Courage Under Fire: Mighty Man of Valor

by Marilynn Chadwick Courage comes in all kinds of packages. Perhaps you’re in the military. Or you’re a first responder. Or a caregiver holding the hands of the dying. Or you’re faithfully raising your children—pouring life into the next generation. People show courage in many different ways. But do you ever feel like you’re not strong enough or brave enough? If so, you’re in good company. Some of God’s bravest men and women started their journey in weakness. But God’s power transformed them into mighty men and women of valor. Take Gideon. He was the youngest in his family and from the weakest tribe in Israel. His people had wandered into darkness and evil, so God handed them over to their enemies, the Midianites, for seven years. In desperation, they finally turned to God: But Israel grew weak and cried out to the Lord (Judges 6:6 CEB). So the Lord sent His messenger to Gideon: “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12 ESV). To which Gideon responded and basically said, “Who me? I’m just a scared nobody.” “Mighty man of valor” was a term reserved for warriors. Heroes. Champions. Not a frightened young man from a beaten-down nation. But God saw something special in Gideon. He did not speak to his current emotional state, he spoke to his true identity and said: “You have strength, so go and rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not personally sending you?” “Because I’m with you, you’ll defeat the Midianites as if they were just one person” (Judges 6:14-16 CEB). And that’s just what happened. Gideon stepped out in faith to save his nation. He became a new man in the process—a mighty man of valor. Have your problems left you feeling defeated? Perhaps you struggle with fear like Gideon? The same God that breathed life into Gideon sees you. You are a child of God. You belong to him. Hear the Lord whispering to you at this moment: "I am with you, mighty warrior, man or woman of valor. And because I am with you, you will have strength and courage to prevail!"

Courage Under Fire: Love Makes Us Brave

by Marilynn Chadwick I agree with Indiana Jones: “I hate snakes!” Maybe some of you share my distaste for these slithery reptiles. A while back, when cleaning our garage, our son found a small copperhead hiding behind a box. My first response was, “Yikes! Go hide!” My next thought was, “Go get ‘em!” I grabbed the nearest gardening tool and went after that snake with a warrior-like vengeance, sending him into the grave! Why? Because he was in my garage…near my kitchen door…a threat to my home and family! Though I’m scared of snakes, my love for my family made me brave. Maybe you can relate. Is there a time when you did something that scared you in order to protect someone you loved? If so, you were showing courage, or what the Bible often refers to as valor. I’m captivated by the Hebrew word for valor, chayil. In the Orthodox Jewish Bible translation, chayil is used to describe the famed Proverbs 31 woman. “Who can find a woman of valor?” (Proverbs 31:10). Clearly, she was part nurturer and part warrior. Chayil is used to describe David’s mighty men of valor. It is also used to describe a reluctant hero named Gideon. Simply put, “valor,” or chayil, is personal bravery in the face of danger—especially courage in battle. In its nearly 100 uses in the Old Testament, chayil most often depicts warriors. I believe we need to become courageous men and women of valor as we face today’s battles: addiction, divorce, poverty, injustice, domestic violence, child abuse, abortion, poverty, unemployment, pornography, human trafficking, joblessness, homelessness, racism, persecution, terrorism. I’m sure you could add to this list. As I listen to conversations with men and women of all ages, stages, and walks of life, I’m hearing a recurring theme —their heart’s desire to be strong for their families and communities. In short, they long to be courageous so God can use them to change the world. Is God calling you to have more courage? Remember, it’s love that makes you brave.

Wait Training: Daily Disciplines are Connected to Hope

by Marilynn Chadwick "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?" (Hebrews 12:7 NIV). While waiting for answers to my prayers for a baby, I found that simple, daily disciplines were somehow connected to hope. Small habits often lead to big dreams. And big dreams can have a wider reach than we may imagine. Navy Admiral and former SEAL William H. McRaven challenged graduates at the University of Texas to realize how simple, daily habits can have world changing impact. “Changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it,” he said. “But change starts with small actions. Every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that they were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALS—but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over. If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.” His advice to the graduates? “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” During my years of infertility, I grappled with the long time spent “waiting.” I wonder how I would have responded if I could have fast-forwarded my life’s video for a glimpse of my three wonderful now-grown children? And our soon to be ten grandchildren? If I had known the outcome in advance, I might never have learned to draw meaning from the ordinary moments along the way. And I might have missed the life lessons and “little habits” I learned during my season of waiting. Today, I have practically forgotten the pain of wondering if I’d ever be a mom. I walk around every day like these amazing miracles are, well, ordinary. And in his kindness, I think this is just how God intended it. The daily adventure of taking my worries to God and watching for the answers has given a touch of wonder to my days. Ordinary? Yes, but with a bit of bling. I’ve come to believe seasons of waiting are not wasted. These and other lessons are still part of my days even now. I wait differently now because I really do believe in miracles. “Wait training” has taught me that hope counts. Faith works. And with love, anything is possible. Miracles are for real. And I really do believe I can change the world. But first, I think I’ll go make up my bed.