I have a new survivor bracelet, a bracelet that reminds me what it means for me to be a cancer survivor. The band is my favorite shade of blue and the unusual metal part holds the words I want to live by...always BRAVE. I haven't been very brave lately. My heart has been sad and fragile since my grandma went to heaven, and so I have hidden behind a smile. I have held back my words; too much risk to let my heart be seen. It is time for me to be brave again!
Bravery comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be a physical act of courage. It can be living through a battle with depression. It can be fighting an illness. It can be dying for your faith, as people in other parts of the world are doing right now. It can be an honest conversation. It can be standing up for someone less fortunate. It can be having the courage to love. It can be so many more things. In every case, being brave means feeling or showing no fear; not afraid.
The only way that I can ever be brave is with Jesus standing next to me. The Bible is filled with verses that I read regularly to remind me that I do not have to live in fear. I can be always BRAVE!
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. Psalm 27:1, 3
I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 34:4-5
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalm 46:1-3
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. Psalm 91 (I love this whole Psalm!)
Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. Proverbs 3:24-26
So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:10, 13
In righteousness you will be established; Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. Isaiah 54:14
You came near when I called You, and You said, "Do not fear." Lamentations 3:57
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
If you struggle with fear, call out to God and grab a hold of those awesome words that show us the way to being always BRAVE!
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Saturday, March 7, 2015
she became a butterfly
Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over, she became a butterfly. I saw this and shared it on Facebook today. It spoke to the deep places in my heart and got me thinking about caterpillars, and metamorphosis, and butterflies, and myself. In so many ways, and on so many levels, this is an analogy for my life, and probably for yours too.
The caterpillar is just going about her business, eating leaves and avoiding birds. Maybe she knows and maybe she doesn't know about the big changes that await her. Meanwhile, she is growing bigger and preparing for the next stage of life. She is probably content and comfortable being a caterpillar, but at some point, something in her knows that the time has come, and she builds a cocoon to protect herself during a very vulnerable time in her life.
It is somewhat mysterious what exactly happens during the process of metamorphosis. We can't see inside the chrysalis and watch the changes happening. There are a lot of biological, biochemical, and morphological miracles going on and it seems to me that it is probably painful, or at least uncomfortable. One organism goes in, and another comes out. But it is not an overnight process; it takes time and patience.
The wait is worth it! When the metamorphosis is complete, a beautiful butterfly slowly emerges. Her emergence is yet another struggle that builds strength in her wings. She appears to be delicate and fragile, but she is stronger than you think. Soon, she is soaring above the earth. Caught by the breeze, she flies freely through the air, maybe glancing back at the cocoon that once protected her and knowing that she can never return to it. She is no longer confined to the ground, and the challenges it held for her seem small from her new perspective.
Her new-found beauty and strength and purpose is not appreciated by all. The birds still see her as food. Little boys and entomologists see her as a specimen to be collected. But some, like me, will stop and watch her with longing. Longing to be changed into something beautiful, longing to soar above the struggles of life, longing for purpose. I believe that God can work this kind of change inside me, and you, if we are willing. Someday, I hope I can say of myself, "She became a butterfly!"
The caterpillar is just going about her business, eating leaves and avoiding birds. Maybe she knows and maybe she doesn't know about the big changes that await her. Meanwhile, she is growing bigger and preparing for the next stage of life. She is probably content and comfortable being a caterpillar, but at some point, something in her knows that the time has come, and she builds a cocoon to protect herself during a very vulnerable time in her life.
It is somewhat mysterious what exactly happens during the process of metamorphosis. We can't see inside the chrysalis and watch the changes happening. There are a lot of biological, biochemical, and morphological miracles going on and it seems to me that it is probably painful, or at least uncomfortable. One organism goes in, and another comes out. But it is not an overnight process; it takes time and patience.
The wait is worth it! When the metamorphosis is complete, a beautiful butterfly slowly emerges. Her emergence is yet another struggle that builds strength in her wings. She appears to be delicate and fragile, but she is stronger than you think. Soon, she is soaring above the earth. Caught by the breeze, she flies freely through the air, maybe glancing back at the cocoon that once protected her and knowing that she can never return to it. She is no longer confined to the ground, and the challenges it held for her seem small from her new perspective.
Her new-found beauty and strength and purpose is not appreciated by all. The birds still see her as food. Little boys and entomologists see her as a specimen to be collected. But some, like me, will stop and watch her with longing. Longing to be changed into something beautiful, longing to soar above the struggles of life, longing for purpose. I believe that God can work this kind of change inside me, and you, if we are willing. Someday, I hope I can say of myself, "She became a butterfly!"
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