COURAGE

Courage-- God showed me once again that I have none.  Here is my explanation of how I discovered that. 

Back in the 80's, one of my daughter, Heather's, friends, had name plaques such as those above, in the entry way of her house, where she lived with her pastor father, mother, and brother.   After we moved to Mississippi, then to California, and back to Washington, I discovered some of these plaques in the local Christian book store.  I ordered them for our family.  Then Heather hit 15.  Need I say more?  I would look at the plague with my name saying that I press on for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Then I would get terribly depressed.  I couldn't deal with a teenager.  I told God I wanted to run away and sit under a tree like Elijah did in I Kings 19:4.  

Well, God didn't provide a tree for me, but through Bible study, prayer, and spending time with friends, plus exercise, I made it through to her 18th birthday.  We then paid her to live away from home--( we sent her to live in a dorm on the EWU campus.) 

But before that, almost 40 years ago, I came down with fibromyalgia.  I told God I couldn't live with this chronic pain.  But when I called out to God I was able to get some pain relieving prescriptions to help.

Now once again God has shown me I have no courage.  It was through the new Mr. Roger's movie. Chris and I watched it over the weekend.  The movie for me was terribly emotional.  When Mr. Rogers talked to a little boy in the first part of the movie he was able to get through the boy's fears.  He told him that he was brave and strong.  It brought tears to my eyes because I realized I was not able to deal with another month of being shut in, or the deaths of many, or the suffering of the world, or that many are not listening to the Voice of God and obeying His laws. So today I'm going to look up some Bible verses on courage and pray that God will give me courage.  I pray the same for you.

(BTW-- Heather turned out great and is the best daughter anyone could ask for.)

 Psalm 56: 3-4 When I am afraid,

    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

Isaiah 41: 10 fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41: 13  For I, the Lord your God,
    hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.”

Matthew 10: 28 And do not fear those who kill the body

 but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Philippians 1:12- 14 I want you to know, brothers,[a] that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard[b] and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word[c] without fear.

II Timothy 1: 7 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.