"True Courage"

You know that feeling when someone passes along a movie or a book right when you need it most? I've experienced that several times over the last 15 months and thanks to my friend, J...I've found another one!

She kept telling me it was a "mens' issues" book, but that it had really spoken to her. The author, Steve Farrar, is involved in men's ministry, so he has written this book with a heart for men. But my friend is right...this book speaks to anyone that just wants the courage to LEAP and trust that God will catch him...or her! It's based on the first six chapters of Daniel (before it gets into the prophetic portion of the book). I have another friend that's doing Beth Moore's study of Daniel right now...I think I'd like to do that one soon too!

Daniel lived an amazing life and we would be wise to follow his example. But in the first paragraph of the first chapter, Farrar had my complete attention when he wrote, "True Courage can throw you at first, because it's counterintuitive. In other words, it's the opposite of what you might expect." I wish I could count how many times in the last 15 months I've had a conversation with someone where we discussed how "counter-cultural" this life of surrender to Jesus truly is. It just does not make sense. That's why it takes faith, isn't it?

There is so much in this book to share...but you need to read it for yourself, so here are just a few highlights.

Three essential traits of true courage are humility, trust and hope. Oh...how these resonated within me. I've shared on here before how roughly 2 1/2 years ago Holy Spirit whispered to me the word "humility". And while it scared me to death, I told Him I was willing to do whatever it took to learn this lesson. I know I'm not completely there yet...but given our experiences, I'm a whole lot closer than I was 2 1/2 years ago.

And trust...this blog is a testimony...the good, the bad and the ugly...of God's attempt to teach me to trust Him. Again, I don't claim to have attained complete trust, but I do see His hand molding me into a child that trusts Him implicitly and without reservation. In fact, as J would say (I'm paraphrasing) 'Do you ever look around and start to think that you're supposed to be more worried than you are?' Yes...there are times that the peace I have, I'm sure, makes absolutely no sense to the casual (or not so casual) observer.

So to recap, He's been teaching me humility, I've been forced to learn how to trust Him...that only leaves hope. Is it any coincidence that on the business cards I want to get for Boundless Ministries, before reading this book, I had already written the phrase, "Offering help, hope and healing to single moms and their families"? How can I possibly offer hope to women who feel completely overwhelmed with their circumstances, unless I personally have experienced it? Farrar also says, "The greatest blessings of my life have all come out of my greatest disappointments." Isn't that why I feel compelled to lay open my life to a worldwide audience? If God can bring great blessings...which He does...out of the greatest disappointments I have experienced, isn't that some Good News (or Gospel) that demands to be shared? Amen!

A few other quotes that spoke to me:

"Our God owns history, and He owns the future.
Is that your perspective? Or do you think that God is limited? If you do, you don't have the God of Daniel, or the God of the Bible."

"Deuteronomy 8:18 says that "it is He who [gives] you power to make wealth" (NASB). Whatever you have is from His hand. And when you run out of what you have, He'll make sure a delivery shows up to get you through that day."

"It's possible for someone to be highly educated but spiritually illiterate. It's possible to read the words of Scripture without a teachable spirit. That is spiritual illiteracy. It's our tendency to read the Word and not apply it. But that must be fought against at all costs. A man or woman without a teachable spirit is doomed--they cannot grow. But with a teachable spirit, The Spirit of God can do mighty things in a person's life---and the lessons don't have to be learned the hard way."

There are many more I could share, but pick up a copy or borrow one from the library and let God's Holy Spirit speak to you personally. In the meantime, I'm reading through it again before I return it to my friend. I need a little True Courage right now and God has a lot of it to send my way! Amen!