The following night

the Lord stood by him and said,

"Take courage,

    for as you have testified

    to facts about Me

                 in Jerusalem,

so you must testify also

                 in Rome."

               Acts 23. 11

(In what we experience

     from day to day,

the Lord stands by us

         and speaks into our hearts.

We are not on our own.

         He is still with us.

Through each step of obedience

       and faithfulness we take,

God rises the next step

            to the surface.

Each moment of trusting Him

leads us, trains, equips,

and strengthens us

                    for the next.

We rely on His courage

   which is not our own

and we learn

     how to walk with Him.

Being a witness is not

  what we put on or take off

but a new heart embedded

     in who we are now.

How does that play out

     in what we do today?)

O LORD,

Grant to us the courage

   to follow You

into what is right before us,

even as we see beasts under the bed,

     or around the bend,

     or looming ahead.

Help us to trust You

   with what we fear,  

   both real and imagined.

Equip us

          to walk with You

and bear witness to others

        Your glory and grace.

May we see that You

   have already written Your name

      all over this.