"Courage" - Pastor Cindy's Devotion - 3/14/2018

Courage, noun.

1.the power or quality of dealing with or facing danger, fear, pain, etc

2.the courage of one's convictions, the confidence to act in accordance with one's beliefs

Originating from the Latin “cor” “to speak from one’s heart.” 

When I am preparing a sermon, I print the scripture I will be using, put it in my pocket, and carry it around for a few days.  I ask God to show me the truth of the scripture, now, in the world around me. 

Next Sunday the message is about courage.  So here’s your assignment.  Write the word “courage” on a piece of paper and put it in your pocket.  Carry it around and ask God to show you what courage means, in your life, in your neighborhood, now.  (Some of you are on Spring Break.  We are jealous.  Do this assignment anyway.  I hope you have a pocket in your swimsuit.) 

Of course, there are varieties of courage:

·         The heroic run-into-a burning-house sort of courage.

·         The courage of the old man who goes to the nursing home day after day to visit his wife as she descends into dementia. 

·         The courage of kindness.

·         The courage of a parent to love their children even when they are ornery, to drop them off at daycare or kindergarten and trust they will grow up healthy, to hand them the car keys and watch them drive away. 

·         The courage to risk confrontation and speak out about what you know to be true. 

·         The courage to speak up about things people don’t want to hear. “#Me Too” sort of courage.

·         The courage of the students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School to return to classes after the shooting. 

·         The courage of the widow to trust that a time will come when the grief-fueled ache she feels every morning will ease. 

·         The courage to trust God and to trust our own hearts. 

Courage great and small, personal and public.  Put courage in your pocket and carry it around this week.  Let me know what you discover.  On Sunday we’ll thank God for the gift of courage. 

Every blessing,

Pastor Cindy

Pastor Cindy Hickman

West Des Moines United Methodist Church

720 Grand Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50265

515-279-0826

We worship at 8:30 and 11 every Sunday and we would love to worship with you. 

This week at WDMUMC: 

Gabe Schott will be practicing with the Praise Band at 6:15.  We are looking for musicians!  Join in the fun. 

No Wednesday Night Live Supper—the cooks are off on a beach somewhere (sigh,,,,).