For this month’s edition of Prayer Corner, Kathy will be sharing with us on what God has been teaching her about courage

May ’23: Courageous
By Kathy J.

For me all the lines blur. Prayer. Listening. Meditation. Worship. Reflection. Dreams. Writing. Living alongside. Living in solitude. Each one borrows colors from the other. I tune in and ask, “What are You saying?” Lately all things seem to point to “Courage”. The answer makes me shiver a little.

It takes courage to trust and obey when there are more blank spaces than solid minutiae.

It takes courage to willingly be trained by hardship.

It takes courage to face your own darkness.

It takes courage to be vulnerable and love another.

It takes courage to articulate your faith in action and in words.

It takes courage to humbly wait in active anticipation of your “for such a time as this”.

We are not alone:

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. —Deuteronomy 31:6

Even in our distress, we find God there:

They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” —Mark 6:49-50

We believe in the His good purposes and we choose to go forward, even when it’s hard:

Run in such a way as to get the prize. —1 Corinthians 9:24

We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. —Romans 5:3-4

We repent:

In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. —Isaiah 30:15

We risk to love well:

Love one another deeply, from the heart. —1 Peter 1:22

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. —1 John 4:18

Our lived lives (not our perfected image) and honest words are our testimony:

Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. —1 Thessalonians 2:8

Our lives of purpose, are sufficient preparation for doing greater things:

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. —Philippians 1:20-21

And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well, with me

Search: It Is Well – Kristene DiMarco | You Make Me Brave – YouTube