Thursday, April 30, 2009

THANKFUL THURSDAY...courage

WELCOME to THANKFUL THURSDAY!
It is hard to believe that this is my last Thursday to host for this month! It has been so much fun getting to know all of you and sharing your heart of thanks! Lynn will be our gracious host for the month of May!

This week, I was thinking about courage. Of course my first thought immediately went to the classic movie WIZARD OF OZ. Don't you just love great stories of courage? I love to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and watch a movie about brave people standing up to evil and WINNING!

I have never thought of myself as a particularly courageous person. I don't jump out of planes. I have never gone water skiing. I would tremble to climb Mt. Everest. I don't even like spiders, and definitely I am gravely afraid of little rodents!

Bravery? That is for other people. Right?
Wrong!!

When I think about the trials that my life has taken me thru - I realize that courage had alot to do with my survival. Some days, it might have been easier to climb Mount Everest! But during those times of wanting to hide my head in the sand and wishing I could run into my bedroom and hover under the covers - I realized that was EXACTLY what the enemy was trying to get me to do. The enemy wanted me to wither, to fall, to cave in, to fall off the mountain!

Some of you know exactly what I am talking about. Needing courage to take another step. Needing Courage.

Courage in your moment of grief. Courage in your moment of pain. Courage in your moment of sickness. Courage in your moment of stress. Courage in your moment of despair. Courage.


PSALM 3:3 "Lord, You are my shield, my wonderful God who gives me courage."
There are moments in our lives when we have to suck it up, we have to get some backbone, we have grab on to all the strength we can... such courage comes from the Lord!

Aren't you thankful for the courage of the Lord! His strength and protection will rise us up out of the hand of the enemy and we WILL be overcomers!
What are you thankful for this week? Is it courage? or some other blessing from the Lord? Join your grateful heart with ours and let us know by linking your post to Mr. Linky below.



at

33 comments:

  1. GenefaithApril 29, 2009 at 4:57 PM

    Amen to that!
    Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
    (Psalm 27:14)

    I'm fearful by human standard but when I learned to put my trust in Him, I am filled with Heavenly courage to fACE challenges in life!

    I now live as a happy Christian not a struggling Christian.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 29, 2009 at 5:07 PM

    Hi Laurie,

    Girl, where does the month go. Thank you for hosting and I will see you at my place next Thursday.

    I love your post... The book of Joshua sprang to mind: Joshua 1:9
    Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

    Pray for courage.... Awesome. Love you girl. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MelApril 29, 2009 at 5:13 PM

    Courage what a great topic and one that we as Christians will need to focus on more and more as time goes on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MelanieApril 29, 2009 at 5:22 PM

    Courage... oh, yes! So much I could not do without God by my side!

    ReplyDelete
  5. GrammyApril 29, 2009 at 6:30 PM

    Hi Laurie,
    Courage is what get us through like. That was an excellent post.

    ReplyDelete
  6. iApril 29, 2009 at 6:31 PM

    Hi Laurie, thank you for hosting TT. I'm glad I managed to participate this week.

    This is a great post! Like Lynn, Joshua 1:9 comes to mind. I keep a pocket calendar in my purse with this verse and a picture of a roaring lion LOL!

    And the word courage brings back the memories of a wonderful teacher I had. His parting advice to me when I left school was "Have courage, always".

    I wished I had the chance to tell him that I keep that advice with me till this day.

    Have a blessed TT!

    ReplyDelete
  7. PiaApril 29, 2009 at 7:18 PM

    i totally understand. life's constant blow would develop in us courage that comes from the Lord. and the enemy would want to kill, steal and destroy everything we have.thank God for His strength and His courage that is developed in us. for greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.

    how time flies... blessings to you, laurie.

    ReplyDelete
  8. DeniseApril 29, 2009 at 7:35 PM

    Bless you dear, you have done a great job hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  9. PeggyApril 29, 2009 at 7:40 PM

    Blessings Laurie, Be strong & take courage! For the Lord will go before you And His light will show the way

    My favorite part says:
    Nothing can take you out of his hand
    Nothing can face you can't command
    I know that you will always be
    In His love, in His power you will be free!!!

    Besides Joshua, this is what comes immediately to my mind!

    I guess I'll be sharing this but can't think of any way that I'm courageous and thankful for my courage!I'll take it to the LORD!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Debra KayeApril 29, 2009 at 7:40 PM

    Laurie,

    Thanks for hosting us! I am grateful for the courage of the Lord and in my weakness His strength is made manifest!

    Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  11. God ChaserApril 29, 2009 at 8:29 PM

    I am thankful for the courage of the Lord. Great word for the day.

    Courage in the Lord
    Willnette

    ReplyDelete
  12. debi9kidsApril 29, 2009 at 9:43 PM

    Beautiful, beautiful post!
    Amazing isn't it, how God is there with us when we least expect and walks us through those moments we don't think we can overcome.
    God is so good!

    Have a beautiful & blessed Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It Feels Like ChaosApril 29, 2009 at 9:53 PM

    Thank you for being such a lovely Thankful Thursday host this past month!

    ReplyDelete
  14. RocksApril 29, 2009 at 10:25 PM

    You just encouraged me with this post Laurie, Thank you for being a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in ParentingApril 29, 2009 at 10:37 PM

    Thank you so much for hosting this month :) I've enjoyed reading you each week. Will you do it again in June?

    Happy thursday :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Saleslady371April 29, 2009 at 11:33 PM

    Thank you for hosting for us! This topic is a good one; who doesn't need courage to live for Christ?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sarah A. Galang, Ph.D.April 30, 2009 at 1:47 AM

    Hi Laurie, thanks for hosting this great post every Thursday. You had been a blessing to us.

    To have courage is something that we need to have in the Lord.

    Have a blessed Thursday.

    ReplyDelete
  18. lupusurvivorApril 30, 2009 at 2:15 AM

    thanks for hosting. you have been a great host!

    ReplyDelete
  19. GodsOwn/BerniceApril 30, 2009 at 3:02 AM

    Thank you for hosting this month i enjoyed all the different subjets for TT.
    GB
    Bernice

    ReplyDelete
  20. GranthamLynnApril 30, 2009 at 3:17 AM

    wonderful post I need lots of courage. I linked up at least tried. It is 5 am and I am never up this early. If you can fix my mistake that would be just dandy. I don't know how to fix it.
    Have a Blessed Day.
    Sherry@myjourneyback-thejourneyback.blogspot.com

    btw thanks for hosting this month.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AngelaApril 30, 2009 at 4:15 AM

    Aren't you thankful for the courage of the Lord! His strength and protection will rise us up out of the hand of the enemy and we WILL be overcomers!

    amen amen amen sis!

    ReplyDelete
  22. StacyApril 30, 2009 at 4:35 AM

    Great thoughts! I can't believe another month has passed us by!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Alicia The SnowflakeApril 30, 2009 at 5:47 AM

    Amen! I am so glad He gives us courage for the day and strength to go on. Otherwise, I would never make it. Thank you for this great reminder today. And thank you for hosting Thankful Thursday this month. It's been a pleasure!

    ReplyDelete
  24. EricaApril 30, 2009 at 5:59 AM

    Great topic, friend. Thank you so much for hosting us all this month. It has been a joy to come each week and find out what our theme is and to read the thankful hearts of so many beautiful women.

    ReplyDelete
  25. bpApril 30, 2009 at 6:16 AM

    I was thinking Wizard of Oz too before I saw what you'd written and only "courage."

    Thanks for hosting! Have a good week.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Beth in NCApril 30, 2009 at 6:56 AM

    Thank you for hosting this month Laurie. You did a great job!

    Courage ... amazing how the scriptures point that courage is a choice. We choose to TAKE courage.

    Bless you today!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  27. JerraleaApril 30, 2009 at 7:34 AM

    Thanks for hosting this month, Laurie, you've been such a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Debbie PetrasApril 30, 2009 at 9:29 AM

    Thank you for hosting TT this month. Courage is a great theme too. I'm so glad that I know where to run for courage ...my God.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Laurie AnnApril 30, 2009 at 9:52 AM

    Yikes! Sorry I'm late! What a great post, Laurie. Courage is something I'm needing a refill on today. I loved this post and am truly thankful for you. You're so gifted and such an incredible teacher! I learned alot from your post and from writing my own. Can't wait to check out everyone else's after lunch. Thanks for hosting! And Happy TT!

    ReplyDelete
  30. PeggyApril 30, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    Thank you Laurie for your month of hosting Thankful Thursday! You brought me back! I love each and every theme that you chose & the inspiring way you presented it & shared so beautifully & stirred us to be thankful & grow! Truly you are a gift & precious in this ministry! Bless you as you have blessed us! I thought I left a comment but did not find it so...

    ReplyDelete
  31. LivingSimply, SimplyLivingApril 30, 2009 at 5:32 PM

    I can not even express to you how badly I needed to read that on this Thankful Thursday..and I must say that is one more thing I am thankful for today..
    Reading your beautiful eloquent post on courage.
    Thanks...

    ReplyDelete
  32. AmandaApril 30, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    I've been AWOL from TT for a while, but appreciate your hosting and looking forward to becoming an active participant again.

    ReplyDelete
  33. AnonymousMay 1, 2009 at 11:06 AM

    I am thankful for the courage of the LORD! I needed it this week, and He gives it to us when we need it.

    Thanks for hosting this month. See ya in June!

    ReplyDelete

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY MY BLOG TODAY. YOUR COMMENTS NOT ONLY ENCOURAGE ME BUT MINISTER TO ALL THAT READ THIS BLOG. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU POST A COMMENT. all comments are subject to approval.