Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isa 41:10)
While at the US Naval Academy near Washington DC, I asked my daughter to take a photo of me sitting on a stone chair engraved with the word, COURAGE. Courage is what I need to cope with the stress and challenges of each changing season of life. The googled definition of courage is “the ability to do something that frightens one” or “strength in the face of pain or grief”.
I thank God that I have always been able to find words of encouragement and a source of strength from the Bible. In my youth, I was encouraged by God’s promise to Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh 1:9). I kept this promise in mind and came to the States to study without doubt or fear. It turned out that the Lord was indeed with me at every turn and milestone in my journey of life. Continue reading
In any warfare, it is virtually impossible to fight against an unknown and unidentified enemy. It is a war without a sense of direction. At the same time, this poses a grave danger to the lives of the soldiers involved. Every move that is made could be met with a fatal counterattack from the enemy. In such a situation, the mounting fear would destroy the courage needed to fight on till the end. Is there a chance at all for this kind of battle to be won? Needless to say, this battle has one probable and predictable outcome—it is as good as lost even before it begins.