Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9
Joshua 1:9
![]() If you want a picture of determination and stubborn resolve, think about the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48). Her determination to press towards her goal against all odds is amazing. She wasn’t just physically pushing through a thick crowd of people, but through societal prejudice and her own fears. She was ceremonially unclean. She wasn’t even supposed to be in a crowd among people. She had exhausted all of her money on doctors hoping to be healed and had been sorely disappointed. She had every right and good excuse to give up, to wallow in self pity, to resign herself to her fate and simply wait for death to come. But she didn’t. She pushed her way through one more time … and she finally got results! Her story parallels the life of Amberley Snyder, a rodeo barrel racer, who, at the age of nineteen, gets into a car accident that leaves her paralysed from the waist down. A movie was made out of her experience entitled: “Walk. Ride. Rodeo.” At the time of her accident she was an up and coming star of rodeo barrel racing. She and her horse, Power, had a promising future in the sport. Unfortunately, after the accident she saw no hope of being able to continue in the sport she had grown to love. However, one day, she was in a particularly bad mood because although her wheelchair offered the freedom of movement, her condition still left her feeling hopeless and discouraged. Her mom in sheer frustration snapped at her the words she would need to pull her out of her despair: “This chair will either be your wings or it will be your anchor … you decide!” And decide she did. From that moment onward, with the help of seatbelts to keep her in place, she got back on her horse and started training once more. She went on to be successful in various competitions. This story inspires me because it is a reminder to not give up. Amber had three goals - walk, ride, rodeo. Although she admits that she has been unable to accomplish the first goal, it certainly has not stopped her from succeeding in the others. What is your “issue?” What is your “paralysis?” What is stopping you from achieving your goals? We all have challenges to face at one time or another. For some of us, those challenges are life-changing but in spite of how hopeless our situation may seem or feel, God’s purpose for us remains the same. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Don’t believe the lie that it’s over. It’s not over until God says it is. No one else gets to make that call … not even you! Just like you, my life has its challenges but ever so often God keeps reminding me that He has good plans for me, He has hope and a future for me. It’s not over until He says because my life is still in His hands. It has not fallen out and no one and nothing can snatch me out of His hands. My life is safe right where it is in His care. His Word says that He is able to keep what we commit to Him (2 Timothy 1:12b). That’s not an idle word. It’s a promise. I want to encourage you to trust God to use all of you - the good, the bad, the in-between - for His honour and glory. He used the woman with her issue to encourage others. He is using Amberley with her paralysis to encourage many as well. When you think about it, your greatest victories come through some of your greatest trials. Let Him use all of you to be a powerful blessing and encouragement to those who need it. I love to say that nothing is wasted by God. He knows how to bring good out of everything. That’s what He does well. Trust Him. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so now. God will take all you - your successes, your failures, your limitations - and use them to bring hope to the hopeless and a future to those who have given up.
7 Comments
12/7/2023 02:55:39 pm
Great, I am reminded, sometimes I forget. Blessings
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17/7/2023 06:39:07 am
Yes we need a reminder ever so often. God is good. Blessings.
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Melissa Winchester
15/7/2023 08:40:56 pm
God uses everything!! The good and the bad. It is really up to us to trust Him indeed.
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17/7/2023 06:40:32 am
Trust can be such a difficult thing to do yet it is so essential in our walk with God. God bless you. Thanks for sharing.
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Reverend Petra Gomez
19/7/2023 12:53:14 pm
Sometimes we are in a place where we can do nothing but trust God. Trusting God eliminates stress, depression, hopelessness, and replaces them with assurance, love, peace of mind,. Trust God, he brings the dry bones to life and resets them in their original place. 21/7/2023 03:32:26 pm
And that place of trust is exactly where He wants us to be. I guess that's why He allows us to come to those points in our lives when we can do nothing but trust Him. He is still good and faithful. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.
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February 2025
AuthorThis blog provides inspirational nuggets inspired by the Word of God and serves to encourage and motivate Christians in their Christian walk. |