He knelt at my bedside, scooped up my hand, and leaned in until our faces nearly touched. With a resolve I’d not seen in him before, he whispered, “Now you listen here. You are my bride, and you always will be. If I have to kneel down to kiss you because you’re in a wheelchair, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
I was stunned.
We’d just come from the ER. The doctor pulled my husband aside and said, “I’m not sure what’s going on with her, but it looks like MS to me. We’ve done as much as we can do here. Take her home and start scheduling some tests.”
From my limited perspective, my life was over. I didn’t want to be a burden to my husband or children and thought it best if he’d just release me and marry someone who’d be a joy to live with. I didn’t know what I was saying. Thankfully, Kevin stopped me mid-sentence and told me how things were going to go.
Kevin was a young father of three, a young husband to a young, sick wife with no sense of how this would play out. Yet he didn’t waver in his commitment or belief that God would somehow take care of us.
Does greatness come naturally? I’d say no. I think it’s cultivated over time. Greatness calls out the courage in us in the face of unspeakable odds; it challenges us to forgo the easy outs that often prove to be disastrous in the long run. Courage compels us to make a series of hard choices that may cost us but bear fruit and change lives for future generations.
Recently on Susie Larson Live, I spoke with Eric Metaxas about his compelling book, “7 More Men: And the Secret of Their Greatness.”
Together, we talked about imperfect men from our history who sacrificed comfort, stood strong in the face of opposition, and went on to do great things that changed the world—men like Martin Luther, George Whitfield, and George Washington Carver.
Though some may malign virtue and mock conviction, God sees everything. He moves mightily when a brave soul dares to persevere when it would be easier to quit, dares to forgive when bitterness comes so naturally, and is willing to sacrifice fame and fortune for the sake of the poor when others chase the almighty dollar.
God calls us to reflect His heroic nature to a world that desperately needs more tangible examples of courage, conviction, and humility.
You can live with dignity and courage. You can fear God above all else and refuse to fear what man can do. It feels impossible, but it is doable. With the Spirit of the living God within us and His promises written over us, we can live lives of courage. We must.
When trouble surrounded me, I cried out to the Eternal;
He answered me and brought me to a wide, open space.
The Eternal is with me, so I will not be afraid of anything.
If God is on my side, how can anyone hurt me?
The Eternal is on my side, a champion for my cause;
so when I look at those who hate me, victory will be in sight.
It is better to put your faith in the Eternal for your security
than to trust in people.