Thoughts for Life: Step Up!

Dave Branon shares that
When a woodchuck started
eating our garage (well, just
the trim), I bought a live trap
with plans to transplant the
little guy to a park.

I baited it with an assortment of goodies and opened the trap door.

The next morning, I was excited to see a little critter in my trap—until I noticed that it was no woodchuck. I had snared a skunk.

I went online to see how to untrap the skunk without having it...well, you know.

The solutions were extremely cautious in their descriptions of how to protect yourself while releasing the animal.

Plastic bags. Gloves. Tarps. Blankets. Goggles. The task looked daunting and dangerous.

Then my son-in-law Ewing stepped up. He simply walked over to the trap, opened the door, and coaxed our striped friend on its way with a few sprays from the garden hose.

Sometimes our fears can lead to inaction. We worry so much about protection ourselves that we fail to simply step up.

When King Asa learned that the Lord wanted him to remove the idols from Israel, he "took courage" (2 Chron. 15:8).

He could have had a rebellion on his hands for doing this. But he stepped up, and as a result the nation rejoiced (v.15).

Facing a spiritual challenge? The Lord will help you step up with courage and trust him for the outcome. — Dave Branon

Let the road by rough and dreary,

And its end far out of sight,

Foot it bravely, strong or weary;

Trust in God and do the right. — Maclead

Courage is fear that has said its prayers

Our Daily Bread

8/30/14

Let’s pray:

Father, when there's a challenge
in front of me, may I take it and
make it an opportunity to show my
faith in Your ability to help.

Make the way clear for me to follow, so as to be able to do what You want me to accomplish, trusting You all the way.

I ask for inner strength to step up to challenges that come my way, and to not worry about what others think.

Reveal Yourself in and through my obedience. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Prov. 8:33 "Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not."

Today’s quote: Mary Southerland says, I once attended
a leadership conference that changed my life in many ways.
The speakers did not talk about money or success. They
focused on the fact that God created each one of us in
response to His unique plan for our lives. One of the simplest
but most powerful mottos I came away from that conference
with was: “Do it now!” Do you realize that it takes as much
energy to avoid a task as it does to do it? Procrastination
drains energy while action produces energy. God empowers
us to do what He calls us to do.
Mary's website: www.marysoutherland.com

Some thoughts today: God's Word is a hammer to the enemy's work.

- According to the Word of God, we are all sinners. No one is excluded. Check out Rom. 1:29-32 and see if you qualify as one...

- What can you do, then? Check out Rom. 12:1, 2, & 21.

12th- Sunday’s post: No Regrets
Debbie McEwen

14th- Tuesday's post: #7 Evicting the Ruler of Adrogue'
C. Peter Wagner

16th- Thursday's post: #8 Face-to-Face with a Demon
C. Peter Wagner

18th- Saturday's post: Every Hardship
Julie Ackerman Link

A popular post: This Path is for Me

David Roper shares with us in his book,Psalm 23, The Song of a Passionate Heart" a poem by J. R. Miller

"He chose his path for me,
Though well he knew that thorns would pierce my feet,
Knew how the brambles would obstruct the way,
Knew all the hidden dangers I would meet,
Knew how my faith would falter day by day;
And still my whisper echoes, "Yes I see...
This path is best for me."