Be Strong and Courageous

“…Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9b

Be Strong and Courageous

As the summer draws to a close, I start thinking about my children going back to school. I have already been praying that they would have a good school year ahead, and that God brings them the right friends. I am getting ready to help them walk through the uncertainty of the beginning of the school year. These thoughts start to bring me back to some of the struggles that they have faced during the previous school year. One of the hardest things for me is to watch my children walk through struggles, but I have to remember that God is there with them every step of the way. As a mom, I know the best thing that I can do is point them to Jesus. He will never leave them, and He is always by their side. Even when the struggle may seem like more than they can bear, the truth is Jesus can help them. 

When my oldest daughter was in third grade, she was having a tough time on the playground. It seemed like she could not find a good fit for a group of friends, and this was a big struggle for her. We prayed over this for several months. One morning before church, she brought me into her room and showed me a drawing she had drawn from a dream she had. The drawing was of her and Jesus holding hands, and He was walking with her through the playground talking to her. This made me cry. God is so good to help us see when He has been walking with us during our struggles. 

In our home going into the school year, we talk about courage and what the Bible says courage looks like. God’s Word says that, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). My girls know that we continue to move ahead even in the midst of struggles. This is such a pivotal time to teach them that God is always with them. And thankfully, He knows even more than me what they need. They should turn to Jesus when times are hard and when times are good. After all, Jesus has been walking beside them all along.

Samantha Ciecalone
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One Comment on “Be Strong and Courageous”

  1. Hi Samantha,

    Your article was spot on. Sometimes as a parent we always want to make sure our children are safe and cared for, no matter if they are at home or at school.

    When we serve Jesus we have the understanding who he really is … He is our greatest protector and care giver.

    I love the fact that you give your daughters the understanding of who Jesus is at such a young age.
    The most impressive part, was that she was able to share her drawing with you.
    God has a way to showing us that he is with us in the most beautiful way. (A simple Drawing).
    Thank you for sharing our story.
    Lola

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