Life Lesson # 236 ~ The Hero Within

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful of all. “~ The Emperor- Mulan

My childhood is far behind me. Long gone are the days of my youth. I’m a child no more. This is a fact none of us can argue. Can’t change it, go back or recreate the life I was given. I am who I am because of the path God set my feet upon some 45 years ago. There's not a soul reaching back into childhood who could debate my spunk and sass came naturally. A redhead with a face full of freckles from the start, I’ve always been a bit offbeat and quirky. Stubborn, yes, difficult no, and believe me, there’s a difference. I understood the world wanted to shape me into its image. However, I had other plans. The world saw my physical disabilities as restraints. I knew better though. While everything may have been an obstacle, nothing was a limitation. Just as long as I refused to accept society's constraints. You see, deep down those so-called limitations could never truly hold me back.  

Now, this probably has a lot to do with how my daddy raised me though. Growing up, he told me I could do anything or be anyone I set my mind to be. The only person who could hold me back was myself, and I believed him. He was the kind of dad who’d push you forward, out of your comfort zone without breaking your spirit. I honestly had no idea any kind of ceiling existed. My daddy made sure all I saw were the stars above me. He encouraged my creativity and imagination. In hindsight, I’d say I’m the woman and writer I am today because of his constant belief in me.  

If you asked, he’d tell you I’ve always been a force to be reckoned with. As a little girl I had an imagination as wide as the Texas sky. I loved getting lost in books, singing at the top of my lungs, running around in mismatched socks with a cape tied around my neck and spending afternoons hanging upside down from my swing set with a comic book in my hands. You could say I was an odd duck. I was quiet and shy on one hand and brave and bold on the other. I found hope in the hopeless, believed goodness was stronger than evil and saw beauty in places others never could. Simply put, I was different then just as much as I am today. My faith, above all is still the core of who I am. See, I’ve always held on to this one fact. Jesus is for me, not against me. From the moment I took my first breath, He’s been moving mountains, parting seas and teaching me to walk on water.

While the struggles we face everyday might not be welcomed, they’re still part of our story. Karen Salmansohn might’ve said it, but my daddy lived it. ”When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your true power is.” Look, life isn’t a bowl of cherries or a box of rainbows. Life is hard, but like my dad, God’s love never fails, nor does it ever run out. Like the oceans, His love is deep, wide and endless and it never ceases, no matter how far we wander. Today looking back on my story so far, through every sorted detail, I can tell you with complete confidence there’s no hurt too deep or sorrow so strong, Jesus hasn’t been able to heal it.  

So are you wondering where all this is going today? It’s OK, you can grumble a little bit if you need to. I have those days too. I mean seriously, what’s all this walking on water and moving mountains business all about anyway? Well, I’m glad you asked. The message you’ll find here inside Life Lesson #236 ~ The Hero Within, is one of self-reflection and self-challenge. Think about your triumphs and failures. Neither defeat or victory come easy. I mean do you ever wonder why life’s so dog gone difficult? I don’t know about you but I rarely recall asking for trouble or looking for it. Do you? Doesn’t matter though, either way life throws curve balls, like it or not. What’s up with that, right?  And why does it always have to happen when you least expect it, or when minding your own business, and staying in your own lane? I’m pretty sure this is exactly how Mulan might have felt herself when the Hun army showed up.

Have you ever heard the real story of Mulan? Read her ballad? Do you know the chances she took and the sacrifices she made or the life she gave up? By the time she returned home, some 12 years later, Mulan is older, as are her parents, older sister and little brother. Did you also know she also refused any reward? Mulan was a simple farm girl who when tested rose to the challenge and became a soldier of the Chinese Imperial army. Her story is one of adventure, tenacity and selfless bravery. The thing is this. When Mulan couldn’t control what was happening, she took control of the way she responded to her circumstances and the hero within her rose up. What Mulan knew was this. If she was ever found out to be a woman, she’d be in trouble. I’m talking real trouble, the kind most of us don't come back from. And still she acted! Don’t you love her example here? In the face of death, Mulan took up her father’s saber, and faced the enemy head on. In this she taught us walking on water simply means having just enough faith to take the first step.  

Disney’s 1998 version of Mulan brought her story, though different, to life. Mulan showed a new generation of young girls it was OK to divert from the status quo.  When Mulan’s story came to the big screen 21 years ago, I understood the reason my heart felt so aligned with hers. “A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat.” Mulan definitely knew she had a ceiling above her. And because she was independent and opinionated, she was considered an outcast. Still she looked up to the sky and saw stars, not a ceiling boxing her in. And when her true identity was revealed, the Emperor acknowledges what we already know, “You don’t find a girl like that every dynasty.”  

By today’s standards Mulan seems pretty typical. She's fiercely independent. What's new, right? Let's get real. Mulan was heroic when women barely spoke let alone

set off on their own adventures. She was ahead of her time even if she was downright clumsy. You know what she really was? Mulan was exceptionally courageous. More often than not, I identify with her high-spirited, awkward resourcefulness. Like myself, she’s creative, strong-willed and very protective of her family. Which is really the sole reason she found herself in the predicament she did. Mulan’s love for her father drove her. As he loved her, willing to give his life, she rose up in the face of possible disgrace and death even, offering her own life. And despite all the folks in her village who saw her as an annoyance and a weak and lazy lost cause, she was quite the opposite. And in the end, she proved to be a force to be reckoned with.

Mulan was fierce, self-reliant and courageous just as she was persistent. Her faith in her cause only strengthened her determination. Her reality was one many of us know, the feeling of standing out and being different. Let’s call it like it is. Folks didn’t really like her back home. She was divergent, swimming upstream. Moment of truth? Well, her strength was simply a reflection of their own weakness. What I love about Mulan, is in spite of all the hatred and anger, she never let it stop her from being a strong woman in a very real man’s world! Now look we can’t all be a Mulan, but her spirit still lives within us. Seriously, do you really think she woke up and wanted to go to war? No, not at all. However, being a divergent soul, she never planned on doing things the way society asked either. I can’t say I really blame her, can you?

As for my story? Well, the King of my heart, He’s called misfit heroes through the ages to carry his banner. And you know what? Despite our flaws and awkwardness, He’s called you and I up to the front lines. We carry His saber. We also know who goes before us, don’t we? I know I do. Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds me to be brave in the face of whatever forces rise against me. “The LORD will lead you into the land. He will always be with you and help you, so don’t ever be afraid of your enemies.” Look, the struggle is real and it may steal your breath away, but never let it rob you of your faith. The battles of this world WILL beat you up. You’re gonna feel tired, weary and crushed beneath its demands. Like the Hun army, agents of chaos will come for you. However, the Emperor from Disney’s Mulan, had it right. “No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it.”

I know this. His banner has never failed me. And no matter how hard the world tries to convince us otherwise, He’s carved a hero's heart within us both. It’s His grace we carry. And when doubt shows up, looking to steal your joy, remember these words spoken by Sarah Claire. “Courageous girl, you may be terrified to your very core, but make sure you do it anyway because I promise you, that moment of courage will change your life, it will open doors, whether it’s the door you want or another door that’s meant for you, it will push you forward into something more than what was before.”  

This is the reality.. I’m going to fall, believe me I will, and I will fail royally. Satan's gonna come for me, mark my words. He’s got his own agenda; but in spite of it, God’s plans are greater. His mercies trump anything the devil can throw my way. Am I without fear? No. I know his lies well but let me make this clear. The enemy can target my mind with his weapons of destruction but God’s bigger than his schemes. And each time I fall, I’ll get back up. From the ashes I’ll rise carrying the banner of my King until the day He calls me home. Jesus, his name moves mountains. He’s my brother and God, my father. Both are my family and their kinship, well they’re the ones with you until the end of the line. No one loves me like Jesus does. No one carries me as gently or charges into battle as He can. My eyes are fixed on Him. My faith strong with His hand outstretched, pushing all my doubt aside. And I tell you this, as long as I’m breathing, I will follow Him. And now, as I bring my tale to an end, I know our views and beliefs may differ. Still, my prayer for us both is this….may we always be humble and bold but never overconfident or boastful. And for myself, I seek nothing more than for His love to be self-evident in my life. I know who I am. I’m a flower blooming in adversity. And though my words may not always be met with open arms, I will continue to carry His praise on my lips. After all, like Mulan I’m a girl who speaks her mind.

“One day you will look back and see that all along you were blooming. “~Morgan Harper Nichols

~ Merida Grace