When you have tried it all....Stand! When you have cried and pleaded...Stand! When you have yelled and screamed...Stand! When you have prayed and feel like the heavens are like brass...Stand!
Stand, immovable, firm, rooted in the truth. The truth that "this too shall pass." That one day you will look back and maybe even laugh at the situation you are now facing.
A wonderful story that came to my attention is the story of the Women of Paradise Road. These were the wives of military officers, taken captive by the Japanese in Southeast Asia during WW II.
These women were elite and came from affluent and influential heritage. But they were taken and separated from their husbands and children and brutalized, tortured, starved and deprived of civility. Yet somehow they made it. Two years of neglect and death and yet they made it. How? What was it that gave them the strength to endure, to persevere? What was that one thing that made them keep going? They didn't know when help was coming or if it was coming. They didn't know if they would see their husbands or children again. But they kept going. They stood. And they SANG.
Sang? Why and How? Two of the women decided that they needed that something to give them joy and hope in the midst of torment. They formed a women's chorus. Some of them remembered pieces of Handel and Chopin and then women themselves sang the instrumental parts. Their songs can be heard on the CD entitled "Song of Survival." For almost two years they sang. They became well known by their captors and even they came, watched and applauded the performances. Incredible. They kept singing!
I have found that when I have stayed silent, my pain increased. Yet when I sang, and sang to Him who has given me song, I am set free. Free to supernaturally laugh and celebrate. Yes, you can laugh and celebrate during your times of pain and torment. When you do this, this really confuses the enemy. He freaks because he knows that you should be crying and pulling your hair out and yet, you are laughing, dancing, celebrating! Confuse the heck out of Satan. Let him know that you are going to stand, that you aren't going to curl up in a ball and die. That you are made from the creator of heaven and earth and that you are made from some really good stuff. That there is no other option but to stand, rise up and fight...
My weapon of choice, as the warrior chick that I am, is laughter and song. I have made a decision not to lie down and relinquish control to the enemy. I made my decision... to stand up and fight...to sing, to laugh, to celebrate.
What is your weapon of choice? What is your decision? Remember, retreat and surrender is not an option...stand up and fight!
Stand, immovable, firm, rooted in the truth. The truth that "this too shall pass." That one day you will look back and maybe even laugh at the situation you are now facing.
A wonderful story that came to my attention is the story of the Women of Paradise Road. These were the wives of military officers, taken captive by the Japanese in Southeast Asia during WW II.
These women were elite and came from affluent and influential heritage. But they were taken and separated from their husbands and children and brutalized, tortured, starved and deprived of civility. Yet somehow they made it. Two years of neglect and death and yet they made it. How? What was it that gave them the strength to endure, to persevere? What was that one thing that made them keep going? They didn't know when help was coming or if it was coming. They didn't know if they would see their husbands or children again. But they kept going. They stood. And they SANG.
Sang? Why and How? Two of the women decided that they needed that something to give them joy and hope in the midst of torment. They formed a women's chorus. Some of them remembered pieces of Handel and Chopin and then women themselves sang the instrumental parts. Their songs can be heard on the CD entitled "Song of Survival." For almost two years they sang. They became well known by their captors and even they came, watched and applauded the performances. Incredible. They kept singing!
I have found that when I have stayed silent, my pain increased. Yet when I sang, and sang to Him who has given me song, I am set free. Free to supernaturally laugh and celebrate. Yes, you can laugh and celebrate during your times of pain and torment. When you do this, this really confuses the enemy. He freaks because he knows that you should be crying and pulling your hair out and yet, you are laughing, dancing, celebrating! Confuse the heck out of Satan. Let him know that you are going to stand, that you aren't going to curl up in a ball and die. That you are made from the creator of heaven and earth and that you are made from some really good stuff. That there is no other option but to stand, rise up and fight...
My weapon of choice, as the warrior chick that I am, is laughter and song. I have made a decision not to lie down and relinquish control to the enemy. I made my decision... to stand up and fight...to sing, to laugh, to celebrate.
What is your weapon of choice? What is your decision? Remember, retreat and surrender is not an option...stand up and fight!
As I have learned in the course of my journey, standing is an action word. It involves movement, practicing and doing all that is necessary to show courage. Standing can be a combative position, a take-no-prisoners attitude that you will fight, that you will be strong, that you will not be defeated. Standing is hard, especially for people like me, who are recovering scardy-cats. By nature, I'm an emotional runner. I hate confrontation. And because of this, I sometimes think I'm afraid to combat "the enemy", too.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm learning to fight back, to fight on! I'm learning I have weapons at my disposal. I'm learning that I have comrades in arms that are willing, some at a momen't notice, to STAND along side of me and fight with me and even for me! Yesterday I was a private, today a corporal, tomorrow, who knows! I have decided to fight! My weapon of choice: like you, it's humor and the pen (or computer). This is an awesome study. Thank you!