Encouragement

My mother is a gifted writer, and while often private about it, I figured since she wrote this poem and printed it along with the picture below for my son years ago, that I figured it was safe to share.

Sometimes in life – you have to take chances

You are fairly sure you know the way

You plan each careful step

You hang on to the belief that you will succeed

You give confidence and hope to others

But there will be times you will stand alone

And doubt will slow your pace

You will look behind you and question “why”

                Fear is not a reason to stop

                Look inside and trust the person that is in you

                He will guide your way

                You will succeed and others will follow.

-          Karen Gasperoni

 I love this picture. Not just the one seen above but the one that my mother paints in your head. This picture of confidence and leadership, all the while knowing that there will be doubt at times, that we will struggle at times, and even feel alone. However there are always eyes on us, always those looking to us (often silently) for direction; for someone to follow. This poem reminded me of a passage I read yesterday: 

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Isaiah 57:15 ESV) 

When we feel those moments of doubt, when we have those times of uncertainty, when our spirit is low and damaged, it’s His Spirit that resides with us. The Creator of the universe loves us personally and will be there to revive us from our struggles. What more encouragement do we need than that? This revival certainly doesn’t always happen on my time schedule, but that doesn’t mean He isn’t with me. I know that while I have times of being showered with blessings, there will be times that trials of life weigh me down. However His foundation is where I want to stand, and it’s in these times of peace, before the storms, that I need to continue to strengthen my stand on His foundation.

I thank my mother for her words of encouragement, and as a reminder that we all are leaders. Fear and doubt may try to stand in our way, but with Him, we will succeed; and best yet, others will follow! 

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV)