Courage for the New Year
A friend of mine put out a call last week to come up with a theme word for the coming year. As I thought about this, God kept bringing the word Courage to mind. I certainly know that this has been a recurring theme in my life the last few years. So I’m not sure if God is just reminding me of the courage that He has blessed me with over the last couple years or if He is letting me know that I will need even more in the coming year.
Either way, it is a good reminder to me as a new year begins . I always like reflecting back over the year that just ended and have been able to see how courage has been replaying in my life. It is something that does not come naturally to me and am so thankful that God has challenged me to exhibit this recently.
God has graciously blessed me with a warrior husband. So I have spent the last 29 years watching as my husband has fought for our family, exhibiting extraordinary courage. Battles for our protection, our wellbeing - mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. It’s hard being married to a warrior - they often have to fight battles no one else seems to see. Which usually makes us the “crazy” people in a group, often misunderstood. Particularly Mike as he has been viewed as obstinate, or even worse, “toxic and controlling”.
In the earlier years of our marriage, I confess that I didn’t always understand the battles, but I trusted Mike and always knew he had our best interests at heart and knew he was always trying to listen to the Holy Spirits guidance. And let me be clear, I always 100% stood with him and was grateful that he was willing to stand firm when I was being tossed around by emotions. I also have come to view his warriors heart and protection for what it is, a gift.
Not everyone understands when you take a stance that goes against the mainstream. As someone who has always been a peacemaker, wanting to go along to get along, agree to disagree, avoid confrontation and not feel like an outsider, it hurt when people turned against us. But I am thankful for those who have understood. our hearts, who understand how much we must love them to be willing to sacrifice it all. Even when it might not make sense to them.
I have also learned that courage calls you to stand on God’s truth even when you feel like it might cost you everything. God has also shown me, in looking back over the years, that my husband has usually been right in the stands he’s taken. It has made me even more thankful for his warrior spirit and his thick skin. It’s easier to see in hindsight how much it hurt him too when people turned against us but he was willing to take the brunt of people’s anger because what God tells him will always be more important than what people think. I will forever be grateful for his willingness to take the arrows slung at us for so many years in his service to God and our family.
So I pray this year for more courage to continue to stand in the gap for those we’ve lost, for those we tried to help see truth, those that have been deceived, turned against us. To continue to be brave in the face of opposition. So thankful that God has given me the courage to stand alongside my husband in a season that has been hard. And we may have had some loss but we have also gained much and been blessed beyond measure.
Maybe Courage will be your word for this year too. I know it’s hard to be courageous, brave, to follow God’s lead especially when it costs much to do so. So I’ll leave you with this word from God and hope that it helps you remember that whatever you face this year, you are never alone.
“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.”
Joshua 1:9 ESV