Strong and Courageous

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  Deuteronomy 31:6

 First Day 2nd Grade...2004

School starts in 4 weeks.  How amazingly fast the summer has flown.  Last night Kyle began to share some of his fears and worries about the new year ahead.  You know, eighth grade can be hard stuff.  I think the idea of giving speeches and taking drama brings nightmares to his thoughts.

He can step up to the plate in baseball, looking into the face of 2 outs and 2 strikes, and not have an ounce of nervousness.  Yet the thought of stepping in front of a crowd to speak, causes him to tremble.  But as we traveled home from winning the Idaho State Championship (yahoo!), Kyle and Ken began to reminisce about the night before Kyle's very first baseball game.  His nerves had caught up to him, and he was worried about whether or not he would know where to the throw the ball if it came to him.  He could hardly go to sleep that night.  But we all have to begin somewhere....

There is a lesson Kyle can take away from his baseball experiences.  Go out and "be strong and courageous", and with each new experience you will gain more and more knowledge and ability.  Soon those things that seemed "too hard" can be handled without batting an eye.

So, 8th grade will bring some new challenges for Kyle, more lessons to learn, and hopefully some enlightenment to passions and giftedness that God has created in him that he never knew he had.

He just needs to be get beyond his fear, and be strong and courageous!

Lord, we can do all things with your presence in our lives.  Nothing is impossible with you.  As school is just around the corner, and the fears and worries begin, help our children to be strong and courageous.  With each new beginning, help them to recognize your presence with them, and that they don't have to be afraid.  Fill them with confidence in knowing you will never leave them.  Give them the courage to handle things in their lives that seem too big or too hard, by looking to you for courage, peace, and help in each circumstance.  In the coming weeks, continue to prepare our kids to work hard, do well, and stay strong in the new school year!  They can be strong and courageous because you are with them!