ROAR - It is Time for Courage
Have you ever been to Africa and seen a real lion? I had the privilege of going to Tanzania in 2008. This magnificent animal was injured so he was placed into this cage in a Safari Orphanage to be cared for. In captivity, however, his speed and strength diminish daily. If he remains in the cage after he is recovered, his hunting skills and place as king of beasts will be threatened.
We are like the lion. If we have been injured and allow fear and manipulation to cage us in, our skills and purpose will produce no lasting fruit for the duration of our confinement. We, however, have a choice. Do we stay in our cage where we think we are safe or do we choose to courageously walk out into our freedom and take back our position? We can overcome fear by courageously taking the first step and acting on Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
There was a survey which asked people 80 years old and older what they would have done differently with their lives if they had the chance. The top three answers were:
1. Risk More 2. Reflect More 3. Do Something that Lasts Beyond Their Lifetime
Courage is one of the essential ingredients for implementing these three answers. After writing my book, the Incredible Life Makeover, a transformation movement has miraculously begun to spring forth in the hearts of women ready to become all they can be and ready to fulfill their destiny. This movement is being birthed by having the courage to take risks every day to get the message out and bring hope and healing to more lives, reflect on our mistakes and successes, and attempt to do something that will leave a lasting legacy for generations. Our third annual women’s event will be hosted at Beaver Creek Reserve on October 5th and 6th, 2018. This year’s theme is Becoming Beautiful Brides. We invite you to join us in encouraging and equipping women of the Chippewa Valley! See www.newlifefortoday.com for details, to download the event brochure, or to register online.
Are you ready for a new beginning? Ready to make a change or looking for a breakthrough? If 2018 has been a year of struggle and stretching beyond your breaking point, now is the day to press forward and commit to do everything in our power to make a difference in our family, workplace, and community. If we choose to move forward with courage, we will prove to ourselves that we are not weak as we keep going amidst adversity. We can bring the power of transformation found in God's kingdom into our everyday lives and release it everywhere the sole of our foot treads. We can keep the vision alive!
Without vision the people perish; without courage and inspiration, dreams die. Rosa Parks
Inspired by great women of the past like Rosa Parks, we can be the dream keepers of today. I encourage you to hope again, believe again, and dream again. God is able to do superabundantly more than we can ask or think... according to His power that works in us! (Eph. 3:20) He wants to work in and through us. We are the salt and light in the world. It is time to shine!
I offer this declaration written by Andy Andrews in The Final Summit as a personal mantra to begin our journey:
“For too long, I have allowed fearful thoughts to dominate my life. Now I recognize fear as a misuse of the creative imagination that has been placed inside me. In the past, I have allowed fear to shove all hope aside. No more! Fear no longer has any power to stop me from doing what I know to be right and true. I am no longer afraid. I am courageous. Right now, I will do something.”
Roar! It is time for courage. It is time to shine!
