Believe and Be Bold

I have a necklace that I wear often. Attached to the silver chain is a small cross, as well as a pressed silver pendant that bears the single letter "B" on it. Of course the "B" stands for my last name Baxter. But to me, it has always stood for something more than that. When I put it on my neck, it serves as a reminder for me to Believe and Be Bold.Believe... in who or what? myself? my gifts? No, absolutely not. Believe in GOD...the God that created the universe, parted the Red Sea, rained bread from heaven, came to earth as a Man, and conquered sin and death. I have learned that the more I focus on Him and who He is, the less I have to worry about me and who I am (or who I am not). He is a BIG, BIG, BIG GOD...and I believe in all of who He is...His love, His power, His presence, His purpose. With Him in mind, I have peace of mind. But God does not want me to stop there; He calls me to rise up in my belief in Him......and be Bold. It's one thing to believe in God, but it's a whole different thing to believe and be bold in Him. For example, think of Jonah. He believed in God, but he certainly was not bold... he actually ran away from what God asked him to do. On the other hand, think of David and the giant Goliath. David knew His God, believed His God, claimed His God, and ran boldy to the battleline in order to confront and defeat his enemy. God is asking me to do the same... tobe bold in the gifts He has given me..not missing any opportunity to shine His light, share His love, or spread His word. Do I always succeed? No, but I have found that one little-bold step leads to the next little-bit-bigger-bold step, and then another-slightly-bigger than-that-bold step. And before I know it, I'm running, in His strength. BELIEVE... anyone that comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. Hebrews 11:6AND BE BOLD... Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us... Ephesians 3:20So my friend, write a big "B" across your heart today. Let's you and I both run to our respective battlelines with a BIG BIG BIG GOD working both in and through us.