Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Never say never, never, never.



Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that
                     something else is more important than fear.                   


 
 
"I'm never going to fly. Never, never, never! 
God is going to have to do something really big for me to get on a plane."

I giggle to myself as I type those words.

I remember how my husband felt as we discussed the possibility of flying.

He had made up his mind, and he wasn't changing it...
ever.

I love how God pursues us,
even in the places we would least expect.

He looks for us, moment my moment, wooing us to Himself.


More often than none...
He finds us in the darkest of places,
in the weakest of moments,
and
in the scariest of fears.

He goes to the pit with us and isn't afraid to sit in the midst of the dust with us.

He calls us to those situations that will bring out our courage,
overcoming the things that we feared in the first place.

He goes into the fire with us,
being our strength,
and helping us to become courageous.

Giving us the strength not to leave the fire,
but to stand up in it despite the heat of the flames.


He will bring us straight to our fear,
not to be defeated by it,
but to overcome it.

Not to make us weaker,
but to make us stronger.

Then, He refines us within it.
The fire, our fear,  being the very thing that brings out His greatness in us.


courageous~possessing or displaying bravery, valiant, able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching, expressing courage.



My heart palpitated loudly as he hugged me tightly.

His small blue backpack draped over his shoulder and his sunglasses sitting firmly on top his head,
as he approached the airport terminal.

The kids and I looked on as his figure became smaller and smaller the closer he reached the gate.

He turned around to look at us one last time,
and he grinned a grin I had never seen before.

His courage peaking out for us to see.


God did that something.

That something big.

And because of that big thing, my sweet husband boarded a plane yesterday to fly across the country to begin a new journey.

One that has God's fingerprints all over it.


One that is so great, that I am still trying to wrap my head around it.



Psalm 23:3
He gives me new strength.
He leads me on paths that are right for the good of His name.


He pursued my husband in his fear,
and together...

they are courageous.

He called me when he landed at his destination.
With a voice overflowing with excitement he said,

"Never in my mind, did I think I would ever fly through the clouds.  You should have seen them.  It was beautiful."


Never say never,
never,
never...

because you never know when or where God will call you to be courageous,
turning your fear into something beautiful.







Daniel 3:16-28

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.  He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 

Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.  For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.  But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.
 
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.”  He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the god. 

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!”

Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God."

2 comments:

  1. That was beautifully written, Tammy. Your words move me and touch me in that God place! So glad to have you as a sister in Christ. May God continue to bless you and your family richly. May you experience his abundance as you continue to touch souls with words from your heart. Love ya sista girl, Carolyn Alcina

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Mrs.Carolyn! Your words mean so much! Love ya right back! :-)

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