Courage under Fire: Lessons from Life’s Trials

It snowed today! Can you believe it! Mid October! Beautiful but cold. Not ready for Winter!

If you haven’t seen it yet, we have the runwithhorses.net website up and running. Particularly of note, on the resources page there are Amazon links to books by me and Susan as well as many other books that we have found worthwhile in our spiritual life and growth as disciple makers.
The website is runwithhorses.net. If you would like to send us an email, we would love to know where you are listening from, reach us at talk@runwithhorses.net.

Today some thoughts from the Renew Conference - October 4, 2022, Nashville, TN -  David Young
One day learned he had cancer and his life changed. Makes you consider your priorities.

• Life is lived and spent. One day all of it will be gone.
Speaks to the purpose and value of life. How are you spending the valuable resource that you have? What activities are worth your very life?
God’s work of redemption and reconciliation.
Be and make disciples.

• Your best theology is done on your butt.
When trials come you face the Truth. Do you know God now?
Every trial is an opportunity to pressure test your faith. Faith only in good times isn’t faith.
Life will bring trials, see that as a blessing from God. He loves you too much to let you live the delusion that you are OK without Him. He uses the testing of life to sanctify you.

• Convinced in truth - live it now!
Yesterday was the best time to begin ministry. Second best is today.
Live your convictions daily. Do you believe there is nothing more important than knowing God and sharing His message of salvation with the world? 
Would I know that if I looked at your choices? Our calendar and bank records tell us where our heart lies.

• There are a lot of Kind people in this world. Be one of them.
- Everybody you meet is Fighting a battle.
You can’t look at someone and know where they are in life or what they have been through.
Meditate on Mercy and Grace. Remember the grace the you have received. Plan to show the same kind of grace to everyone around you.

• Spiritual warfare is Real.
Courage is refusing to get discouraged.
There is an enemy and he is fighting on all fronts. Cultural shifts more and more away from any biblical or even reasonable standard. Depression and anxiety are at all time highs. Any temptation you can imagine and a lot more you can’t are only a click away.
Fewer people are interested in spiritual matters and those who are follow after man-made pleasure seeking gurus.

When life gets you down, real faith, real courage, is not giving up but continuing to trust the TRUTH and the Savior who bought you,

• Gratitude is the language of Heaven.
Paul continually challenges us to be THANKFUL. In the war for victory in your spiritual life, Thankfulness is a powerful weapon. 
Keep a blessing journal and flip through it when you are tempted to throw a pity party. 
The children of Israel were constantly reminded to remember what God has done. We need the same reminder because we so quickly forget.

These are all good lessons but what about you? When you face tragedy, how will you respond?
When your friends face life’s worst, how will you help them cope?
Build your faith now, commit to follow Jesus today, help your friends to do the same. If you do that, At the end of your time here on earth you will find it to be a life well spent.

Had some great conversations about making disciples today.