The Courage to Continue

 

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Today’s post is by our special guest this week, Allison Diaz. Allison is grown from a mix of Georgia Red Clay and Canadian dust…a southern girl with a heart for God, her family and big dreams. She’s a warrior for Jesus, her husband and her family…overcoming near-tragic difficulty and standing firm as an example God is bigger than any disaster. You will be incredibly blessed by her wisdom and insight. To read more about Allison and her journey, visit her personal website,www.allisonmdiaz.com and the site she writes about living in the wake of traumatic brain injury, www.dannyandallison.com. 

It was Mother’s Day — my day.

We’d gone out of town for the weekend…an unusual occurrence, as traveling with wheelchair accessibility needs is a challenge.

Pulling into the parking garage at home, we were tired. We were hot and ready to get out of the car.

We were all on edge creating a perfect storm as our frustrations collided.

Corbin yelled at his father. I yelled at Corbin and Danny yelled at both of us.

It was a horrible conclusion to what was a very pleasant weekend.

And, as I stood there, with tears falling and silently unloaded the car alongside my son, I wondered what we are doing.

What are we doing to each other? Why can’t we be better than this?

Living and relating to each other as a family is challenging under healthy and white picket fence normal circumstances; living and relating to one another in the midst of brain injury is a dance out of sync.

It’s confusing. It’s unpredictable. It’s frustrating and an emotional roller coaster.

We laugh. We bicker.

We dance. We yell.

We have wonderful conversations and then we shut each other out.

I think about Jesus-the man. I ponder His humanity and envision his wrestling with the weight of His purpose.

Did He wrestle with it? Did He ever want to go to Plan B?

He was loved. He was hated. He was embraced, but beaten. He brought joy and yet received persecution.

He lived only to die for those He loved; to bring redemption to the world.

There is no greater way to love than to give your life for your friends. (John 15:13 (The Voice)

The truth is that I wrestle with my purpose. I wrestle in my faith and wonder if I’m a fraud of a Believer because I waiver in believing God will heal my husband’s brain, that He will restore my family.

I don’t want to be strong. I don’t want to be courageous.

But, my family — those that I will give my life for — they need me.

And, I need Jesus.

I need His courage. I need His strength. I need His love and His peace.

Friends, I know you’re tired. I know you’re weary warriors battling your own rollercoasters of difficulties.

But, we knew, didn’t we? When we decided to follow Jesus, we knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road.

We know Satan is unrelenting in his war. We know we are his enemy and he prowls looking to devour.

He wants to take your family, your faith and plant in you immobilizing fear.

Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid of them! For the Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.”

In order to BE Courageous, you must choose to triumph over the fear, despite anxiety and persevere in the face of adversity.

It is easier said than done, I know.

It’s not a one-time decision to face fear; it’s every day.

You can do it, Friend. Hold tightly to your Savior, to your family and your community of faith.

Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Make it count. Courageously.

– Allison