We all know the story of young David—the baby brother tasked with caring for his father’s sheep and checking on his bigger, stronger brothers in the army. He didn’t have as much strength or experience as anyone else around him. Yet one day, while running an errand for his dad, he overheard the taunts of a giant and was moved to action—infuriated by the strong men around him who were paralyzed and shaking in fear.

What on earth made this smaller, younger boy so unrealistically confident?

I’ve recently been walking through a really hard and challenging season. If I’m honest—it’s probably not any more significant than what others are facing today. One thing I’m sure of: we’ve all gone through, or are currently going through, difficult times. I’ve committed myself to the belief that good things are worth fighting for—and let me tell you, it has been a fight.

I was in a classroom with a group of first graders on a Wednesday night recently. The kids were coloring magnets for Mother’s Day during their free time. One little girl looked down at her magnet and said, “I want to go really slow because I want it to be perfect. Sometimes I get nervous because I really want my mom to like what I make. But she always tells me it’s beautiful and she loves it, even if I mess up.”

Paradox – A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that, when investigated or explained, may prove to be well-founded or true.

Have you ever noticed that some of the most profound and powerful truths in life are often a paradox?

I don’t know about you, but I tend to be really hard on myself. If life isn’t going how I hoped, I’m quick to blame and beat myself up about it. “If only I had ___, this would be different…” The opposite is also true—if something goes great, I’m quick to walk with my head held high, proud of what I’ve accomplished.