1 My Hope and Joy: Be Strong & Courageous; Not Terrified or Discouraged

Friday, January 16, 2015

Be Strong & Courageous; Not Terrified or Discouraged



I originally printed this for Isaiah, who needed some extra encouragement that God was with him at night after a bout of very dark and scary dreams.  He wouldn't enter a room by himself or walk down a hallway by himself if it was dark, and sometimes even during the day.  After a lot of prayer with him and for him, he seems to have broken free of the fears that were holding him, Praise God!

This scripture from Joshua 1:9 was something that was on my heart for awhile to help him memorize, so I made the above image to hang on his wall for him to see at night and for him to review.

It seemed odd to me, then, that I kept coming across this verse in random places, almost like it was more than just for my son.  It almost seemed as if it was for ME!

Yesterday morning I casually mentioned to my husband that this particular verse seemed to be everywhere right now and that maybe we should expect something big that God was going to do and use us in, that we would need strength for.  God used these words to speak to Joshua right before they would go into battle to claim the promised land God had for them.  I asked Matt if he thought we'd be going to battle somehow and maybe it would be with the adoption, as that is a big priority and goal right now.

Wouldn't you know it, but a friend that has been helping us along in this adoption journey stopped by Matt's office yesterday and chatted with him.  Come to find out, our income COULD play a role in whether we can adopt or not.  And then there's the many, many instances of social workers overstepping their boundaries in the news right now.  And we're going to invite these people in?  Lord, help us have faith that what you are bringing us to, you'll bring us through.  Coincidence that God was telling us to be strong and courageous?  Nope, God knows exactly what he's doing.  He gave us this scripture for such a time as this, and not a moment too soon.

I only hope that through our journey of adoption and more importantly, faith, that we are strong, courageous, not afraid or discouraged, because our God is with us and goes before us wherever we go!  I pray we can shine for others and God would get the glory for it all.

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