vegas Strip. Spokeswoman Debra DeShong said in a statement the company has elevated its level of security, but she declined to provide details.

Las Vegas hotel operators must make their guests feel valued and comfortable in the aftermath of the shooting, said Michael McCall, Michigan State University professor of hospitality business. He suggested resorts offer room upgrades or discounted tickets to customers as tokens of appreciation.

But he said many casinos and hotels will tread lightly when it comes to airport-style security in a city where people want to let loose.

"You don't want it to become a sort of ground zero military-type of operation," McCall said. "People are going there largely for fun."

MGM declined to comment on any hotel room or convention cancellations. Caesars said its properties haven't received out-of-norm room cancellations, and no conventions were called off.

Last week, the National Business Aviation Association convention drew around 27,000 people to Las Vegas. IMEX America, an expo for incentive travel, meetings and events, brought 12,000 attendees.

Luis Barros visited Las Vegas for the aviation conference. While sitting at an airport slot machine, he said he never considered canceling his trip after the shooting and had no concerns about his safety.

"I figured this is probably going to be one of the safest places after what just happened," the Dallas resident said. "I think I'm more concerned about the somber feeling, but as far as security-wise, no, not at all."

The shooting has altered at least one event. Organizers of the GEICO Rock 'n' Roll Marathon scheduled for November will no longer start the annual race outside Mandalay Bay or hold the pre-race concert at the venue where the shooting took place.

Las Vegas last year welcomed 42.9 million visitors and hosted almost 22,000 conventions. On average, 95 percent of the 149,339 rooms available were booked during weekends. Clark County recorded gambling revenue of $9.7 billion.

For the time being, the fierce competition for those dollars is not on display.

"There's going to be a time when we go back to promoting Las Vegas as the greatest destination in the world, but that's not now," said the city's top tourism official, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Rossi Ralenkotter. "We need to take care of this, we need to take care of our customers, we need to take care of the community itself, and that's what we will be doing."

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Las Vegas braces for tourism shift in shooting's aftermath

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Las Vegas is assessing the impact on tourism in the aftermath of the massacre that killed 58 people at an outdoor music festival -- and preparing for changes. Analysts who closely track the finances of the city's casino companies say Las Vegas will see a short-term dip in visitors in response to the shooting.