Finding his Courage

There once was a cub named Judah. Who wanted to be a Great Lion. He wanted to roar and rule over all of the Jungle. He wanted to lead armies of monkeys on large banana hunts! He wanted to have the loudest voice and the greatest courage all the land had seen.

He could run faster than most, climb higher than most, see farther than most…But when he opened his mouth only a meow would come out. He would sink in shame, others would laugh and point, and the small cub would quietly sneak away home.
When he would arrive home his mother could see the sadness on his face and hear it in his voice but when she asked “Judah what’s wrong? How was your day” The brave little cub would lift his head smile and say “Nothing is wrong I had a GREAT day, please excuse me mom, I would like to go play.” And off he would go looking so chipper but all the while his heart was heavy and his mind unclear. Where was his roar, why wasn’t it loud? How could he be a Great Lion with only a meow?

The morning brought a new day, a new chance to play. He would find his friend to begin the adventures ahead. Once again he could run faster than most, climb higher than most, see farther than most…But when it came time to roar Judah took a DEEP breath and with all of his might he opened his mouth. “Meow…” Oh how the other animals and especially the other lion cubs would laugh, and point. “That Judah, He’ll never be a Great Lion, he’s only a cat!”

Oh how their words hurt, he was trying so hard. Why couldn’t they see just how strong he was? How fast he was? How high he could climb! All they could see was his small, quiet, meow. Judah was mad and just so confused! As the other lion cub roared, Judah found a small quite place to think. Maybe he had lost his roar? Maybe something was stuck in his throat? Maybe it was the way he stretched his neck out to roar?

He decided he needed some advice. Who could he ask but the one Lion he knew to be the Greatest, his Father. As he searched for his father he feared his response. Would his father laugh at him as well? Would he be disappointed? All Judah wanted was to be a Lion as Great as he. As he approached his father his voice began to quiver as he opened his mouth to speak “fffather?” he stuttered. As his father turned his head to look at his son, his eyes were tender, his words soft. “Yes my son.” “Father, I’ve lost my roar. I don’t understand but when I try to roar only a meow can be heard!”
His father smiled as he began…”Oh Judah, my son you must understand. All great Lions started with a meow. Only lions with no courage can roar from the beginning. Those who are meant to lead, who are meant to be great, we must find our courage and then and only then will we find our roar. It will build in our heart and when it is ready it will be a roar that is louder, stronger, and clearer than all. That is how we are known as the GREAT Lions.”

“But Father how will I find my courage?” The cub asked in distress. “You will find your courage when you face your fears. When others laughter doesn’t bring you to tears. When who are becoming means more than your friends. And when you do not fear what they will say in the end. Judah you must go back and find your courage for one day, and you will lead many along the way. You will rule over this jungle, you will lead the armies of monkeys, you will be the strongest, your roar the loudest and most clear!”

The little cub was full! He could hardly wait, He knew he could do it no matter what they would say. It might seem scary but it won’t matter one day. Because if he was to do all the things he desired he had to gain courage! He had to with stand the fire!

So Judah went back and each time he meowed, he smiled, stood firm, not running in shame. For he knew “my courage is building and one day very soon I will roar from the hill tops and they will know my name. For I will be Judah, the GREAT Lion.

(Our Judah has to go back and find his courage. staring Monday he will be re-entering kindergarten to re-gain and fine tone his skills and get his roar in order for him to have the best advantage and abilities of accomplishing his goals in the future. This was a hard decision for us and even harder to understand for Judah. Please help us love him right where he is. We all believe this is what is best.)

Judgement

If you Judge them, you cannot love them... words spoken by Mother Teresa and repeated by a friend yesterday.
This statement has been mauling over in my head all night with the thoughts of “if we sit and question others actions, character, or even intent, we are sitting in judgment.” We have all been met with resistance at one time or another but the question is do we immediately place blame on the way our emotions direct us? Or do we stop and realize that others are judging us and if we respond, we too are reacting in judgment.

Track with me here, Jesus said, If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. In other words let them hit the other side also but do not turn and judge as a reaction. If someone slaps you and you turn and slap them, you too have judged. I would be lead to believe Mother Teresa was probably posed with the question of why she associated with certain people. Her response, if you judge them you cannot love them. She wanted to love others.

My realization to this is if I am judged it is only by those who do not care or love me. And if they do not love me than why should what they say determine what I do. Too often we allow those that judge us to dictate what we do in life. Truthfully, I would hope that I strive to love others. But the conviction is if my actions are done in love, I may be judged by others as well, but I most again ask the question, were my actions done in love? If the answer is yes then I must not respond but rather turn and let them slap the other side. Meaning, my response should also show love for the one who is judging me.

I am reminded to listen. To be slow to speak, and even slower to react. To do all things without self-ambition and truly out of the love I have for those around me. It is also a reminder that Judgment of actions, and others is left to the Lord. He is more than capable of changing hearts and minds to match with His purpose. It is not my job.

Love is one of the hardest emotions because it runs deep. Judgment is shallow and rises quickly. If we focus on love and incubate love it will over shadow the judgment we may receive along the way.

Standing Firm

Fear not; stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today. Exodus 14:13
Too often we give in to fear because it is easier. Trusting and letting this God whom we cannot see take over the fight, is terrifying to us. We want control, we want God to do it but only when we have the reins and can tell Him what to do next.

Some of you are reading this and saying to yourself “That’s not true I love it when God takes the reins” but truthfully if you really examine it, what we generally love is when we can see what he is doing and be encouraged. We do not generally get excited when our gut tells us so deeply that someone we care about is making a HUGE mistake and it is our job to bring the message. We do not generally get excited when we have to disappoint others because we truly can no longer participate in the activities that are not pleasing to the one we claim to follow. When something else looks more attractive, and easier. When we have to say good-bye to someone we love with no explanations of why it was their time to go. These are not the times we are cheering, we are usually screaming, kicking our feet, crying, or sinking.
Standing firm is truly meant for the times when you just want to sit down. Many of you are not aware of my past, many of you are. I want you all to know today as an effort to encourage many of you going through tough times, adversity, confusion….. If you have ever gone to bed praying that you would not wake up the next morning, while the ones who loved you slept right next to you, then you have lived my life. For 2 years I prayed God would end it all. It was too hard, I just wanted to sit down, and I did. I allowed fear to take over. I allowed my life and the lives of those around me to be in complete ciaos because I was too weak to stand up. It hurt to stand firm. It didn’t make sense to me to stand firm. I surrendered to the adversity. I waived the white flag of surrender not to the Lord but to fear. All the while I was telling myself I had surrendered to the Lord.

All I can tell you is that even in that time of surrender, even during a time when I know it was painful to the Lord to see this child of His who had all the strength she needed sit down, He held my hand in silence. I remember thinking “God I do not hear you, I know you are there, but I cannot hear you…” Well it truthfully was because I had heard Him, but I chose not to respond. It strangely felt better to be in that dirty, lonely, cold hole. Thankfully The Lord kept holding my hand and when I was ready to stand up, He helped me. He gave me a new vision and a new hope.

I want to encourage each of you that if you are in a time of trial, confusion, struggle, negativity….DO NOT SIT DOWN! STAND FIRM! Do not surrender to the fear like I did. Do not shut everyone out, you cannot do this alone. Nor do you have to. Someone of you reading this were hurt by me in during the time that I sat down, so learn from my weakness. Stand up and trust the Lord as you walk through the pies being thrown at your face, at the end the pie will taste good and be wiped away.