Standing at the beginning of any starting point in our lives, we have great anticipation. We look forward to what this starting point will hold. We dream about the journey and the people we will meet. We consider the incredible promise this starting line holds. We know everything we have experienced is needed as we find the Courage For Such a Time as This.
Every starting point takes courage. Any time we step into something new, we have those moments where we take stock of where we are, what we carry and where we are going. The greatest journey begins with our choice to take that first, single step.
We are on a great adventure of what life can become for us. This journey takes all we have and more. Courage is required for more than the journey itself. Courage is required for us to release our expectations over and over again into the hands of the Lord, the One who wants to partner with us along the way.
It often takes more courage to give our destiny over to the Lord than to carry it ourselves. Why? When we stand back and think about it, it makes so much sense to place our lives in His hands. Yet, we tend to find tension as our old nature and worldly training tells us we need to be in control.
The irony is this: the tighter we try to control our lives, the more out of control they become. The focus and energy it takes to make something happen actually moves us out of relationship with, and sensitivity to, our God; the very edge we had BECAUSE we were walking with Him.
I’m on a journey of offering greater trust in Him. This journey did not begin with a huge bombshell. He started with the small things in my life. At each new starting point, He asked me to trust Him with bigger and bigger things. With each new season, I made the choice to hand over that part of my life, too, and trust the Lord to partner with me, guide me and encourage me on the way.
What I gained in that process is difficult to measure. The outcomes were not always what I hoped for or expected. But, as each of those situations occurred, I discovered a deeper place of abiding, or living from, His heart. The value of abiding in Him is beyond measure. The foundation of trust He intentionally developed over the years remains strong. This foundation allows me a place of faith, hope and promise in the midst of the unexpected. And, my friend, life always brings the unexpected!
In those moments, I trust the One who gives me my being. For this time and this season, this creator and majestic God, wants to walk along with me, with you, with each of us in this adventure we call life. I find the courage I need to say yes. I find the courage I need to move forward, step by step, and continue in the journey. After all, the God of abundance and limitless possibilities walks with me. He always provides. He is faithful and true.
I trust the One who gives me my being. For this time and this season, this creator and majestic God, wants to walk along with me, with you, with each of us in this adventure we call life. I find the courage I need to say yes. I find the courage I need to move forward, step by step, and continue in the journey. After all, the God of abundance and limitless possibilities walks with me. He always provides. He is faithful and true.
Now, each time I stand at a new starting point, I carry with me the stories of all those starting points before. I remind myself of God’s ability to turn something that is an unexpected challenge into something that brings my growth and strengthens my own foundation. I also carry with me all the times God’s faithfulness has pulled me deeper into His heart and partnered with me so I could navigate the more challenging parts of my life adventure. Courage is not something I can create. He gave me a key as I learned to abide in Him through all my situations: He is my Courage for Such a Time as This.
Christine Casten
More about Christine, Executive Director of The Warrior Commission (TWC): “God is my passion. TWC is my tribe. My life is an amazing adventure as I explore possibilities and dream with God. I am a wife and best friend to John (25 years), mom to my college-aged kids, friend, mentor, teacher/trainer, business owner, speaker, strategist, pioneer and native Texan. I love visiting with Father, Son and Holy Spirit to discover His heart for all we discuss. I love the process of growth and have great expectation for who each of us is becoming. My favorite thing is a problem, whether it is my own or someone else’s, because I love to discover the promise and provision God has waiting! To find our more about Christine or to see about her coming to your meeting or event, click here.
For more about The Warrior Commission, click here.
