Be Strong And Courageous

I devour books.  More often than not, I will learn more life lessons from a Christian novel than a “how to” book.  Recently, this seems to be the case.  So after my last post, the next day I was reading a book called Together Forever by Jody Hedlund.  These lines caught my attention,  

• “ It took more courage to love in the face of loss than to close oneself off out of fear of getting hurt.”

Seems to be God’s theme for me currently if you read yesterday’s post.

• “So you’re saying that sometimes it takes courage to stop living in the shadows and move into the sunshine?”

I like a room with light.  I open all the draperies and blinds and I turn on the lights - even in the daytime.  Darkness is depressing for me.

It is time to break free from the fear and insecurity, that sense of doom that keep me in darkness.  It is time to step into that sunshine and away from the shadows.

Courage!  Be strong!  Guess I am not the only one who needs reminding often.

God reminds Joshua numerous times, Be strong and courageous. Then David encourages Solomon a couple times saying the same thing, Be strong and courageous.  I am in good company.

Deut.31:6,7,23
Joshua 1:6,7,9,18
Joshua 10:25
1 Chronicles 22:13; 28:10,20;
2 Chronicles 32:7

Starting To Live

It was a novel, Healing Autumn’s Heart by Renee Andrews, about the grief of a father and his young daughter who when she lost her mother barely spoke anymore that started this contemplation with the line, 

• “it’s time for you to start living again”.

I could relate on many levels. I found I too had stopped “talking”. Not physically but spiritually. I stopped writing newsletters. I stopped sharing my heart.  I stopped writing this blog.  With no outlet to share life’s journey, the revelation of God’s working went dormant in my life. Seeing his hand in things, feeling his touch, his presence died in me.

Death is not always just the physical passing from this life to eternal life.  Death can be a draining of your emotions leaving you empty, dejected and in despair but still breathing.  

The sense of loss brought fear and anger. Afraid of more loss, I  found myself striking out with anger so my heart would no longer feel and I discovered that the anger kept me energized so I could make it through each day.  

However, I also discovered, you end up walking through each day without feeling life; without feeling the joy and happiness that brings hope to each day. You become buried alive beneath that weight of death and despair.

Yes, it’s time to start living again.

Yet how? This blog? What will be next?