Tag Archives: courage

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Hurt Will Convince Us To Hide

‘When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.’ John 11:20 NIV

When a worshipper’s heart is broken by life, the natural response is to bunker down the hatches. Nothing makes us feel so out of control like the disappointments life carries. During the unstable moments in life, confusion might have us hiding in an attempt to hold onto what’s left until we feel safe and secure again.

resurrection, hiding

When her beloved brother died, Mary was confused. How could the miracle-working Jesus let this happen? While her sister Martha ran to meet Jesus, Mary stayed home. What was the use? Death had swept through her house and stolen what she loved.

Jesus didn’t give a reason for Lazarus’s death. He simply asked Martha to believe in His ability to raise dead things to life.

We don’t have to have the answers when we believe Jesus holds the power to resurrect hope and joy in our lives again.

What circumstances are you struggling to make sense of? Everyone reaches for something when it seems God is silent. Where are you hiding or finding refuge in the storm?

Jesus, I believe you are the resurrection and the life. I trust You with everything I hold dear, even when good things die and my heart is broken. I still choose Your timing in Your ways because that is what will most glorify You, God.

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Courage in the Quiet

Sometimes A Brave Heart Waits

I waited patiently for the Lord… (Psalm 40:1)

Waiting can be much more difficult than walking. It requires patience. Not a very natural fruit of the spirit we’re born with. As babies, we cried until we were content. As children, we ignored the stop signs. In our adolescence, we found ways around the rules. And as a teen, we flat out rebelled against ‘no’. And now, here we are as adults. Now, we can buy our way through the delay.

Did you know that God has a purpose in ALL His delays? And the ‘stops’ too.

When we don’t rush the race, this steady walk provides a renewal of strength. We are empowered by our self-control in the stops. Edges are chiseled as we wait. The wait is growing endurance and perseverance below the surface. It is refining the steps in front of us. But so often we see standing still as failure and being forced into inaction – required to watch the tides of life as we stand on the shore.

It takes a fierce faith to submit to the will of God and give up opportunities for work and leave honors to others. To be quiet. Confident. And even rejoicing while the busyness rushes past you.

In a cloud of isolated quick thinking, our fleeting feelings are apt to react with coward logic when life isn’t moving. Poor decisions are made. Life-staking choices. We exchange God’s best for an offer of immediate gratification. Almost always, we regret it.

The winner’s circle is a quiet waiting. Stay still. Surrender your schedule. When the pressure in life hits your tender places and the reflex is to react, remember it requires more courage to stand still, wait and still not lose heart or hope.

Instead of running for relief, relax. Rest. Push through the crowded thoughts that are limiting time and self-defeating in light of your submission. Your words carry weight and create reality. Your words in your own mind, about yourself, circulate the truth. What truth are you telling yourself?

In the heat of pressure and resistance, reach into the vault of God’s Truth and align your thinking with the path of faith and perseverance.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

You are His masterpiece. (Ephesians 2:10)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.(1 Corinthians 9:25)

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

Be still. And know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

Visualize yourself in the winner’s circle. You have the power of Jesus to create life or death with what you think about. Speak the right words into your situation. Push your thoughts around. Pray the burdens down. Get your faith and focus set on His strength. Nothing is impossible for Him (Matthew 19:26). He holds this world securely in His grip. His supernatural love surrounds us and can break through the heartache of letting go.

“There are seasons when being still is the hardest, most obedient thing we can do. God doesn’t require you to do everything. He does ask for your obedience.” — Christina Patterson, Daughters of Fire

Be still. Watch Him work. Waiting and keeping yourself steady, faithful in His leading is the secret of strength. Anything that does not align with obedience to His will is a waste of time and energy.

Sometimes the most effective thing we can do is to let go of the reins and trust Him. Do you trust God enough to just be still? It’s tempting to fill the stillness to distract us from the discomfort of feeling alone. Yet in the stillness is where we realize God is enough.

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Courage in the Quiet by Trisha Keehn first appeared on LiftUpYourDay.com on August 26, 2016.

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The Voice of Courage

Still Lives

memorial day, flag, remembering heroes, When the sun falls below the horizon, evidence of its work remains for some time. The skies continue to glow a bit longer after it is gone.

In the same way, when a great person’s life comes to that final sunset, the skies of this world stay illuminated with traces of bravery and courage long after they are out of view. This kind of extraordinary person does not die from this world. When they depart they leave much of themselves behind. From the grave, their voice still speaks.

Remembering the extraordinary men and women who have gone before us with their courage and still have a voice in our world today.trail run, memorial day, remembering heroes

I want you to remember that life isn’t just about getting what you want. Sometimes it involves giving up the things you love for what you love even more.

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What You Need When You Need It

Whatever God tells you to do, He will help you to do.

We don’t have to live concerned about having the courage to do the things He hasn’t called for us to do.

A couple years ago I took a solo backpacking trip for about a month through the country of Italy. I hadn’t done something like that before and had no training, but I also wasn’t scared because it was a journey the Lord called me to and I trusted Him to give me what I needed to make that happen.

Recently my mind has been going back to that adventure as I finish up the writing of a manuscript I started back then. My head shakes with disbelief. The courage that girl had doesn’t sit naturally in me. That was a supernatural, God-ordained courage.courage, God gives you what you need, when you need courage God will give it, no fear, www.trishakeehn.com

Incredible courage isn’t something you can cultivate. God gives you what you need when you need it.

If you’re unsure about the Lord’s direction over a particular idea or plan in your life, pray about it and keep your eyes open.

Look for those swinging doors and don’t discard the one’s He slams shut. Sometimes we get caught up in our own desires and it’s easy to trail-blaze through the frustration and pry open what was meant to stay closed.

Don’t let your courage get caught up in the details. Bravery is trusting in something you cannot see because you believe the prayers and promises in His Word.

It takes audacity to walk away from a dream, knowing God has something better. It takes a Holy Spirit fearlessness to walk on His Word into the unknown. When your focus is on His lead, you can’t go astray.Peter didn't walk on water, Peter walked on the Word, Peter walks on water, Jesus said Come, courage takes stepping out on His Word

There was a prophet who opened my eyes to a familiar story (Matthew 14:22-33) with this bold statement: Peter didn’t walk on water, He walked on the Word. The stormy seas weren’t pulling Peter out of that boat and hoisting him to his feet. But when Jesus said, ‘Come’, Peter stepped out on the Lord’s command.

Courage is stepping out on God’s word, come. Listen for His Spirit to speak it and be ready to step out into some stormy seas on His command.

I pray for you now, that as the Spirit stirs up some supernatural courage in you for the season of adventure just up ahead, that your ears will perk up and your eyes will be peeking around the corners for His hand guiding you in the direction of His will.

I pray that every hindrance holding you back and every burden keeping you down, won’t have any weight on your obedience to step out when the time is ready. Lord, help us to focus on trusting You and letting the plans fall into place as You see best. We love you and we are ever grateful to be called yours, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Courage Can Be Quiet

courage, marriage, dream, job, commitmentHappy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Today, I celebrate the courage behind 35 years of marriage with this couple.

Through the hardship and pain, they continued to choose life together over the path alone.

I learned that loving other things in life more than two people love each other only leads to hardened hearts. There’s an intersection in this road; I’m glad they chose to turn right.

I’ve witnessed moments when choices led to let downs and the conclusion of an argument was the slamming of a door; walls will repeat whatever you put into the atmosphere, for days.

The dollars didn’t always come in like they were supposed to, and sometimes we were counting pennies to stretch what we had.

Some of life’s greatest injustices happened here in this sphere of love, like becoming parents of four children, who now have only three.

It’s these two hearts and four hands that have made my green eyes to see that love is always the answer.

Courage isn’t perfect. That’s what I learned.

If given the choice, courage will stay standing when others sit down. Courage rushes in when others are walking out. Courage will look for a window of opportunity when every door has closed.

Understanding what it takes to hold life together isn’t my story to tell. Yet, here is a testimony of what courage behind commitment looks like.

After 35 years, most of the tears trickling down their cheeks come out of laughter and several times a day, you will find one reaching out a hand for the other (mostly Dad! Men are a mess without a good woman.).

 

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Live a Life of Bravery

The cautious do not live at all

brave, bravery, courage, life, trishakeehn.com

The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.

Forget yesterday, it has already forgotten you. And for heaven’s sake, don’t sweat the tomorrow you haven’t even met yet.

We only have one life to live, and the time is going to pass, regardless of whether or not you step out in faith and reach for those dreams.