Be Strong and courageous....

 Strong and courageous.....

Ten years ago I thought I needed a new prescription in my glasses...

A group of others and I were preparing to go to Mongolia and teach VBS to missionary kids. A wide variety of ages, experiences in the group, we wanted to venture out of our comfort zones and bless others...I was packing two trunks with crafts, lessons, prizes in anticipation of this adventure...but, I needed new glasses...or so I thought.

The doctor was visited and I was informed that instead of new glasses I needed surgery ASAP. That office visit was on Thursday and I was three hundred miles away and in surgery Monday morning....then weeks of recovery, head down for a while, no sight in one eye and no travel...a huge change of my plans...

So when I heard the same diagnosis a couple of weeks ago, it was not met with great jubilation...but God reminded me again that He has another path...which may not be to mine, but He has lessons for me to learn...

In the first event, I didn’t get to go, but He provided a much better person who needed that experience in her life to further her faith, I got to stay home and pray, learn new lessons, my husband got to go, but within months he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and we started down that path and my eye was taken care of so we could concentrate on his life.

As I prepared for this second surgery, He brought a dear friend who was experienced in care giving and also had a bad case of “cabin fever”...so we had a bit of fun before surgery and now she is caring for me as an antidote for her “fever”...

 As I read in Joshua 1 yesterday morning before the surgery, the words spoken, “ be strong and courageous “ popped off the page four times in one chapter. Then I looked that phase up and found it five other times... words of encouragement spoken both from God and men to others in life changing events...speaking down through the ages to us as well...thank YOU...

Moses speaking to Joshua...

Be strong and courageous. 

Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” 

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 

It is the Lord  who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:6-8

God speaking to Joshua....

And the Lord commissioned Joshua the son of Nun and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the people of Israel into the land that I swore to give them. I will be with you.”

Deuteronomy 31:23

Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. 

Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. 

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. 

Only be strong and courageous.”

Joshua 1:6-7,9,18

David speaking to Solomon...

Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the Lord commanded Moses for Israel. 

Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.

1 Chronicles 22:13

 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. 

Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. 

He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.

1 Chronicles 28:20

Hezekiah to the people....

“Be strong and courageous. 

Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 

With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” 

And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 32:7-8