Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Courage...



"To be nobody but myself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make me somebody else - 
means to fight the hardest battle any human can fight, and never stop fighting." 
e.e. cummings 

Are you consumed with living up to other people's expectations? 
Trying to win their approval?
If the answer is yes, are you exhausted yet?

Mind if I intervene? 
A complete, idle, fruitless waste of time.
Trust me on this.

John Eldredge said "Without a deep and burning desire of our own, 
we will be ruled by the desire of others." 
I concur.

It's easy to let the opinions of others dictate our course, isn't it?
To succumb to the pressure.
Allow ourselves to be persuaded against our gut instinct.
Even at some level allow ourselves to be manipulated.
And why... because we dare to be unconventional?
Because we choose to go against the flow?

"The truth is, we will exhaust ourselves by performing for a world that does not want to praise us.
Let us choose to live for God's approval, and find freedom from others controlling our confidence!" ~ Sheri Rose Shepard

Yes! 

My dear friend said that quote is front of the fridge material....I couldn't agree more.....*print*

It will take courage sweet bellas, to be who you are destined to be. 
It will upset the comfort zones of those around you.
And it will cause a ripple effect.

I'll close by sharing a story that Max Lucado recounts in his book "Grace for the Moment." He tells it like this: "There is a legend from India that tells of a mouse who was terrified of cats until a magician agreed to transform him into a cat. That resolved his fear...until he met a dog, so the magician turned him into a dog. The mouse-turned-cat-turned-dog was content until he met a tiger - so, once again, the magician changed him into what he feared. But when the tiger came complaining that he had met a hunter, the magician refused to help. "I will make you into a mouse again, for though you have the body of a tiger, you still have the heart of a mouse."

I looked up the definition of courage...it is defined as: 
"a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain with confidence and resolution."

The definition of resolution: "1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination. 2. A resolving to do something."

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Psalm 31:24

Let us resolve to walk through the rest of this day with courage and receive the strength that comes from Him.
That is my hope for myself today.
And for all of you...

21 comments:

  1. I think you've just provided me with my quiet time. I will reflect and meditate on Psalm 31:24 today. Many thanks.

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  2. you always know what to say to make me feel better.....thank you my friend!

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  3. How do you always know what I need to hear?? I just love and look forward to Wednesday mornings now. You are a gift sent to all of us and I cherish you so much. I will call you to catch up soon.

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  4. I just love this posting and agree with you so much! I want to share it with my granddaughters who are in their second year of college and want to try and pave their own way. They are 20 year old twins and being who God wants you to be is so hard for young people today. So far, they are doing just that, but don't have many friends as they are not like most college kids who want to party and all that kind of "stuff".

    BTW--I love that photo of you too! You are a beautiful Sweet Bella! :-)

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  5. Beautiful thoughts and quotes...very inspiring. Thank you for writing this and giving us such a marvelous part of your self!

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  6. 1. You have gorgeous hair.
    2. I love this post.
    3. Courage isn't always easy to come by, but God walks by our side each step of the way. :)

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  7. Beautiful, uplifting post! I really enjoyed reading it... I know I wouldn't be where I am if not for the grace and goodness of the Lord! It is so much easier to be brave when I know I'm on His team :) Thank you for writing this!

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  8. What a meaningful and beautiful post. I love it. I really enjoy your quotes and stories. Thanks for sharing....you've got me thinking deep (or I should say try to think deep). :)

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  9. Oh such wisdom in your words! Such truth! God has designed each and every one of us with a unique and special design...and the gifts He choosed to give us can be enjoyed fully when we use them to glorify Him. Your opening quote says it all and is perfect. Thank you for your beauty...inside and out and I love that photo my precious sister!!! xoxo

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  10. Dear bella, so sorry I missed your latest post, with my ongoing illness for all these weeks, I am so behind with all my comments. You are a vision of "loveliness" ...those sunglasses are so stunning, you are so perfectly poised and I can feel your calmness and serenity, like a cool gentle breeze in the beautiful scenery that surrounds you!
    Such words of wisdom, so true that we just exhaust ourselves, not just for the world, but for people around us that may not want to accept us for who we are.
    I have found a beautiful quote by a favorite author of mine:

    “When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”
    ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

    We all must find our own paths, and have courage to lead the way where we don't have to wait for others' approval, or we will always be of disappointment to ourselves...never mind others that have a tendency to make us feel that way. We must have the courage to allow ourselves to make the mistake, and correct it! Courage is within us which is guided if we just ask for guidance!
    xoxo

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  11. I am in need of some courage...we've been walking a rough road, and I feel like we are about to face another big obstacle. Thank you for your encouragement, sweet friend. It means so much to me!

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  12. Very well put. Happy SITS day!

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  13. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

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  14. What a beautiful entry. Came over via SITS and looking forward to checking out more of your entries. :)

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  15. Jaime, what a beautiful ending sentiment. And fully acknowledging it; the same goes to back to you.

    I love this post. Somehow I knew I would, before I even got over here to check out your site. We share common beliefs. A little cake (or any kind of good food, really - I said "cake" because of your header), a little love, and a little encouragement can go a long way. Your blog is just what the doctor ordered!

    Happy SITS Day, kindred spirit! I hope that you're having a fabulous day!

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  16. Lovely post! Passing by from SITS! Enjoy your day!

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  17. I love all the quotes! Thank you for sharing them and your calming words.

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  18. Enjoyed reading that. Thank you. Completely fits the journey I'm on for myself.

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  19. HAPPY SITS DAY! Thank you for your words of encouragement to be ourselves, please ourselves, and live for today!

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