stand UP

My husband and I were raised in totally different places 90 miles apart, but when we started dating we realized we shared some things in common. We both shopped at the Shoe Box at Northpark Mall in Dallas for our shoes. Now, our reasons for going there were very different. He was looking for anything in an extra wide width. I was on the hunt for something cute and very narrow. I vividly remember finding a pair of shoes that I loved often and being told “No, I am so sorry, but those do not come in a triple A.” I usually ended up with a pair of Capezios. All I ever wanted was the “YO YO” sandals with the hole in the heel. That never worked out because of the width. (I might just try to find a vintage pair now because my feet along with everything else seems to be wider.” We also discovered that we had a love for the Hill County and Luckenbach. We were later engaged there. Why this computer does not recognize Luckenbach as a word and thinks it is misspelled is a mystery to me because Luckenbach is a special place. One childhood memory we have in common is a really scary one. We both nearly drowned in the Guadalupe River tubing. I made the mistake of holding onto each adult on the side of me and not my own tube. When we hit the chute, I quickly lost my tube and went under. A lifeguard on the side came to get me after what seemed like eternity. The water was not deep, but the current was fierce. My hubby had the same scare in what we think was the exact same location. Thank God we made it because we are a pretty good team. My dear friend last week told a similar story in Sunday school. She got caught up in a current that sucked her under like a miniature whirlpool. She shared how the water was flowing over her head and she tried to come up for air, but could not. Then, she realized she had not tried to plant her feet. She said “I did not understand that all I had to do was JUST STAND UP.” She nearly drowned in water that was only about three or four feet deep and the bottom had been there all along. I jotted down those three simple words in in my study book in all caps and BOLD. I wrote down “JUST STAND UP.” The simple phrase only has 11 letters, but they give a lot of bang for your buck. The whole visual of being held down, kept under, caught up in something that seems to have a hold on you until you just plant your feet and stand up is powerful. If you have ever been held down by something, and most likely the result of your own poor decisions, you know what I mean. When you feel like you need to plant your feet to stand up to rise above whatever has kept you down, claim a verse and read it out loud. The power of the spoken Word is life changing. If you want to, borrow this one from me for now and plant your feet on the only Solid Rock: Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 16:13 says “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” It is a command, not a suggestion or an idea. It tells us how to live, so decide today to JUST STAND UP.