tonight I got my strength back. I began thinking of how sometimes we simply need to stand up for ourselves. We need to recognize that we aren't doormats. We can respect ourselves and clothe ourselves with grace and dignity.
Strength doesn't come in the form of brawls or nasty revenge plots. It comes in the form of speaking up, having a voice...having something to say and making words count.
As I reflect on need for strength...I want to highlight a list of strong people...people who have braved the odds and created a name for themselves...not through thier wealth, but simply by standing for something and exemplifying strength in the midst of adversity. They showed persistence, faith, and bravery despite thier circumstances. Their names are remembered. Their legacies are powerful.
1. Rosa Parks ....Rosa, through her strength and determination, provided a voice to her entire race. If she hadn't stood up for herself, history may have been written differently. Rosa, you deserved that seat!
3. Anne Frank...Her diary, written during the time of the slaughter of millions of Jews in Nazi Germany, touched millions of lives. Her heroism shined through her writing. Even though her world fell apart, Anne's light shined in the darkness.4. Mildred Cable - Mildred Cable was a Christian missionary who, around the turn of the century, spread the gospel throughout China. She braved bandits, harsh winters, and other extreme conditions to spread her faith. She is known for venturing to unknown places, like the Gobi Desert, to deliver a message of hope to the lost.
5. Mother Teresa - Mother Teresa was a small woman with a giant heart. She exemplified the great love of Christ by caring for the suffering. She visited families in the slums of India. She nursed wounds. She took care of children. She started various missions and dedicated her entire life to serving Christ. She is an icon of the Catholic religion, but she provided a model of love for every denomination. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
6. George Muller - George Mueller is a man whose life shows the power of prayer. He is responsible for housing hundreds of orphans in England. He never petitioned for money, but prayed for God to supply the needs of his orphanages. There were days when food was scare, but just as it would run out...God would send someone to deliver bread or necessities. His service and faith provided a chance to destitute children who would have otherwise never had a chance.
7. Helen Keller- Helen was born without blind and deaf. She persisted in the desire for learning and despite her disabilies graduated from college. She won numerous awards and became an advocate for the disabled.
8. Stephanie Cherry - Several months ago, I stumbled across a blog. The writing of Stephanie Cherry has helped me in numerous ways. Her faith and obedience has been an inspiration to me in more ways than one. She and her husband left thier comfortable home in the suburbs to move to a neighborhood ravaged by addiction. They have opened up thier home to the lost and the hurting and to those in ministry who simply need a place to rest. Despite enduring much hardship, she keeps moving forward with a beautiful and inspiring outlook on life. Her blog address is http://www.stephaniecherry.com/
9. Connie LeBleu BristerMy mom- My mom is an amazing woman who works tirelessly to take care of her family. She personifies hard work and dedication. Like my grandmother, she is an inspiration and I am thankful to have her in my life.
10. Melonie Nunez Brister - My sister-in-law has endured much tragedy. Her dad was killed in a horrible accident and her mother was recently brutally murdered. Despite Mel's immense pain, her light still shines as a beacon of hope to those around her. Her mother's killer is still on the loose. Her story was recently featured on America's Most Wanted. If you can, go to the website and search the name Joe Constance. He is still at large and a family is still suffering.
11. any woman, weak or strong, or any man who has the courage to speak, with dignity and grace, what she believes regardless of what others think...To me, that is strength...
(there are so many others that examples of strength that I encounter every day. My sister. Several of my friends, family, in laws....the beauty of strength is that God provides it to us when we need it most. He is a refuge for the weary. "come all who are burdened and I will give you rest."
Sometimes resting is strength in itself.
instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.
- Judy Garland
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
- Helen Keller
When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
- Lee Ann Womack
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
- Vivian Greene
One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.
- Helen Keller
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
- Marianne Williamson
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson
Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.
- Helen Keller
As we light a path for others, we naturally light our own way.
- Mary Anne Radmacher
Never allow a person to tell you No who doesn't have the power to say Yes.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Strength doesn't come in the form of brawls or nasty revenge plots. It comes in the form of speaking up, having a voice...having something to say and making words count.
As I reflect on need for strength...I want to highlight a list of strong people...people who have braved the odds and created a name for themselves...not through thier wealth, but simply by standing for something and exemplifying strength in the midst of adversity. They showed persistence, faith, and bravery despite thier circumstances. Their names are remembered. Their legacies are powerful.
 |
| rosa parks |
Rosa Parks (1913-2005) By refusing to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man in 1955 Montgomery, Alabama, this hardworking seamstress set off a thirteen month bus boycott and a long chain of civil rights protests. The result was the national attention of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation on buses.
2. Bethany Hamilton....Bethany's story inspired the movie, Soul Surfer....Her arm was bitten off by a shark. She got back in the water to the disbelief of many and inspired thousands of people, including people with disabilies. She is a surfing legend. Her faith in Christ never wavered. Her story showed that anything is possible with determination and a positive attitude.
 |
| bethany hamilton |
 |
| anne frank |
3. Anne Frank...Her diary, written during the time of the slaughter of millions of Jews in Nazi Germany, touched millions of lives. Her heroism shined through her writing. Even though her world fell apart, Anne's light shined in the darkness.
 |
| mother teresa |
5. Mother Teresa - Mother Teresa was a small woman with a giant heart. She exemplified the great love of Christ by caring for the suffering. She visited families in the slums of India. She nursed wounds. She took care of children. She started various missions and dedicated her entire life to serving Christ. She is an icon of the Catholic religion, but she provided a model of love for every denomination. In 1979, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
 |
| george muller |
6. George Muller - George Mueller is a man whose life shows the power of prayer. He is responsible for housing hundreds of orphans in England. He never petitioned for money, but prayed for God to supply the needs of his orphanages. There were days when food was scare, but just as it would run out...God would send someone to deliver bread or necessities. His service and faith provided a chance to destitute children who would have otherwise never had a chance.
 |
| helen keller |
7. Helen Keller- Helen was born without blind and deaf. She persisted in the desire for learning and despite her disabilies graduated from college. She won numerous awards and became an advocate for the disabled.
8. Stephanie Cherry - Several months ago, I stumbled across a blog. The writing of Stephanie Cherry has helped me in numerous ways. Her faith and obedience has been an inspiration to me in more ways than one. She and her husband left thier comfortable home in the suburbs to move to a neighborhood ravaged by addiction. They have opened up thier home to the lost and the hurting and to those in ministry who simply need a place to rest. Despite enduring much hardship, she keeps moving forward with a beautiful and inspiring outlook on life. Her blog address is http://www.stephaniecherry.com/
9. Connie LeBleu BristerMy mom- My mom is an amazing woman who works tirelessly to take care of her family. She personifies hard work and dedication. Like my grandmother, she is an inspiration and I am thankful to have her in my life.
10. Melonie Nunez Brister - My sister-in-law has endured much tragedy. Her dad was killed in a horrible accident and her mother was recently brutally murdered. Despite Mel's immense pain, her light still shines as a beacon of hope to those around her. Her mother's killer is still on the loose. Her story was recently featured on America's Most Wanted. If you can, go to the website and search the name Joe Constance. He is still at large and a family is still suffering.
11. any woman, weak or strong, or any man who has the courage to speak, with dignity and grace, what she believes regardless of what others think...To me, that is strength...
(there are so many others that examples of strength that I encounter every day. My sister. Several of my friends, family, in laws....the beauty of strength is that God provides it to us when we need it most. He is a refuge for the weary. "come all who are burdened and I will give you rest."
Sometimes resting is strength in itself.
Strong Women Quotes
Always be a first-rate version of yourself,instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.
- Judy Garland
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
- Helen Keller
When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
- Lee Ann Womack
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning how to dance in the rain.
- Vivian Greene
One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.
- Helen Keller
With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
- Marianne Williamson
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson
Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world.
- Helen Keller
As we light a path for others, we naturally light our own way.
- Mary Anne Radmacher
Never allow a person to tell you No who doesn't have the power to say Yes.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.
- Erica Jong
- Erica Jong
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