“there’s a reason that the road is long;
it takes some time to make your courage strong”
– Hard Love, by NeedtoBreathe
A couple of weeks ago our church had its annual day at the local campgrounds, with service in the Lodge followed by an afternoon of fellowship and lots of fun activities. Events like this seem to time-stamp us, don’t they? We can see where we’ve been and what we’ve come to today. It’s been two years since the Fichtingers were able to attend Camp Carson Sunday, and those two years have changed us in measurable ways. Besides the growth of physical ability and independence in our (5 big) children, we loved to see the development of courage and determination in them.
This was particularly evident in the boys, now aged 7, 9, and 9. Two years ago only one even wanted to try the zip line… but changed his mind when we got to the top of the tower and looked out (and down) over the lake. This year all three of them went! Abe & Eli made the first exhilarating ride across and down into the water with Daddy, and we later learned repeated the feat with their sister or friends! Our biggest surprise was learning Samuel (who’s our most risk-averse child) had gone right at the end of the day with one of his buddies. He’d seen his friend in line for the harness and just casually joined him. They walked all the way around the lake together, climbed up those three stories of wooden stairs, got harnessed up and hooked in, and bravely jumped off the platform in full faith and fun!
I asked what the difference was this year (because I don’t think he’d even have imagined doing it a few months ago).
“I became brave,” he said.
His friend had invited him; he said yes.
He’d watched other people go down enough, and now he trusted it.
Watching others encouraged him to join in without any verbal persuasion.
One child right in front of him changed his mind on the platform, but he’d already decided to do it, no matter what.
What a privilege to see this strength and courage in our son!
The Scriptures are given to us, full of the evidence of God’s faithfulness and sufficiency. We have His own direct words to us stating who He is, the stories of what He’s done, the expressions of His strength, love, and nearness to us. That we would see & hear Him, believe that when He leads us to places high or terrifying, we can jump when He says “I’ve got you.” He’s got us all the way.
Lord, give us the courage to simply believe that You are who You say You are, and You will do what You say You will do.