Do you Courage or Face Plant?

Courage today is an adjective. Do courage! Get courage done! (Well, that is how I am viewing it today!) Do I courage or face plant? Some of both to be honest.

After researching, studying, learning and gaining knowledge about the book proposal I have due on January 15th, OKAY, lets just call it what it really is...procrastination, two lessons really spoke to me on Sunday saying, "Just get is started already, won't ya!" 

Lesson one spoke of Courage. Paul said, "I can do all this through him who give me strength," Philippians 4:13. Paul shared his message in so many hardships that I cannot even imagine facing today. So, what am I waiting for? A little sleepy? WOW! That seems so minute compared to Paul's sufferings. I can push through weariness to share my message, too. I just have to use His strength and not my own.

Maybe that is what I am supposed to be learning...dependence on someone else. I'm not good at that, for sure. For example, I am not good with anything that deals with technology. So, why do I try to keep doing it on my own? It just frustrates me! And, it looks sub-par.

I can't be worried about getting noticed or the amount of followers I gain. I need to have faith that God will use my message and get it to the people who need it the most. Maybe only one...but it matters to that one.

The question was asked...What does courage look like to me? I could say the heroes that fight for our country. I could say the people battling cancer courageously. I could say the single mom raising two kids. I could say the alcoholic who has been sober four months. I could say the woman who forgave the drunk driver who took her son's life.

However, does God see my courage as less than because it is not an illness, a loss of a leg from an IED, an addiction I battle or an abusive spouse I deal with? I have to talk myself into saying a loud, "NO!"

God sees my contribution as sweetness to Him. When I don't step into courage and contribute what He has designated me to accomplish, my message is sacrificed for my selfishness.  What good is that?

Lesson two came in small group. We are studying about being a Fan or a Follower of Jesus. The piercing question posed was: Do you pursue comfort or Jesus? Too often, I admit, I pursue comfort. Do I love his company, safely reading my Bible or do I apply it, scared to death, in the world with strangers? Do I say I will follow or start to really apply my gifts after...after...after...?

After the house is clean I will write my message. After the kids go to bed I will study. I am putting Jesus off until those things that never stay done get done. What am I holding too tightly too? The perfect moment, the perfect time? The perfect thought? It will never be perfect, so I have to get that notion out of my head.

All these questions are good ones that I will revisit many times to get motivated when I feel frustrated and tired of trying.

Challenge: Based on your gifts and talents the Lord has given you, what does it look like to be courageous with your gifts?

Blessings my friends! Prays for me that I courage today and not face plant! What do you need prays for today to help you courage?