Confidence

Editor's Note: Today, as Erin Franco returns from maternity leave, we congratulate her and husband Michael and their son Gabriel on the birth of their beautiful new addition, Faith Lucia Franco. Welcome Faith -- you are blessed to have such a wonderful Mom! LMH

Confidence. That's been the word on my heart these past few days.

When Michael and I moved to Houston after we got married, we became friends with an amazing young Catholic couple, Matt and Lucy Coles. When we met them, Matt had been battling a non-smoker's lung cancer for three years. The cancer had spread to dozens of painful tumors throughout his body by the time he passed away at 28 years old in December 2010, leaving Lucy and three little sons--the youngest just two weeks old. Despite the fact that Matt had a decidedly terminal illness, I have never met a stronger, more joyful, more confident man in my life.

Matt lived out a joyful confidence in God's love and provision that is almost indescribable. From working full-time to provide for his family, to painstakingly researching and preparing natural foods and healing treatments for himself, to trusting that God would provide new vehicles and appliances when theirs broke, Matt never seemed to skip a beat in trusting that God would provide the grace and resources he and his family needed.

Our friend Matt walked with a confidence that Michael and I are inspired by now more than ever. The recent birth of our beautiful baby girl, Faith, has coincided with some financial and personal challenges for our family. We chose Faith's name because we have already been challenged in several ways this year to trust God more fully, and now it seems that God has chosen to permit more challenges in our lives to grow us even closer to Him.

Our society's New Age self-help culture tells us that "we have everything we need inside," that "we just have to find and unleash the goddess in ourselves!" and that "we just have to believe in ourselves, and we can do anything!"

That message of inflated self confidence and self-reliance is ultimately false and defeating. Instead of walking with total confidence in ourselves, I think life is about learning to walk with total humility, knowing that we're weak, knowing that we need God in every step on the specific path of life He created for each of us. And trusting with all our hearts that He's going to provide for us, and that "all things work for the good of those who love the Lord, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. -Isaiah 55:6-9

Here's to the kind of confidence displayed by the Proverbs 31 woman, who is "clothed in strength and dignity, [and] laughs at the days to come." As your humble handmaid, Lord, let it be done unto me according to your will.