Keep Shining Through Every Season – by Jane Herlong
At the 2026 FCFI Conference in Branson, Missouri, Jane Herlong shared an encouraging message about discovering the gifts God has given us, persevering through setbacks, and learning to keep shining through every season of life.
Drawing from her childhood growing up on a farm in South Carolina, Jane used stories from her family, farming, marriage, and personal journey to illustrate several principles for living with faith, resilience, humor, and purpose.
Finding Your Shine
Jane’s first lesson came from something as simple as tomatoes.
As a young girl, she helped her father on the farm and started her own small tomato-selling business. She would wash the dirt and leaves from the tomatoes before taking them to customers.
That experience became a picture of what she calls the “shine principle.”
“Everybody in this room has a shine that you do so well,” Jane explained. The journey of life includes discovering what makes each person unique and learning how to use those gifts for God’s glory.
She encouraged the audience to consider their own “shine”—the gifts, abilities, experiences, and qualities God has given them—and then take those gifts into the world and use them to serve others and share the Gospel.
Learning to Laugh and Let Go
Jane also emphasized the importance of humor and learning not to carry every difficult situation with us.
Growing up in the South, she learned through family stories that laughter can help people handle life’s challenges. She encouraged listeners to find humor when appropriate, laugh at themselves, and avoid allowing criticism or difficult circumstances to take root in their hearts.
A cheerful spirit, she noted, can help people move forward rather than becoming consumed by things they cannot control.
One of the lessons she shared was simple: don’t let someone else’s problem become your problem.
Sometimes people will say or do things that hurt us. We cannot always control their actions, but we can choose how we respond.
The “Next” Principle
Jane’s own life included plenty of moments when people told her she could not succeed.
As a child, she struggled academically and faced discouragement about her abilities. She was told she was dyslexic and encountered obstacles when pursuing college.
But instead of accepting every “no” as the final answer, she continued moving forward.
Eventually, she attended college, made the Dean’s List, and later went on to become Miss South Carolina and compete in the Miss America pageant.
Her story became a testimony to the importance of perseverance.
“Don’t ever let anybody tell you you can’t,” Jane encouraged. “Find your shine and keep shining.”
She described “next” as one of the most important words to remember when something does not work out. When one opportunity closes, there may be another way forward.
The “Cull” Principle
Jane also drew a lesson from farming: sometimes you have to remove what is holding you back.
Farmers know that not every plant or fruit will be productive. Some things have to be removed so that the healthy plants can continue to grow.
She called this the “cull principle.”
“What do you need to get rid of to get better?” she asked.
That question can apply to habits, distractions, unhealthy relationships, unrealistic expectations, or commitments that are no longer productive.
Jane acknowledged that letting go can be difficult, but sometimes moving forward requires recognizing what cannot be fixed or changed and releasing it to God.
The “Plow” Principle
Another lesson came directly from her father’s farm.
Farmers sometimes have to plow up a field that is no longer productive. Other times, they have to plow through difficult ground and keep going.
Jane called this the “plow principle.”
There are seasons when perseverance is necessary, and there are other seasons when wisdom requires changing direction.
The key is learning to recognize the difference.
Rather than remaining stuck in something that is not working, Jane encouraged listeners to pray, seek God’s direction, and consider whether it is time to plow through or plow up and begin again.
Getting Back Up
Jane shared the story of a contestant who experienced a major mishap during a pageant. What could have been a humiliating moment became an unforgettable example of resilience.
Instead of allowing the mistake to defeat her, the young woman recovered, continued, and ultimately received a standing ovation.
Jane called her the “queen of recovery.”
The lesson was clear: everyone will experience moments when life knocks them down. What matters is what happens next.
Get up. Pray through it. Keep going.
Faith Through Difficult Seasons
Jane also spoke honestly about difficult seasons in her own family and personal life.
She described experiencing loss, family struggles, disappointment, and circumstances that were beyond her control. Through those experiences, she learned the importance of forgiveness and releasing burdens to God.
Forgiveness, she acknowledged, is not always easy. But it can be an important part of moving forward.
Her testimony was not that life is always easy, but that God’s faithfulness remains present even during painful seasons.
A Life Shaped by God’s Goodness
Jane closed by reflecting on God’s goodness throughout her journey.
Looking back, she could see both difficult and joyful seasons—times when she cried and times when she celebrated, moments of disappointment and moments when unexpected doors opened.
Through all of them, she said, God had remained faithful.
Her message encouraged the FCFI family to discover the gifts God has given them, use those gifts for His glory, let go of what needs to be released, persevere through what must be endured, and maintain a heart of gratitude.
Life will bring setbacks, disappointments, and unexpected challenges. But those moments do not have to define the story.
Keep shining. Keep moving forward. Keep trusting God. And through it all, remember His goodness.