Courage

“The root of the word courage is cor—the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart…In short, vulnerability is a sign of courage, not weakness…Although vulnerability is often associated with weakness, it actually lies at the heart of courage and resilience, for a person who has accepted her vulnerability can put herself in situations of risk, uncertainty, or the possibility of failure…the freedom to be vulnerable is associated not merely with emotional health, but also with a high degree of physical resiliency…the simple act of choosing to embrace our sufferings with courage is a key to spiritual resilience.” (Robin Phillips)

“We need to be very attentive to our lives, to see if we have enough courage to show love. To ensure that despite the fact that we are sinners, we still turn away from sin and move towards God or, conversely, degrade even more. In this way we’ll become like our Savior and those whom He sets as an example for us. This woman showed mercy, thereby preparing the Lord for burial. Any manifestation of such nobility, self-sacrifice, and generosity within us is what the Lord expects from us, is what pleases Him. That’s how He wants to see us. We’re all sinners; there are no righteous people. There are only people who are deluded about themselves.” (Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov)

“A Christian life is often full of hardships, and we must always remember that we can’t live without God’s consolation! The verb “to comfort” is repeated many times in the New Testament, and it does not only give the meaning “sympathy” to the noun “comfort”, but is also used in its original meaning: “bravery”. Divine consolation not only gives our souls peace and relief, but also the bravery and courage to cope with all the difficulties in life.” (Hieromonk Kirill Popov)

“There is a fundamental relationship between courage and the light of being, one which functions as the primary expression of the good against evil.” (Lisa Coutras)

“When you fear loss, you are hard-pressed to live a life of courage, for it is in living with courage that we are able to participate fully in life and become fully human.” (Abbot Tryphon)

“Courage is not the absence of fear…Courage is simply doing what needs to be done even though you are scared and tired.” (Alex and Brett Harris, Rick Johnson)

“To be a true Christian today will require a cost, a risk; it is an adventure, a confession, a form of ‘foolishness.’ To be a Christian is not for the indolent, the self-centered, the idle, the superficial, and the fearful. The Christian today must be intelligent, enthusiastic, courageous, daring and fearless. The saints of our Church who were fools for Christ inspire and guide us into this transcendence — helping us to move outside of our shell of individualism and the frozen ego; and enter into the realm of spiritual health and balance, which is marked by a holy humility... courage is an expression of the transcendental.” (Orthodox Agape, Lisa Coutras)

“When people see how courageous and optimistic you are during your troubled times, they will be drawn to Christ." (Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler)

#LisaCoutras #AbbotTryphon #AlexandBrettHarris #RickJohnson #JoshMcDowell #BobHostetler #ArchpriestDimitrySmirnov #RobinPhillips #HieromonkKirillPopov