Anyone heard this before...“you’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything”? It’s a famous line from an old-timer country artist, Aaron Tippin. Maybe you haven’t heard this song (half of you guys are youtubing it now!) but the sound of my mama’s voice telling me this still streams through my mind from time to time.
The times when I feel compromise creep into my life.
The times when I feel weary and honestly think about giving up.
The times when my ugly inner self rears its head in my thought life.
The times when I enter a room and immediately feel out of my league.
The times when I fail at adulting (and don’t get me started on parenting!).
The times when I watch newsclips that produce content full of dread, murder, hate, racism.
When I’m caught up in that sad lonely path, there may not be any sun but there is almost always a breeze. And like fresh water to a seedling, the breeze brings determination, and I simply think about my mamas voice. You see it’s in these times ladies, we have two options, we sit in the dark or we become determined.
Determined to stand firm in the truth.
Determined to see a challenge through to the finish line.
Determined to shut that inner mean girl up and flood our minds with joy and positivity.
Determined to stop the pattern of “measuring up”.
Determined to halt comparison of adult vs adult or mom vs mom.
Determined to believe we CAN make a difference in our homes, generations, city, and nation!
The song has a part of “it” right, we do have to stand for something, but we don’t have to fall for anything, all because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have the power to stand for life, love, freedom, peace, and joy! We get to FIGHT for our children, our loved ones, and honestly, ourselves. We get to wake up and believe that the best is YET to come and that no THING or PERSON can steal that hope from us.
We just have to be...determined...determined to HOPE. And I for one ladies, am just crazy enough to believe we can see a culture changed, a city changed, a nation changed, all because we became determined for the right things, determined to believe in good again.
So, have you lost hope along the way? What are you digging your feet in and fighting for? Your family? The truth? Freedom? Peace? Hold onto hope ladies, because HE who has promised is faithful (Heb. 10:23). Thank you Lord, that it is YOU that is so faithful.
Choose life...don’t do it alone. Live BIG, love hard , chase HOPE , and never forget to dream again!
We just have to be...determined...determined to HOPE. And I for one ladies, am just crazy enough to believe we can see a culture changed, a city changed, a nation changed, all because we became determined for the right things, determined to believe in good again.
I just think we are the lucky few Who get to stand and shout from the roof tops of our redeemer! The one who loves And lives!!! Steph!! we are determined to do life together and bring hope!! One family at a time!!