BE MORE COURAGEOUS‼

In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow encountered the Cowardly Lion on their way to see the Wizard.  At first, the lion pretended to be ferocious until one -- more courageous than he -- confronted him.  When the Cowardly Lion began to chase Dorothy’s dog, Toto, she ran out of hiding and smacked him on the nose.  That’s when they discovered the lion was a fake.  Dorothy is a perfect example of bravery in the face of fear, and of how courage overrides that fear.

Confrontation is probably one of the hardest things for some to do, and yet it is so very necessary.

I had a former coworker whose habits used to annoy me to no end.  I wouldn’t address her actions, I just put up with her behavior day in and day out.  It got to the point where I tried to avoid her as much as possible, but that didn’t work because her job directly interacted with and affected mine.  After about a year of putting up with her shenanigans, one day I finally exploded all over her like a volcano eruption. It was not pretty.  If I had dealt with the situation long before I was past fed up, I am sure I would’ve handled the problem much better.  I realize now that the person most harmed by not confronting the situation was me.  Harboring resentment is never healthy.

Another time, I had a new boss whom I needed to confront his behavior toward me.  I was petrified, but I liked my job and knew it must be done.  The discussion went well. He received my feedback and even corrected his actions. The relationship blossomed from there.  The remainder of the time I worked under him, we respected one another. It was one of the best jobs I ever had.  I am glad I summed up the courage to discuss it with him.

Webster’s Dictionary defines courage as the mental and moral strength to venture out, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.

Nelson Mandela was known to say, “I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Sometimes fear can be deception creating the emotion from an imaginary problem.  When I first moved into the house with my husband, I heard noises that sounded as if they were in our house, but it was actually a next door neighbor going in and out of their house.  These strange noises were freaking me out and always seemed to occur when I was home alone. Someone created an acronym of the word FEAR.

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real… 

…and freaking me the heck out when I was home alone.

Another inspiring person created an acronym for COURAGE.

Continuing

Onward

Under

Rigorous

And

Grinding

Experiences

Recently, I heard a song that spoke to me so deeply.  The song is called The Breakup Song by Francesca Battistelli.  She is breaking up with fear because she has had as much of fear as she can take.  She said she refused to let fear tell her what she is not, because her identity is entirely strong, brave and free. This is Francesca triumphing over fear. She sang that fear has no part in her story and will never be welcomed here. I put this song on repeat until I had memorized all the lyrics and could recite them in my sleep.

Where does courage come from? What makes some more courageous than others? Does the Navy SEAL soldier shake in his boots on the battle field? I’ll bet he is brave in spite of the fear.

I am reminded of the story of David and Goliath.  Long before young David fought and killed this nine-foot giant, he was shepherding his father’s sheep. He confronted a lion attempting to escape with one of the sheep, and another time, a bear tried to attack his flock. On both occasions, David went after the predators and struck and killed these ferocious animals. By the time David encountered Goliath, he had full confidence that Goliath was meat for the buzzards.

Breaking up with fear may be hard to do, but I am going to practice, practice, practice until I build up enough courage to override the fear that is prohibiting me from accomplishing more and being all I can be. David killed a lion, killed a bear, and killed Goliath.  He went on to become a great warrior, and eventually became king.  How much more could I accomplish with this same mindset?

The Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz summed it up…

What makes a king out of a slave?

What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage!

What makes the elephant charge his tusk, in the misty mist or the dusky dusk?

What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage!

What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder?

What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage!

What makes the Hottentot so hot?

Who puts the "ape" in apricot?

And what have they got that I ain't got? COURAGE!

He Knows My Name

I don’t remember what triggered the thought, but yesterday I said to the Lord, “When I get to the pearly gates, I don’t want You to have to lean over to the angel and ask him to remind You what my name is. I want to live my life down here so when You see me coming, You say, ‘Hey, here come Sugar Sweet!’”

I recall a passage in Matthew 7 where Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

He said, “I NEVER knew you.” I don’t want to be that one He NEVER knew, and neither do I want to be the one the angel has to remind Him of my name.

When the prodigal son returned to his father, he saw his son coming from a long way off and ran out to meet him, fell on his neck, and kissed him. Now that’s what I’m talking about! 

Today I was watching videos while I cleaned the kitchen and a song came on by Tasha Cobbs Leonard called You Know My Name. She said, “Oh, how You walk with me, and oh how You talk with me, and oh how You tell me, I am Your own. You know my name.” 

He knows me! He knows my name! And when the time comes, He’ll gladly welcome me home.

The Worst in Me

Westerns is one of my husband's favorite things to watch on TV. I am more into reading, so that's what we do when we're relaxing at home. He's watching Westerns and I'm reading.

Writer's like to think that every story has to have an antagonist, and especially writers of Westerns. The problem is, it always seems to bring out the worst in me. I get distracted from my reading and I am now hoping someone will shoot the cantankerous and onery antagonist. No grace, just shoot him dead, and I'm always relieved when that happens. Someone finally puts them out of my misery.

One of the things that fires up my anger, are people who are evil for sport. They get their kicks out of their troublesome ways.

Psalm 139:19 (NKJV) Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

What does that say about me, that I am sitting there wishing someone would shoot this character so we can move the story along with him out of the way?

Why is it that I have no compassion for them? How does God manage to have endless mercy and abounding grace for these type people and I have none? (Heavy sigh.)

How ironic isn't it that the worst in them is also bringing out the worst in me? The difference however, is that I'm concerned about it in a way that they're not. I heard a preacher say, "You may sin the same sin you used to sin when you were a sinner, but you don't sin the same sins in the same way." The Holy Spirit's presence in our inner being incites conflict, so our attitudes toward our actions are different than they used to be. So even if I'm overcome by a wicked desire to see harm come to my fellow man, there's a part of me that's not really okay with that.

The apostle Paul describes it this way:

Romans 7:19-25 (NLT) I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life-that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

The Answer: Sow to the Spirit and reap everlasting life.

Galatians 6:8-9 (NKJV) For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Little by little

Day by day

Jesus is changing me

In every way.

It's been slow going

But there's a knowing

I'm not the same person

I used to be.

Oh how excited I am to see

The future dazzling, wonderful me!

Keep calm and carry on.

Learning to Trust Again

The reason Lucy keeps pulling the ball away when Charlie attempts to kick it, is because she keeps remembering that very first time. She held the ball but Charlie Brown kicked her hand. Now she has trust issues remembering the pain she felt.

How do you trust again when pain stands in the way? And just about the time you think you've gotten past it, you snatch the ball away, proving that it still has you instead.

God wants to heal you every where you hurt.

Lift your hands to Him and say,

God I need You

I need You right away.

God will take the pain away and cause your heart to trust again. 🛐

Dear Lord, God of my salvation, take this pain away, put a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and dancing in my feet. Don't let the disappointments of life take me out and keep me stunted in a place of constant mistrust. Let Your presence come and Your healing touch bind up my wounds. Let forgiveness take place. Take away my skepticism and let me trust again, living life to the fullness that You intended, fulfilling the purpose You meant for me. Stop me from hurting myself and others. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen. 🙏