The Courage to Persevere

It takes a lot of courage to persevere in the face of hardship. To keep on trying to have a baby, even though you lost one in late pregnancy is hard. Just dragging yourself out of bed to face another day as a single mom with four kids under 9 takes perseverance. Encouraging a husband to keep on keeping on when the bills are too many and the income too small takes wisdom.

I am blessed to have grown daughters who are courageous. They are women of valour, mothers of strength. I marvel as I chat with them about their circumstances, and inside, in the deepest part of me, I whisper a prayer to my God: "Help them, Lord. Strengthen them. And Thank You for their growth in grace. Thank You for helping them with the daily struggles. Most of all, Thank You for giving them hope."

I want them to know that they are women of valour. Jenni of the Blog "One Thing" says it well. She writes that the "Excellent Wife" of Proverbs 31 is a wife of valor. (Go there and read the post!)

I quote:

"What are these things that make up a wife of valor?

• Working diligently
• Providing food
• Getting up early
• Spending wisely
• Exercising
• Helping the poor
• Clothing her family
• Teaching kindness"

My daughters are women of valour. They hang in there, day after day, patiently enduring the trials that come their way. They have learned to trust the Lord and to lean on His grace. They know, like Jenni, that to do it in their own strength is foolish, for without Him, they can do nothing.

I admire them for their courage. More than that, I praise the Lord of Glory, for He is the One who gives them strength.