The Courageous Ones

Practice Silence: Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.

“Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker.”

                  
                                                               - CS Lewis

Courage requires risk. Courage requires vulnerability. Courage requires examples.

To watch others live courageously often gives us courage. This courage is based on great trust. This is not to be confused with fearlessness for often courage and fear go hand in hand. Yet for those that choose courage, their faith and trust trump fear.

Who are the courageous ones in your life? Those persons that live with great bravery, risk and vulnerability? How will you live courageously?

Practice Silence: Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.

When Fear Engulfs

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for as long as is available to you.**

    Our imaginations are amazing. How quickly our mind turns to fear is record-breaking. And then fear leads us. It leads us down unhealthy paths of destructive thinking, down the road of no returns and into pits of despair. Fear leads us chaos and hopelessness, then it makes a home there. We cannot imagine a way out and we desperately need one.
 
    We need light. We need light that is not from us but from another. We need truth, hope and light. God is with us, he sees us, will not abandon us and can overcome our greatest fears.

    We need friends to remind us that God's goodness is greater than our fears. When fear engulfs ask for light. Ask God, ask others. Allow light to pierce through the darkness and overwhelm the fear in your mind, heart and soul.

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Game Changers

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    "Because what if we believed instead, that those little people we are sacrificing for each day, that they are growing up to be game changers." A Mustard Seed Journey Blog

    These words convicted me and resonated with me. So much of my energy is spent on prevention rather than creation. What is more of my energies were spent on creating rather than preventing, trusting rather than fearing?

    What are the needed boundaries AND needed freedoms?

    Prayer: God help us. Help us to discern needed boundaries and needed freedoms. May our energies be spent on creating, stemming out of faith rather than preventing, stemming out of fear. Amen.

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Hidden Hurts

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**
 
    Why our culture is one that runs to isolation when hurt, I don’t know. I know I run.

    We are a culture that puts on a mask and pulls back, pretending we are okay when inside we are deeply wounded. My prayer is that we would become people that share our wounds, our hurts. That we would not be afraid to “go there” wherever “there” is. That we would not be afraid of our own tears, pains and fears and we would not be afraid of another’s.

    May God help us to meet others in their hidden hurts. May the Spirit move us to see, hear and love those who hurt in silence and in shadows.

**Sit quietly again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Pushing Away

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    Not being able to control something or someone we often push away. Not understanding how to respond to someone with mental illness or physical handicaps we avoid. I am convicted by how often I push others away in fear. I am convicted that I push away and avoid rather than enter into and love.

    I do whatever is the opposite of incarnate. I do not enter in, I pull out. There is wisdom in how all this is done and I recognize each situation is different.

    What I do know about myself is that more often than not I pull out rather than enter in.

    Is there someone you have been pushing away? Might God be calling you to enter in?

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Courage, Fear and Faith

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in and silence for one minute before reading.**
 
    Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is walking forward despite fear … with faith.

    When God calls us into the unknown (it happens often, my friends!) we often a mixture of emotions. We walk courageously forward in faith. Often our faith is general, holding onto the simple yet deepest truths of God. He loves us, He is good and He is sovereign. We sometimes do not get any others details! (I know, it kills the type – A’s).

    How is God calling you to step forward in faith? What fears do you have? Talk to God, tell Him your fears and ask for the faith that helps you walk forward in courage!
 
**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Sharing Our Fears

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in and silence for one minute before reading.**
 
    How often do you share your fears with another? How often do you share your fears with God?

    In a culture that values “no fear” we are taught to ignore, avoid the reality that we do fear. To admit to fears communicates weakness.

    So, we are weak. You are weak, I am weak.

    So what do we do? We do not share our fears. We do not share our doubts because to do so would mean admitting we are weak.

    My prayer for us:

    “Lord, break us of our pride. Break us of our enticement to following the values of our culture. Bring us humility and grace. Help us to be people that share fears and graciously receive others’ fears. May we be compassionate people who love you, share our fears and minister to one another. Amen.”
 
**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

The Gift of Courage

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    What a gift to give someone courage! So many people live in fear. Fear of failing in a performance, fear of rejection, fear of loss, fear of pain, fear of travel, fear of (fill in the blank). We all are fearful and we all know how paralyzing fear can be.

    We have all also received courage from another. He or she gives us courage to stand up in front of others, to love, to get on an airplane. He or she gives us courage to believe stepping forward in faith is worth it, no matter what that step brings forth.

    Courage is a gift we offer others. We tell them it is worth the risk, it is worth trying, it is worth living.

    As we offer courage as we know One who is with us and walks alongside us. No matter what happens, whether we perform and succeed or fail, whether we love and remain in love/get hurt, no matter what, God is with us.

    How can you offer someone courage today? How can you encourage someone to step out in faith, knowing that God is with them all the way?

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Terror and Terrible Things

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

“Terror can make people feel like all they have is terrible choices.”
                                      – Ann Voskamp

    This line struck me as I read a blog post by Ann Voskamp. “Terror can make people feel like all they have is terrible choices.” Feelings of terror and fear lead us to desperately grasp for a way out, any way out of the feeling and reality of danger. The feelings of terror and fear lead me to feelings (and the reality) that I am truly NOT in control. So in desperation I reach for anything that will give me a sense of control, anything that will shelter me from the pain, from the fear, from the vulnerability … and this “anything” is not usually good. I grasp for control because I ultimately believe I am in charge of the my own security. I grasp for control because it makes me feel safe although this is far from truth.

    As I grasp for anything that will take away the feelings of fear and vulnerability I settle down into a self-made security that can crumble at any moment. Recognizing the instability of self-made security I continue to grasp, I continue to control.

    How about you? How does fear lead you to grasp for control, create your own security and rely on yourself? What would happen if you turned to God, the only One who we can find true security in?

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**

Fear and Following

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    There are so many voices competing for our attention and following. Advertisers, friends, family, God, culture, etc. The noise is loud around us and it is difficult to hear God’s voice.

    King Saul said this about fear and following, “I have sinned … because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”
   
    So often I fear what people think, what they will say or maybe even what they will do to me so I obey their voice. I obey what they think I should do, what they expect or maybe even something wrong. Because I care about self-preservation, being liked, etc and am afraid of people’s response, I listen to their voice. I fear and I follow.

    Many of us have heard God’s voice. We know what He is calling us to do. It may be spending time with your child rather than sending another email. It may be the call to teach and lead others rather than study alone and for yourself. Many of us have heard God’s voice but are afraid to follow because of what others will think, how they will respond, what they will do.

    How does fear of others lead you? How have you overcome that fear and allowed God to lead?

**Sit again in silence for as long as is available to you.**
Have more than two minutes? Read the story referred to above in 1 Samuel 15

Be Strong and Courageous

**Sit quietly, eyes closed in silence for one minute before reading.**

“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.” Joshua 1:9

    What fears linger in your mind? How has your heart been discouraged lately?
Much of my fear happens in isolation, particularly in the isolation of my mind, in my thoughts. No one knows I am afraid or discouraged unless I tell them. A close friend or husband might be able to tell through my actions or my tone, but to most people, they cannot see.
    If others cannot see my fear and discouragement that means I cannot see theirs either. I do not know what lingers in their minds and weighs down their heart.
    The command that God gives Joshua is a command for us as well. Be strong, be courageous for God is with you. God is WITH you, next to you, all the time, anytime. You are not alone and He knows your fears and your discouragement.
    May the presence of God empower and embolden you to live courageously, without fear and lifted up out of discouragement.

**Sit in quiet again for as long as is available to you.**

Your Worst Nightmare

**Sit quietly, relax and close your eyes for one minute before reading.**

    What is your worst nightmare? The thing that makes you gasp for air just thinking about it?
    We all have a worst nightmare and possibly more than one. We all have fears and nightmares of loss. Loss of someone, loss of something maybe even loss of a function or ability. There are things we dearly love and the thought of life without them is unbearable, unfathomable.
    Tim Keller says that our nightmares are indications of the idols in our lives, the thing(s) that take the place of God in our hearts.
    Have you ever thought that your worst nightmare may be an indicator of something that you hold greater than God?  Might it be something that you are holding on to too tightly?
    It is a challenge for me as well as a truth revealer of my heart. I do not want to admit it, but it’s true.
    When I think about my worst nightmares coming true God is often not just lower on the totem pole but He is out of the picture. I cannot fathom my worst nightmare becoming reality  nor can I fathom how God would meet me in it yet He promises He will.
    What is your worst nightmare? How can you release this fear to God and trust in His love and grace that will meet us wherever and whenever in life?

**Sit quietly again for as long as is available to you.**

The Unknown

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

God often calls us into it. It may be the unknown of a medical decision, the unknown of where we are moving to, the unknown of who our children will become, the unknown of finances, the unknown of (fill in the blank). Our lives are filled with unknowns and we often get frustrated when we cannot know. This frustration is based in fear. If we are honest with ourselves our fear is of the unknown and we wonder whether God will meet us there. The truth is God is already in the unknown. He is in the darkness and is waiting for us. He walks with us and meets us in the unknown. We love knowledge and we have been deceived into thinking we can have all knowledge. God calls us to faith. How is God calling you to have faith? What unknown will He meet you in? Prayers for you as you step forth into the unknown trusting God with it all.

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Does Fear Lead?

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

How does fear lead you? Maybe you fear being yourself. Maybe you fear making the wrong decision. You might fear being hurt or abandoned. You might fear losing someone or fear pain. Maybe you fear simpler things. We all fear and for some of us our fears lead. We often cannot name these fears, especially the deeper ones. Spend some time in prayer throughout the day, anytime you have opportunity and ask God to reveal your fears to you. Talk to Him, be honest and allow Him to help you trust Him rather than let fear lead.

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Bold Requests

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Bold Requests. Do you ever wonder what gives people the confidence to make bold requests?  How do they know what to ask for? Sometimes I do not make bold requests because I do not have the first clue of what to ask for. Sometimes I hesitate to make bold requests because fear of what someone will think of me. Bold requests can mean that you in fact do not have it all together.  Bold requests could mean that you need help.  I do not like to admit either one of those things yet they are true. Jesus wants your bold requests. He wants to hear from you. Lepers made bold requests of Jesus, accepting whatever outcome would come. The point of a bold request is not necessarily the answer but admittance that you need God's help and you speak that need. God is listening.  He wants to hear your heart. What bold request might you voice today?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**