ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up). (Luke 18:1 AMP)

Frankly, it’s been a tough month. Actually the entire year hasn’t exactly been a leisurely float through the “It’s a Small World” exhibit at Disneyland. Come to think of it, the last two years .  .  .

Well, you get the idea.

I recall telling a Bible study group I was leading a year-and-a-half ago that I was convinced the days ahead were going to require one quality above all others. Courage. I wish I had been wrong about that.

Over the last few months I have been drawing vital spiritual courage (in other words “encouragement”) from a 75-year-old book I’ve been reading and re-reading. It is E.W. Kenyon’s “In His Presence.” Obviously, I recommend it.

I got another major infusion of encouragement last week in an audio teaching on CD I received from a friend. It was a recent teaching by my former writing mentor, Gina Lynnes. It was one of those divine appointments in which you get just the right word at just the right moment. The message was titled “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and it is so fresh, I doubt it is available on their web site yet.

Gina and her husband Kelly are both dear friends and they have an amazing ministry based in Denver. They are two of the finest teachers I know and they happen to be married to each other. Gina has a great blog here.

To borrow Dan Rather’s short-lived sign off . . . “Courage!” (Hopefully it seems less ridiculous when I say it.)