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Earlier this year I visited Huelva, Spain, which is very close to the border with Portugal. It is where Christopher Columbus launched the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria on his journey to America. There is a waterfront exhibition with life-size replicas of the three ships built in 1992 for Columbus’ 500th anniversary. And there is a museum next to the boats commemorating Columbus’ life.
I walked in the ships, and they were quite small. The Santa Maria was the largest ship at about 70 feet long. It is remarkable to see the size of the ships and realize what it would be like to launch in one from the southern coast of Spain and head out across the Atlantic Ocean.
Imagine what it would be like 533 years ago to get on a ship with hopefully enough food and water to get you all the way across the Atlantic. It’s hard to believe anyone would be willing to put themselves through the uncertainty and deprivation of sailing in a tiny boat on the vast ocean.
And then there is the actual navigation of such a journey. Columbus had no sextant. He didn’t have some of the most basic navigational tools seafarers have used for hundreds of years. He literally relied on the sun and the moon to pilot his ship.
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Columbus’ goal was to get to Asia, but his original calculations were incorrect. So instead, after five weeks at sea, on Oct. 12, 1492, he landed in what is now the Bahamas. It’s an absolutely amazing story of exploration and adventure. He never would have accomplished such a feat if he hadn’t had the courage to try.
Today we celebrate that courage.
Columbus is remembered for his epic journey that was a key turning point in world history – connecting Europe with the Americas. He was from Genoa, Italy, so Italian Americans are particularly proud to celebrate his legacy. The District of Columbia, the seat of our government, is named after him. Columbia University, an Ivy League college, as well as many cities and towns in America, are named in his honor.
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In more recent times there has been controversy surrounding Columbus. Some believe celebrating him glorifies the legacy of colonization, including the mistreatment, displacement and deaths of Indigenous peoples. This debate has led to the rise of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which aims to honor native cultures, histories and contributions.
But our focus is on his courage. The courage to discover, to explore, to not settle in life. The courage to take risks and do what is demanding. The courage that is necessary to succeed.
What can stand in the way is discouragement. To be discouraged means literally a loss of courage. Have you lost your courage? Do you need to get your courage back? Do you have anxiety, fear, worry? You overcome it by practicing courage.
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Joshua 1:9 tells us, “I’ve commanded you to be strong and courageous. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged. I am the Lord your God and I will be there to help you wherever you go.” You can be courageous because God is with you to help.
You can run away, or you can run after it. You can run to your destiny, chase after the God-ordained opportunities in your life, or you can shrink back. But less demanding means less fulfilling.
Have the courage to pursue it. Have the courage to not be stagnant, to not settle for where you are, to not give up on your future.
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Maybe it’s a big dream you need to pursue. Maybe it’s an addiction, a life-controlling habit you need to break. Maybe it’s your mindset, the negative self-talk and nagging self-doubt you must change. Maybe it’s doing the right thing, even though it will be hard. Have the courage and just do it.
Stop giving the lies permission to stay. Stop rehearsing the criticism. Stop accepting defeat before you’ve even tried. Make room for courage. For the courageous voice in you to say, “I can do it.”
You might stumble or fall along the way, but doing nothing guarantees you never move forward. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s choosing to act in spite of it. The real risk isn’t in failing, it’s in never trying.
It’s courage that turns conviction into action and sacrifice into legacy.
Discover your courage today.
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