My son finished a book called The Courage of Sarah Noble, a true story about a girl who came with the early settlers to North America and had to have courage to live among the Indians, whom she did not know while her father went back to their homeland to get the rest of the family. So this book and the essay he had to write on it, got us talking about this thing called courage.

Do you have it? This thing called courage? Hmmm. I sometimes wonder. I asked my son today what he learned from the book and he said “never give up.”  Sounds good to me. Wikipedia says courage is this. Charles Dubuis said “The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become” this takes courage. Helen Keller said “We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world” going forward in life after a series of disappointments takes courage but I am sure many who have been there would say they are more mature, better, and heck even dog gone amazed because of the things they have endured and continued anyway because they had courage. Perhaps you didn’t label it that, but that is what it was folks.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”

So do you have it? This thing called courage?

We need courage as mothers to stand up against the injustices and dangers facing our children;

We need courage as church leaders, pastors and planters because our gospel is a courageous one and we have to tell it when no one really  wants to hear it;

We need courage to believe God still has a plan for our lives so we can keep following and discerning His next steps for us;

We need courage to get out of our comfort zones and do what we have never done before;

We need courage to take a break, to get some rest, to declare a sabbath when everyone around us says “gimme, gimme, gimme more”;

We need courage to reveal our true self to the world that thought they knew everything about us already even if we are not sure they would still love us;

We need courage to admit that we are not as smart as people think or as naive as many hope;

Honestly, I believe we need courage everyday on this side of heaven to keep our faith strong, to believe in the good in this world, to dare to hope for a better future, to get married, to bring children into this world, to develop new friendships, to cut the toxic people in our lives off…for good this time, to work on our own spiritual development and face our screw ups and baggage of the past.

So do you have it? As for me…Maybe. Sometimes. Perhaps you feel the same. Yeah but not always. Today I am hoping YOU get the courage you need from God to step out and DO. Do what he has called you to do. Ok, do what you THINK he has called you to do. Do it passionately. Do it lovingly. Do it freely. But please “just do it”, a life of regrets is no life at all.

DARE. I pray that you dare to believe God for that crazy idea, that ludicrous plan, that wild vision. I hope you dare call up that person you know can help you in your life RIGHT NOW but you have some trouble swallowing the pride. I hope you dare say forgive me to that person you know you’ve hurt and at one time didn’t care.

DECIDE.  I pray that you will decide to believe in the crazy notion that we Christians usually speak to one another, share in bible studies and in sermons, that God REALLY does love YOU. That God really does have a plan for YOU. That God didn’t set you up to screw you up.

To DO, DARE and DECIDE we need courage. Everyday. This is my prayer for you!

A Prayer For Courage  (adapted from Internet Prayer by Rabindranath Tagore) 

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
But to be fearless in facing them.
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain,
But for the heart to conquer it.
Let me not look for allies in life’s battlefield,
But to my own strength through your strength.
Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved,
But hope for the patience to win my freedom.
Grant me that I may not be a coward,
feeling your mercy in my success alone,
But let me find the grasp of your hand in my failure.

Remember God’s word today. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9 Isn’t it good to know he’s right there! Courage.

My prayer for YOU and for ME is courage. The world needs people with courage.