Spiritual Thoughts

  Friday Tale ~ Not Frozen by Fear On  a summer morning as he was fixing his breakfast, Ray Blankenship looked out his window to see a young girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Ohio home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with a roar underneath the road and then emptied into the main culvert.   Ray dashed from his home and raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the flailing child. Finally, he hurled himself into the deep, churning water. When he surfaced, he was able to grab the girl’s arm.   The two tumbled end over end and then, within about three feet of the yawing culvert, Ray’s free hand felt something protruding from the bank. He clung to it desperately, the tremendous force of the water threatening to sweep him and the child away.    By the time fire department’s rescue team arrived, Blankenship had amazingly pulled the girl to safety. Both were treated for shock. In that heroic mo...

  Z ig as life Zigs and Zag as life Zags. ~ Jonathan L. Huie C hange of any sort requires courage. ~ Mary Ann Radmacher S o we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" ~ Hebrews 13:6

  In  the land of hope, there is never any winter . ~ Russian Proverb B e strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD. ~ Psalm 31:24

  T hings turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. ~ Art Linkletter But  you, be strong, and do not lose courage, for there is a reward for your work. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7

  T rue courage is taking another small step each day toward achieving your vision. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie B e strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD. ~ Psalm 31:24

  B eing deeply loved by someone  gives you strength; loving someone deeply  gives you courage.   ~ Lao Tzu   I n this is love: not that we have loved God, BUT that He loved us and sent His son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another. ~ 1 John 4:10-11

H ope is the heartbeat of the soul.  ~ Michelle Horst     B e of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart,  all you that hope in the LORD. ~ Psalm 31:24

O ptimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~ Helen Keller   T herefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has great reward. ~ Hebrews 10:35

  Y ou have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt   I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for and confidently expect the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage;  Yes, wait for and confidently expect the LORD. ~ Psalm 27:13-14 

  F ear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson   D o not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. ~ Isaiah 41:10

  W hen life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future. ~ Queen Elizabeth II   T herefore let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God. ~ Hebrews 12:1-2

  Y ou gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt   F inally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the false accuser. ~ Ephesians 6:13

  W hatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong, AND always some to say you are RIGHT. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson (amended)   BUT as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7

Friday Tale - Leadership without Words   F rom 1949 to 1958 Pee Wee Reese was captain of baseball's Dodgers. Named not for his size, but for playing marbles as a kid with a pee-wee shooter. He was a great shortstop, a daring base runner, and a superb clutch hitter.     He was an eight-time All Star and sparked the Dodgers to seven National League pennants. He fielded the final ground ball in Brooklyn's first World Series championship in 1955. He never earned more than $35,000 playing the game he loved.     During his total of sixteen years on the field for the Dodgers, Reese was respected as a person as well as a ballplayer. His fellow Dodgers called him simply "The Captain" and deferred to his judgment on many matters.     He wasn't good at speeches. His leadership came from inner confidence, integrity, and consistency. His manner had the unpretentious effect of causing people to trust and follow him.  ...

  C ourage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air. ~ John Quincy Adams   W ait for the LORD, be strong   and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD. ~ Psalm 27:14

  B e the courageous hero and stay committed to your greatest ideas and ideals, however they are received by those around you. ~ Unknown   W hat then shall we say to   these things??  If God is  for us, who is against us? ~ Romans 8:31

  C ourage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. ~ Mark Twain   B ut you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work . ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7

  C ourage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, "I will try again tomorrow." ~ Mary Ann Radmacher T hese things I have spoken to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, BUT take courage; I have over come the world. ~ John 16:33

  S uccess is not final; Failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Winston Churchill   B ut you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7

Friday Tale - Strength and Courage   I t takes strength to be firm It takes courage to be gentle.   It takes strength to stand guard. It takes courage to let down your guard It takes strength to conquer. It takes courage to surrender.   It takes strength to be certain. It takes courage to have doubt.   It takes strength to fit in. It takes courage to stand out.   It takes strength to feel a friend's pain. It takes courage to feel your own pain.   It takes strength to hide your own pains. It takes courage to show them.   It takes strength to endure abuse. It takes courage to stop it.   It takes strength to stand alone. It takes courage to lean on another.   It takes strength to love. It takes courage to be loved.   It takes strength to survive. It takes courage to live. ~ Unknown   B e strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. ~ Joshua 1:9