What do you think of as courage? A soldier going forth to meet the enemy, fully armed and armored, and backed up by an extensive network of intelligence, supply, and command? It takes courage to face any enemy, and no decent commander would send his troops forth without giving them every advantage for victory. But how much more courage does it take to move into an unknown future in an undefended state? This is a choice for everyone, not just soldiers. Are you aware of the cost to be habitually defensive, and how much greater fullness of life is available if you are not?

Do you think beauty is important? It is highly rated in your culture. Do you think it is merely superficial and cultural, or do you think that it has a spiritual connection? Do you think it is connected to anything besides romance? My word refers to the beauty of the Lord. This is not romantic in the conventional sense, but it is an important concept. When you see beauty in nature, in creation, including people, does it make you think of me? The heavens declare my glory, and people can if they choose to. Works of art always refer back to the artist who created them.

Are you familiar with the scriptural passages that promise that you can have anything that you ask for? These are widely known and very popular. How has this worked out for you in practice? Do you know people who ‘hold me to my promises’, and whose prayers are a list of demands? Set aside for the moment the question of whether they get all that they insist on. Are these people that you admire spiritually, and wish to emulate? Don’t you find that prayer is a doorway to humility, and that your demeanor changes when you consciously address deity? I’ll stand by my promises.

Do you want my guidance in your life? Do you hate it when you encounter a ‘closed door’? There are many doors in this world, but most of them lead to other people’s houses. You only need access to the one for your own home. So most of the doors you encounter will be closed, but do not be discouraged by this. Strait is the gait and narrow is the way that leads to life. Doors that do not open to you are not meant for you. Can you trust me to open the ones that are a part of my plan for you? Remain engaged and move ahead and you will find the strait and narrow way that leads to life.