By Penny Reeves
Joshua 1: 9 “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Now that 2016 has ended and have officially entered into 2017,
I have refl ected on the past year and the New Year. Looking back on 2016 I have seen where God has brought me thought some very challenging times. The one thing that has come to me as I look back was the strength and courage that it took to make it through some very difficult challenges that I was faced with.
But one of the greatest observations of these events was, even though I did not think I had the strength to make it though and the courage to make very important decisions that would affect me and many close to me, I found out that Lord was there every step of the way and with his strength and wisdom I did not have to be afraid.
I found this quote that Martin Luther King Jr. said “Courage is an inner resolution to go forward in spite of obstacles and frightening situations.” And that is what I learned from God. I did not have to be afraid and I knew He would give me the strength and the direction to do the right thing in spite of the fear, the hurt, and the pain that I was experiencing at some of these diffi cult moments in my life.
So today I want to encourage you to be strong and of good courage; with God nothing is impossible and He will see you through your most difficult times and you most joyful times in the New Year. Even when you think you can’t, He can!
My prayer is for you this year, is that you will have the faith, strength and courage to move forward in all things that you may be faced with and that you have the courage to close out chapters in you life than needs to go and trust in the Lord today to face a new tomorrow.