Courage.

cour·age

  [kur-ij, kuhr-] noun

1.

the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

Origin: 
1250–1300; Middle English corage  < Old French,  equivalent to cuer heart (< Latin cor; see heart) + -age -age

Synonyms 

1.  fearlessness, dauntlessness, intrepidity, pluck, spirit. Courage,bravery, valor, bravado  refer to qualities of spirit and conduct.Courage  permits one to face extreme dangers and difficultieswithout fear: to take (or lose )  courage. Bravery  implies truecourage with daring and an intrepid boldness: bravery in a battle.Valor  implies heroic courage: valor in fighting for the right.Bravado  is now usually a boastful and ostentatious pretense ofcourage or bravery: empty bravado. 

C. S. Lewis said:

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.

       As Kathy Mounts came through the doors at the airport, her new son filling her arms.  I blink back happy tears that have brought her to this place and this time.  Her family had fallen in love with a little boy on Reece's Rainbow, pursued adoption & were bringing him home.  I look at son and daughter's glowing smile, happy to be back in the states.  Victorious in securing their new, little brother and bringing him home.

       I note it takes a type of courage, a type of bravery to travel around the world to adopt a little boy you have never met, never known...and all because your heart fell in love with a photo.  

    All because your Lord moved on your heart and filled it with such love that you had no choice.  None.  An overpowering love that is willing to face anything to bring home the one He has placed there.

The Fry Family

       I think of the Fry's, a family at our church.  I met Vikki many years ago.  She and her husband have trusted the Lord with the blessings He has chosen to give them, several biological and now several adopted.  Three of those have Down Syndrome, another is wheelchair dependent and needs total care.  Courageous.  Selfless.

       I think of the Parker Family who were called two adopt Bethany and Hannah, two little cuties  who have Down Syndrome from the Ukraine.  They have loved the Lord and were willing to display His love by going and getting these two little girls.  A family filled with courage as they face the terminal illness of their little boy, Joshua.  The severity of his illness not known at the time of the adoptions.  Kate is in the hospital with him right now.  He is our courageous little hero.  

The Parker Family

And I think of the truth of how Christ came here to do a work in us.  He died, taking the judgement we deserved,  the hammerings of justice, the blows of unrighteousness, the nails piercing his hands and feet, fixing Him until death.  Our sin placed on Him, our sweet Redeemer...then victoriously rising from death and the grave.

Courage.  Heart.  Jesus doing works in each of us, making us more courageous, conforming us into His image.  Making us like Him.

This necklace will go to the next five donations of any size.  Please leave a comment here letting me know, along with your e-mail address, so that I may mail it to you.

Hammered.  Pierced.  Struck.

Cross pearl with 26" leather cord.

His truths:

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. 

(NKJV)