To Have Courage

A good friend of mine recently bought this picture for me because I told her how much I love it. I love the way that the word courage has broken out of the darkness into this beautiful bright color. I love the splatters and the random colors everywhere. Courage is messy. I wouldn't define courage as standing tall completely confident and unafraid. No, courage means taking one tiny terrified step of obedience after another. 

I love the word courage. Not that I have courage, but that always I've needed it. And God always provides it. Not that he provides courage by removing fear, but courage comes from knowing that He is holding my hand through everything. Knowing that the Lord of heaven and earth has a secure grip on me. A grip that neither living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable, or absolutely anything else will ever be able to loosen. Courage doesn't mean that you are never afraid. It means that while trembling in fear, you still do the thing you think you cannot do. 

Sometimes when I say, "God, I'm too afraid to do that."

 He says, "Then do it afraid. I'll be with you." He doesn't ask for absolute courage, just absolute obedience. 

When I say, "God, I'm afraid," He doesn't offer me a million reasons why I shouldn't be afraid and why my fear is irrational. He knows me better than that. All He says is, "I'm here." And that's enough. And He reminds me that there has never been a single moment in my life that He has EVER left my side. 

Looking at this art helps me remember that God gave me courage yesterday so I know He will give me courage again today. Looking back over every part of my life I remember He gave me courage then so I know He will give me courage now. 

I've learned a lot about courage. I've learned that courage means you dare to show your whole heart. Courage means you trust anyway, you try anyway, you love anyway. That no matter how many times the world tells you that you can't, you rise up because your God has told you that you can. Courage means trying even if you're afraid you will fail. Courage means choosing to see the good even when everything is falling apart. Courage means choosing to believe God's truth despite what you may be feeling. 

We need a lot of courage to live in the world today. Thankfully our God is an endless supplier of courage. Sometimes the most courage that we can manage is to be able to ask God for courage. And God loves when we come to Him, trembling in fear and ask to be made courageous. He loves when we bring our weakness and inability because thats when His power is made perfect. Sometimes courage means surrendering to God's will for your life. Sometimes it means forgiving someone, sometimes it means asking for forgiveness. Whatever courage looks like for you at this point in your life, know that we have a God who loves to encourage and strengthen us and fill us with His courage.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Come to Me- Bethel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xT_bj2qBfoI

Letting God take control

BASILEA!! Where do I even start???

Driving up I really had no idea what to expect of this years Basilea. I was excited, but I was also sad. When I came to Rider I quickly made friends with many sophomores, juniors, and seniors. ( I don’t know why, I’m always the baby in my group of friends). Next year I will be a senior! (not ready to talk about THAT yet!).

But that means that everyone I got really close to will now be gone. Of course there are more people in my life now and I’m so incredibly glad they’re staying, but its still hard to say goodbye to those that are leaving. I’m saying goodbye to the first group of people who welcomed me in and who I have learned to love.

Thankfully God gave me peace in this area, and it wasn’t until the last day of Basilea that I remembered I had to say goodbye.

That week God showed me so much. I’ve been searching everywhere for what God wants me to do and how He wants to use my life to bring him glory. It wasn’t until I got alone with God six hours away from my home, on a rock in the middle of the woods, that I finally heard His answer.

I get distracted really really easily. So I was sitting on this rock trying to clear my mind and listen for that still, small voice. And these birds kept making the loudest squawking noises you ever heard. I was so frustrated, until I heard this verse in my head,

Luke 19:40

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
I was so humbled. I was so focused on myself and the way that I thought I needed to hear God, that I almost missed the way that He wanted to speak to me. I was just so in awe of the fact that every single part of nature glorifies God. The birds, the color of the trees, the beautiful waves, mossy rocks, it all reflected God’s character and made me love Him more.

We were also learning about Joshua this week and how God commanded him to be strong and courageous. Of course this is a message that I needed to hear.

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

This year feels a bit intimidating to me, because I wont be surrounded by the same comforting people that I always have been.

But I’m starting to realize that that’s a good thing. Right about the time I start getting comfortable, that’s when I need to take a risk for Jesus. Joshua didn’t know what he would face going into Jericho, and I don’t know what I will face going into this year. But whatever it is, I will stand tall with confidence and boldness because my God is with me wherever I go.

I’m so grateful for all the prayer I got during my week at Basilea, and the long talks I had with people. I’m grateful for God slowly preparing me to face a new adventure and continually discard things that try to take His place as center of my life.

And while people leaving is still not my favorite thing, I have come to realize that people come and people leave and that’s just the way it goes. I have made new friends and said goodbye to old ones. Of course the goodbye is only temporary, but it still stings.

This chapter of my life is coming to an end. But you cant spend forever moping over the things that you had to let go of, or your going to miss some really amazing things that are ahead.

Reminding myself that in life there is a time for everything, and God’s timing is perfect.

Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace

I'm starting to realize that I cant control everything! I cant keep everything comfortable and perfect and exactly the way I want it.

Because life is messy!! But someone I trust very much just told me that sometimes in order for God to work, He needs to start with a mess. I am unclenching my fists, and allowing God to take over. I know that God has a good plan for my life and for the lives of my friends. This year might be exactly what it takes for me to step out of my comfort zone, because I know from experience, that’s where God works best

　
Song recommendation: “A better way,” by Downhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfxrKLo4hic