Coming Alive in Courage

 

Courage.  That’s a word that is easy to say. It can roll off the tongue.  But when it comes down to it, sometimes it can be super hard to find it.

This word ties to words like faith, believe, fearless ect.

I don’t know about you but I feel like these words should have some sort of fight song behind them.  

I like to think of myself as fearless.  I love to travel to third world countries.  I can quickly kill a cockroach with my shoe without even flinching. Snakes.. well that is pushing it, but I have been known to kill one wielding the quickly grabbed wooden spoon.

But.. if you ask me to ride a roller coaster that’s a whole different story.

This year I was doing a thing called Power Sheets.  It’s a Goal planning system ( you can find more about it here ) Frankly I am a dreamer but not good at the action steps.  I could find myself easily stuck in the dreaming phase, but well– you cannot experience any of the dreams getting done, so I started this goal planning system this year.  And well.. the pages are cute and beautifully designed so that helps.

One of the pages, as you prepared to work on your goal ideas and action steps, was to write your fears.

I was guilty of thinking, well this will be easy.  I am fearless.

But as I prayed and put pen to paper I wrote the first thing that came to my mind.

Fear of success.

Then in the next line, I wrote the next thing that came to my mind.

Fear of failure.

I was shocked as I wrote them down.  It was like the Holy Spirit highlighted something HUGE for me.  I realized that these things will keep me stuck “in between”.

I am currently reading through Joshua.  There are some moments when there is promised land coming, but the people sure could get stuck in between if they let fear talk.

Faith is believing in the darkness what God shows you in the light.  (click to tweet) 

Those Israelites had to believe in the promised land victory even when they were standing before the Jordan River and wondering how they would cross.

They had to believe in the promised victory even in Joshua 6 when God gave them what seemed like a crazy battle plan.

March and be quiet, these walls will come crashing down.

I would have been stuck at the be quiet part.

Joshua 11 tells us of the victory in Hazor.  I will be honest that never really meant anything to me until I got to visit Hazor in Israel. It was a massive expansive of land.  The words of our guide still echo in my heart.

Whoever controlled the land of Hazor controlled the land.

But Hazor was full of Canaanites who actually had weapons.  And Chariots.  And all the things that the Israelites did not have.

But what they didn’t have was a plan from God for promised victory.

God’s victory plan for our lives does not always look like we expect.

And it does not come without fear.  And needing a good dose of courage, faith and belief.  Even when it looks dark for however long it looks dark.

I remember God whispering to my heart in Hazor as I looked out over that vast expanse of land.

What victories I want to accomplish I will accomplish.

 

Courage is worshipping while I wait.

Faith is believing God has a plan.

And Belief involves taking risks.

This year I know God has called me to all of these things.

And I suspect He has called you also.

I am praying for you.

Would love for you to leave a comment and let me know How I can be praying for you.

 

Ps:  Let me tell you about some great resources if you are looking to move forward in courage.

Join us for our first Online Bloom conference.  You do not have to be present live, you can — or you can watch the link later.  All you need is a computer and a heart ready for awakening.  Click here  for more info.

My friend Deb Brown has an incredible book out on living bravely called Brave as a Girl can be.  It is available here