Courage for Today

Providing Hope and Encouragement for Your Daily Christian Walk

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Encouragement

God Still Moves

Encouragement, Faith

As I am sitting here tonight, I am reflecting on what a wonderful privilege it is to worship the one true God. It is so easy, in today’s rapid paced and self-centered world, to get lost in culture and just general busyness that we forget sometimes to push back from the table and simply thank God for who HE is and what HE has done in our lives.

It is no secret that the world we live in has many, many problems and many of us are simply hurting right now. Some of you reading this right now are going through tremendous battles. Some of you don’t know how you’re going to make it to your next meal. Many of you don’t know what to expect from the next doctor’s report. Still others have loved ones who’ve gone astray and you don’t know what else to do. Whatever your situation is, we’re all hurting in some way, shape, or form and there are times we just simply want to give up. Let me assure you during those times of doubt, God still moves.

We must learn to cast our eyes on God and not the circumstances. Instead of praying that God remove you from the circumstances, pray that God delivers you through the circumstances. There is a difference. God always promises that HE will be with us, during the good and the bad. As painful as it may be, allow God to work in your life. HE will give you the strength to deliver you through your trial so that you will will come out victorious on the other side.

Allowing God to deliver you through the circumstances taps into God’s enormous strength in your life. A strength that will comfort you. A strength that will shape you. A strength that will place you in the safest place you can possibly be—in the center of God’s Will.

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Why Love God When My World is Falling Apart?

Encouragement, Strength

The short answer to the question is that God loves you and He loves you as you are.  He doesn’t love you for what you did or what you are doing or what you will do.  He loves you because you are you.  We all face life’s hurdles and you may be experiencing some now.  It is during these life hurdles when we tend to question God the most.  If God really loved me, would He allow these things to happen?  In the midst of life’s storms, it is natural to question why we should love God when our world seems to be falling apart. It is during these times, however, that embracing the love of God becomes even more crucial. When chaos surrounds us, God’s love can be our anchor, providing us with hope and strength to navigate through the turmoil. By choosing to love God in the face of adversity, we transform from the point of greatest weakness to the point of our greatest strength.  Why, you ask?  Because at that point, we get out of the way and let God handle the situation.

Finding Hope in Chaos

Life can often feel overwhelming, with trials and tribulations bombarding us from all directions. Whether it be the loss of a loved one, financial struggles, or health issues, these challenges can leave us feeling broken and hopeless. However, it is precisely in these moments that the love of God can shine the brightest. By turning to God and embracing His love, we can find solace and comfort in the midst of chaos. God’s love is a constant, unwavering force that can provide us with the peace and strength we need to endure. When our world is falling apart, it is through loving God that we find hope.

Unveiling Miracles: How Loving God Transforms Tragedy into Triumph

Tragedy has the power to break us, leaving us feeling defeated and hopeless. However, by choosing to love God even in the midst of tragedy, we open ourselves up to the reality of seeing God work in our lives. Loving God allows us to perceive our trials as opportunities for growth and transformation. It shifts our perspective from one of despair to one of hope. Through God’s love, we can find the strength to overcome adversity, discovering resilience we never knew we possessed. By embracing God’s love, we can transform our tragedies into triumphs, finding purpose and meaning even in the darkest of times.

In times of chaos and turmoil, it may be easy to question why we should love God. However, it is precisely during these moments that embracing God’s love becomes crucial. It has been my experience that during my lowest times is exactly when I should lean on God the most.  His love can serve as an anchor, providing us with hope and strength to navigate through the storm. By choosing to love God amidst the chaos, we can find solace and comfort, unveiling the miracles that can transform our tragedies into triumphs. So, even when our world is falling apart, let us hold on to the love of God and witness the transformation it can bring.

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How to Believe in God When I Don’t Attend Church?

Encouragement, Grace, Strength

Let me be straight with you right off the bat, I do believe church is important and I do believe we should attend a good, strong bible-centered church when possible. Why? Because we all need the fellowship and strength of other Christians to help us navigate through on our Christian life.  Being a Christian in today’s world is tough enough without having the support of other fellow believers.

Having said that, there are situations when attending church is not always possible.  My wife was a nurse for years before retirement and her job often required weekend work.  I have known other first responders and other professions that sometimes require weekend work.  I have also known people who physically cannot leave their home and attend church due to illness or caring for loved ones.  My mom was one such example.  I have also know others who have been tremendously hurt by people in the church and just don’t feel comfortable attending.  I have been in that boat myself and it took me years to start attending again.

If you find yourself in one of the above situations and aren’t currently attending church, always remember that your relationship with God is not confined to the walls of a church building. The church is not the building.  The church is the people. There are numerous ways you can nurture your faith, outside the physical church, until such time as you might be able to physically attend again.

Vibrant Faith Outside the Pews

Nurturing a vibrant faith outside the pews begins with embracing the idea that God is present in every aspect of your life. Look for divine connections in nature, such as the beauty of a sunrise or the tranquility of a forest. Take a moment to appreciate the simple joys that surround you, like the laughter of loved ones or the warmth of a cup of tea. By being content and grateful, you can create a spiritual peace within yourselves,

Always make sure you are engaging in personal bible reading or bible studies as well as maintaining a strong prayer life.   Doing so will keep your relationship with God as close as is possible.  Perhaps a local church has an online community, podcast, or sermon streaming events where you can participate.  When attending a physical church just isn’t possible, it doesn’t mean your relationship with God can’t be strong.  Look for opportunities when God might be leading you to call someone or write a letter or card to someone to encourage them—or sometimes be encouraged yourself.  God can still use you to minister to others even when you can’t leave your home.

Remember, wherever you are, God is with you, guiding and supporting you every step of the way.

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Empty Room and Full Heart

Encouragement

This past Mother’s Day I was thinking back on the life of my own mom.  Mom passed away in 2006 but was always such a positive influence on my life.  In fact, her impact on my life is still evident today.  Mom had many medical problems and was always in pain; yet, she always remained positive and always was looking out for the well-being of others.  Even though she was in worse health than most of those she encountered, she always found time to make sure they knew she cared for them.

I’ll never forget that sad day in 2006 when it was time for her funeral.  In her case, it was somewhat of a blessing that she was no longer in pain but obviously sad for me and my family that we would no longer get to see her bright smile.  The church sanctuary was filled with friends and family and the service was brightened by mom’s favorite hymns and stories about her life and testimony.  The entire service was so very comforting to me and my family.

After the burial, I arrived back at the sanctuary where the service had been conducted earlier that day. For some reason, I just wanted to visit the church one more time.  I’ll never forget how I felt that evening when I walked back in the church.  The sanctuary was empty.  All the flowers had been removed.  There was not a sound in the building except an occasional creak in the floor.  Just me in this large church building.

As I walked around the empty church, it reminded me of those times in my life when I have felt alone and isolated.  It reminded me of times when I felt like it was me against the world.  It reminded me of times when I felt insignificant and unappreciated and defeated.  It reminded me of those times when I felt like I was the only one. But, just as the sadness of the day and the pain of the moment reached its peak, my eyes landed on an open bible sitting on a table in the front of the church.  Seeing God’s Word reminded me of God’s presence.  I realized that I really wasn’t alone.

All of us go through those times when we feel like no one cares.  We have those times when life just continues to beat us down and it’s as if we are standing in an empty room all by ourselves.  When you have those days in your own life, I hope you’ll be reminded, as I was that day, that you’re never truly alone.  Even when everyone turns the other way, as long as you have Jesus, that is really all you need anyway.

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Dark Shadows

Encouragement

My wife and I just returned from a much needed vacation in the Smoky Mountains. We were able to take our camper and enjoy the great weather and the many things to see and do.  I dare say that we “shopped until we dropped” on many days.  The best part though was that we had the opportunity to simply take a break from our normal daily routines and just kick back our feet and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

Another exciting part of this trip was that this was the first opportunity to take our new dog Remi with us camping.  I had mentioned in a prior post that he is new to our family and has been with us almost a year now.  We weren’t sure how he would do being around all the other campers with all the excitement that goes on in a normal campground, but we were pleasantly surprised.  We had the opportunity to go on several hikes and we could have hiked all day with Remi and he would still keep going. He has much more energy than I do and he really enjoyed the hiking trails and streams and such.

On one particular hike, we were walking in a very shady, calm part of the forest.  As we meandered down the dark trail, we could see a small ray of sunshine working it’s way through the thick tree canopy.  As Remi got closer to the light, he began to see his shadow.  Unknown to him, it was his own shadow.  It was hilarious to see how this large shadow of himself actually scared him for a brief few seconds and caused him to run between my legs for protection.

This little episode with Remi got me thinking about those inevitable shadows that we face in life sometimes.  It seems like we can be walking along just fine when, all of a sudden, we are rocked and scared by a shadow we didn’t see coming.  When those shadows do come your way—-and they will—always remember a couple of things as you go through the darkness:  (1) There can’t be a shadow unless there is also light nearby.  Even when things may appear to be at their darkest, always remind yourself that God’s light is a close as your heartbeat and He will always see you through your journey; and (2) The shadow always appears larger than the real object.  The angle of the light shining through the trees that day made it appear that Remi’s shadow was as large as a giant bear but, in reality, the real object was as small as the dog itself.  Our minds have a way to make things seem worse than they really are.  Our job is to stay focused on the never-changing truth of God.

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Running From God

Encouragement

I have to admit that there are some ridiculous horror movies out today. Everything from the classics of old to the modern day slasher films. I don’t watch them very often because I just really don’t like horror flicks. To be honest, watching these movies makes me tired. It seems like someone is always running from someone or something and trying to avoid getting caught.

Just think about it for a moment. Either someone is running from a person about to slash them or trying to get away from some killer zombie. Or, better yet, trying to get away in their car that suddenly won’t start. Or, they get locked in some creepy motel room and they are being stalked by the sadistic motel clerk. I could go on and on but you get the picture. And, you’ve probably seen a lot of these movies. For once, I wish these folks in the movies would just lead a normal life and stop running into and from these killers. It sure would make their lives a lot easier.

Unfortunately, I think back in my own Christian life and, if I am honest, I have found my self doing the same thing. I don’t mean running from zombies. It’s even worse. I find myself running from God. There have been times God has clearly told me to do something or not to do something but, instead, of following his lead I run from those instructions like I am part of one of those horror movies. Why would I run from God? Why would I not want to do what he is directing me to do?

In looking back on some of those occasions when I was running from God, it really always boiled down to one thing: I thought that I was a better judge for my life than God. I felt like I knew a thing or two about what direction I should go and I didn’t really need God’s input. Call it arrogance or stupidity or anything else, but it’s wrong regardless. Even though it hurts sometimes and contradicts what I sometimes think is right, I have learned over the years to trust that sweet voice of God and trust that feeling of peace I always get when following God.

If your life seems a little out of sorts now and you just don’t have that feeling of peace that you think you should have, ask yourself a very simple question: Am I running from God? If you honestly answer “yes,” I would encourage you to try changing directions. Start running toward God instead of away from God. Embrace what HE has in store for you and your life instead of fighting it.

You’ll realize that HE has been there all along waiting for you with open arms.

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