Courage to Complete the Journey

Sometimes, I may sound like a broken record. (If I do, please extend grace.)

Since I’ve blogged for about three years now, I’ve covered multiple subjects from A to Z. Unless I glance back through pages of posts, it’s hard to remember everything I’ve shared.

I’ve focused on slice-of-life vignettes, nostalgia, and life in the Ozarks.

I’ve talked some about the writing life and the courage it takes to complete the journey.

Hopefully, too, I’ve encouraged, inspired, and motivated you because that’s the true heartbeat of this blog: Christ-centered hope and real-life encouragement—in a down-to-earth fashion. There are enough dismal, downer messages in the world. That’s not me. That’s not this blog.

I want you to leave my cyber home a bit happier than when you first stopped by. (A spoonful of positivity helps the dreariness go down… or something like that.)

And let me just add—while I’m a writer, it’s never been my intention to make this a How To blog about writing. There are hundreds (probably thousands) of writing blogs and to add one more to the mix would be one more too many.

I may offer some personal insight from my own experience (and I’m happy to), but as I’ve said before, I’m not an expert. I’m still navigating the path myself.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about this courage thing.

I’ll always tell you the (tactful) truth.

Sometimes, the truth isn’t necessarily pretty and wrapped in a bow, but insight into a situation is often liberating. Understanding why something is the way it is causes us to dig deeper.

The truth motivates us to rise above the bar. It helps us chart our course of action.

Is it fun?

Not always.

Easy?

Rarely.

Courage plays a huge role in success at anything.

I’ve learned during my journey (yes—an overused word for uphill climb), courage separates the talkers from the doers.

Courage

refrains from stirring the pot when we’d like to stick our spoon in.

Courage

shelves bragging rights at another’s expense.

Courage

gives it a go just one more time when quitting would be easier.

Courage

toots the horn of a friend above the gong of our own.

Courage

tamps down fear in favor of cowering in the corner.

Courage

means being real despite the temptation of a façade.

Courage

is the unvarnished reflection of us at our worst while mirroring the potential of God’s best.

Courage is that holy, sacred thing that stirs our heart and fuels our incentive.

Now, I’m not fond of the name-it-and-claim-it mentality. While I believe God can change circumstances in a heartbeat, initially, there may be sacrifice involved. We might have to wait, let something go, or shift our desires until the timing’s right.

That doesn’t mean we don’t trust God.

It means we persevere until He completes the process.

How long will it take?

Well, it could be in the blink of an eye or years down the road.

My journey’s taken decades. I’ve had a few stops and starts you may recall. Your trek might be shorter, simpler, or require less patience.

Regardless the path or the timing, the outline’s the same.

We have to start at the beginning and work through the middle to get to the end.

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What’s the easiest and hardest thing about your journey?

What keeps you focused?

 

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God can change circumstances in a heartbeat, but there may sacrifice involved…

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Blessings Always,