Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Stay Alert

Because someone needs to hear this truth today: 



"Stay alert! 
Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. 
He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 
Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. 
So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.  
All power to him forever! 
Amen." 
- 1 Peter 5:8-11

With a Courageous Heart, 
~~Robin


Saturday, March 15, 2014

Many


I can't tell you the number of times I've read these verses in James, but I can tell you there are two colors of highlighter on them in my Bible and those first few pages of his letter are pretty dog-eared.

As often as I know I've read them, I've always glossed over the word MANY.
Have you?

If you've memorized these verses does it go something like this in your head? --

"consider it pure joy when you face trials of any kind..."

No?
Well, maybe it's just me.

Some folks get hung up on the "consider it pure joy" part.
And that makes sense - it's HARD to find joy, much less dwell on it when you're in the middle of a mess.
We pretty much dwell on the mess, right? 

But think about that word here - MANY.
Don't we often encounter hard times on top of difficult circumstances in addition to out of control situations?
You know, piling on of the worst kind.

Trouble always seems multiplied and maybe it's because when we are in the middle of a mess, anything else that goes wrong seems all the worse because it's

"just one more thing."

Truth is, God is working in all of it.
We may hate these times, feel overwhelmed by them - but we have a God who is never daunted by our tough times. 
Ooh, that's good - I'll repeat it: 

We have a God who is NEVER daunted by our tough times.

He weeps when we weep. 
He hurts when we hurt. 
His heart breaks for His children. 

BUT

He knows that if we trust Him, 
rest in Him, 
and breathe deeply of the peaceful air He offers - 
we will be changed for the better when we come out on the other side of heartache.

Multiplied mess becomes multiplied JOY when we allow the trials of life 
to shape us and not break us.


"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."(v. 4)

He is SO good, isn't He?

With a Courageous Heart, 
~~Robin

Friday, March 14, 2014

Fall or Fly?

I needed this reminder today,
did you?


With a Courageous Heart,
~~Robin

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

The Gift

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."
- Psalm 27:13
 
Today would have been my Grandma's 98th birthday.
Today has been 5 months since I last spoke to my Mom or held her hand.
Today I said my goodbyes to my Uncle Herman.
Today my sweet Emma got hired for her first job.
Today I feel more 5 than almost 50, exactly when did I become the grown-up?
The Mom. The Wife. The mentor.
The glue.

Today I received the gift of sitting by the ocean, the constant beating of the waves a balm to my soul.
It shouldn't be.
Today is March 11th.
Winter.
Yet it's 63 and sunny.
At the ocean.
If that's not a gift from the Jesus who loves me then I have no explanation.
My Heart is full.
With a Courageous Heart,
~~Robin

Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Silent Time

"You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.  My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever." - Psalm 73:24-26


It's been a while since I've met you here. 24 days to be exact.

24 days that life has overtaken me and I've allowed my circumstances to dictate my actions.
24 days of silent time.

The enemy and I have been in a battle, he and I, and I've been losing. Giving in to thoughts and feelings that at times have threatened my existence in the victory I know I have in Christ.

I hate this battle.
Hate these times that I just can't shake the voice of the one who calls me 'less than'.
Worthless.
Unloved.
Foolish.
Abandoned.
Ridiculous.

As a child of God, I'm supposed to be able to rebuke him. To brush him away like a crumb from my sleeve.
But it's not always that easy.

He knows my weaknesses. My soft spots. The places in my heart that are still vulnerable to his lies about who I've been, who I am now and who I'm destined to be. 

"I'm a mess." I confessed to a dear friend earlier this week, pain spilling out of my heart and onto the table between us.
The good news is that even when we don't feel the presence of God, can't sense His tangible force that guides us, He is always with us.
And He makes sure to connect us with the ones who can speak the most pertinent truth into our lives at the time.

My friend knows me well, we "get" each other spiritually and emotionally, having walked some of the same paths over the years. And God being God, He gave my friend the exact words I needed to hear.
Words that would allow me to find my victory in Christ again and kick the enemy to the curb.

"Robin, you need to remember that there are people out there who need what you have to offer. Who need to hear and read what God has put in your heart to share. You need to get back to work."

And with three simple statements, I remembered once again who I am.
More specifically, WHOSE I am. 
And the work that He's given me to do.

Time to get to work again.

With a Courageous Heart,
~~Robin