What Doesn’t Kill Us

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M

MissCris

Guest
#1
There is a young mother at my church whose husband kicked her and his three children out a year ago. She sits a few
rows ahead of my family during service. I’ve seen her leave the sanctuary with her crying baby. I’ve seen her smile
apologetically as she passes rows of watchful eyes.
I’ve seen her break down in tears and apologize for it.
I’ve seen her, and she is a fighter.
There is often pain etched on her face, shame in how she hangs her head,
but she is there.

Strength is not loud or showy. It doesn’t have to be bold, assertive, agressive, or big.
It goes hand in hand with courage, is propelled by hope, and is made greater by love.

What does strength look like to you? Have you seen it in action?

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MichaelOwen

Senior Member
Nov 6, 2017
909
252
63
#2
Strength to me would be to endure what the world throws at you, for Christ's sake, to turn the other cheek, to give the person who persecutes you or sues you the shirt off you. True strength comes from the strength it took Christ to take up His cross, just as He encouraged us to take up our cross (burdens of life) daily and to follow Him. That's amazing strength to me, and it's hard to do in this human fleshly body, but to die in Christ is gain........That's strength to me. Great post
 

JosephsDreams

Senior Member
Dec 31, 2015
4,313
467
83
#3
What doesn't kill makes us live longer?
Did I get it right?
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
113
#4
Quote from a song I heard in a video game trailer:

They say whatever doesn't kill you
Will only make you stronger
But I say whatever doesn't kill me
It better run!

[video=youtube;ZMQh_j0JRtI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMQh_j0JRtI[/video]
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
113
#5
Thinking about all the people I consider "strong," I find there is one thing they all have in common. They don't consider what they do as any great thing. They just take what life throws at them and make their way through it the best they can, find joy where they can, help those around them when it's possible - they just live their lives.

When other people try to express how they admire their strength, these people seem confused. Well, they ARE confused, even if they have heard it from many people before. They honestly don't think they are doing anything great. They are just doing what they see that needs to be done.

One day I might grow up to be like them. I've still got some work to do on me, but someday I'll get there.
 

WineRose

Senior Member
Jan 3, 2017
3,631
265
83
Row A, Column 9
#6
My kind of strength:

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=303s&v=Tc-2KK0uxlU[/video]
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#7
My kind of strength:

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=303s&v=Tc-2KK0uxlU[/video]
That was quite an incredible battle!
 

notmyown

Senior Member
May 26, 2016
4,586
1,046
113
#8
my nine year old nephew, who was mentally disabled, left the house unnoticed one cold December 18th. my sister, who had been widowed 19 months previously, was upstairs for 15 minutes changing bedsheets, and Logan was watching Veggie Tales with his 13 yo sister. he was wearing a long sleeved t, sweatpants, slippers, and took his favorite orange backpack. the temps that year were below zero at night, with a terrible wind chill.

the police were called right away, and a massive search ensued. four days total strangers looked for Logan, manned coffee and snack stations, donated food.... total strangers giving up their time at Christmas to look for a darling boy they didn't know. four nights my sister went to bed not knowing where her little boy was, or if he was in the hands of a predator.

he was found on the 22nd. he had died alone of hypothermia the first night. on the 23 there was a memorial service my sister didn't really want. she's a very private person, but hundreds of people wanted to attend. it had to be held in the local high school auditorium, which was filled to capacity, and people standing outdoors in the cold that night listening to it on loudspeakers.

my sister's only request of her pastor was that he just preach the Gospel, because she felt it might be the only time people heard it. she displayed a strength that could only have come from God, and she knew it. she knew she was receiving grace that made His strength perfect, though she was distressed beyond words. i can still see the pain in her face. she also knew her four daughters needed her, and God gave her the strength to be there for them.

she was courageous to be willing to share a most intimate grief with strangers. she had hope in God she will see her son again. she was motivated by love to have people hear the Gospel.

my hero sister, whose faith never wavered, because we serve a mighty God. ♥
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
24,799
8,103
113
#9
I was thinking about this thread this morning and I kept thinking about this one guy I used to know. His stepfather co-signed on a loan for his first car and the guy promptly wrapped it around a telephone pole. And before you judge, it was at night on a back road on a curve that I hear tricks a lot of people.

After the guy paid off the loan I heard his stepfather commenting on what a remarkable thing it was that he did not just default on the loan and let the co-signing step-father pay it. The guy acted puzzle as though he did not quite understand why it was so extraordinary. The Stepfather said that was the very reason it was so extraordinary, because it had never occurred to the guy to try to get out of the loan payment after he lost the car.

That is what strength means to me. Taking up responsibilities because it is the honorable thing to do or because it is something that is needed, even when it would be easy to get out of the responsibilities. Someday I hope to be like this guy.