Courage!

In the movie The Wizard of OZ, we watch as Dorothy makes three friends on her way to the Emerald City. Each of them needs something, and hopes that the wonderful Wizard of OZ will be able to help them. But today I want to focus on one of them, the Lion who needs courage. Enter the third gift of birth.

“The third gift is courage.”

Throughout this movie we watch the Cowardly Lion tremble his way through spooky woods, battles with flying monkeys, and encounters with wicked witches. All in hopes of receiving some courage. Only in the end to find that he possessed courage all along. For courage is not an absence of fear-it's being afraid and still doing what’s needed. My prayer for you this Christmas is that just like that Cowardly Lion you'll find that spark of courage within you and allow it to grow. That as Charlene Costanzo put it "May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.”