I enjoy re-reading the inspiring stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Despite being children’s books they contain much to motivate and encourage as they cover the journeys of a settler family in the USA pioneering westwards in the 1800s. Recently I read the cold ride where Laura’s future husband Almonzo takes his sledge and horses six miles through deep snow to pick her up and bring her home from school. Love makes us do strange things and he battles temperatures which break the thermometer at -40 before dropping lower still. Frequently he has to stop to break the ice from the horses noses so that they can even breathe. He risks his life, their lives and then Laura’s as she sits wrapped in skins and multiple layers of clothing nearly succumbing to hypothermia before eventually arriving home safely.
When asked later why he did this he replied “God hates a coward”
That got me thinking, does he? Mercifully no! However it is possible he is disappointed if we use fear as a reason to take our eyes off Him because it betrays our lack of faith in his infinite care, protection and provision. Without faith is impossible to please him and we lose our way very quickly when fear not faith leads us off at a tangent. With faith it becomes possible to attempt the impossible and he can give courage in the most stressful of circumstances. As I write this I am aware of many friends who today are facing horrible things with courage and faith and lack of cowardice.
“Do whatever your hand finds to do for God is with you” 1 Samuel 10:7
Heather's ramblings 