Mother Teresa: I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

Courage is being able to say thank you for my hurting.

David, a 2-year old with leukemia, was taken by him mother, Deborah, to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to see Dr. John Truman who specializes in treating children with cancer and various blood diseases. Dr. Truman's prognosis was devastating: "He has a 50-50 chance." The countless clinic visits, the blood tests, the intravenous drugs, the fear and pain--the mother's ordeal can be almost as bad as the child's because she must stand by, unable to bear the pain herself. David never cried in the waiting room, and although his friends in the clinic had to hurt him and stick needles in him, he hustled in ahead of his mother with a smile, sure of the welcome he always got. When he was three, David had to have a spinal tap--a painful procedure at any age. It was explained to him that, because he was sick, Dr. Truman had to do something to make him better. "If it hurts, remember it's because he loves you," Deborah said. The procedure was horrendous. It took three nurses to hold David still, while he yelled and sobbed and struggled. When it was almost over, the tiny boy, soaked in sweat and tears, looked up at the doctor and gasped, "Thank you, Dr. Tooman, for my hurting."

Monica Dickens, Miracles of Courage, 1985.

Courage- A definition

COURAGE pronounced: kur'-aj:
Hebrew [~chazaq], "to show oneself strong" (see Numbers 13:20; 2 Samuel 10:12;
1 Chronicles 19:13; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Ezra 10:4; Psalms 27:14, 31:24; Isaiah 41:6)

Hebrew [~ruach], "spirit," "animus" (Joshua 2:11)

Hebrew [~'amats], "to be alert" (physically and mentally), "to be agile, quick, energetic" (Deuteronomy 31:6,7,23; Joshua 1:6,9,18; 10:25; 1 Chronicles 22:13; 28:20)

Hebrew [~lebhabh], "the heart," and figuratively, "person," "spirit" (Dan 11:25)

Greek [@tharsos], "cheer" (Acts 28:15).

A virtue highly esteemed among all nations, one of the four chief "natural" (cardinal) virtues (The Wisdom of Solomon 8:7), while cowardice ranks as one of the mortal sins (Ecclesiasticus 2:12,13; Revelations 21:8).

Concentric Circles of Courage

As prayer requests pour in from all around, I happened upon a book in my library by W. Oscar Thompson, Jr. entitled "Concentric Circles of Concern" (Broadman Press, 1981) dealing with relational circles from the inner circle of self, to the next circle of immediate family, then a circle encompassing those of relatives, then close friends, then neighbors, then acquaintances, then person x. Oscar asserted that God holds us accountable for everyone who comes into our concentric circles.
Some have difficulty loving others but he notes that when Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, we must surrender forever the right to choose whom we will love. Oscar was a pastor and yes so am I. He battled cancer for years while writing his book and continuing in ministry until he went to be with the Lord. Surely, he was speaking from his personal experiences as he outlined love as meeting needs. We can show love to God by giving a cup of cold water and going the extra mile.

This model helps us to identify those whom we may reach and to think of points of contact. Let us begin here but press on. For when life's concerns press upon us all and upon many of our friends and relatives,so many in the various circles become burdened. Attempting to meet the needs of others may cause a backlash of emotional suffocation and lead to a spiraling vortex of focusing upon the pains and problems with diminishing effectiveness in prayer life. Perhaps a ploy of the evil one!

When adversity presses in, it is time to take a courageous walk with a brave heart directly to the points of need together in faith praying and believing for miracles. Where there are two or three gathered together in Jesus' name in overlapping circles of courage, there is Jesus in the midst. Where is the pain, where is the sorrow. In the divine presence, they are but a faint whisper. The tornado like funnel cloud vortex of circling problems dissipates, the wind reverses and brings a fresh breeze of healing, wholeness, peace and joy emanating from outward extending waves generated by overlapping circles of courage. May you feel the wave of courageous faith warriors praying for you, reaching out to you in Chrislikeness?