Courage to Stand – The Idea Door

Words and Music By Mary Noble Cavenee
Arranged by Mary Ellen Loose
Art Work by Dan Speakman

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I have another song for this year, it goes with this year’s theme and our camp theme “Courage to Stand”. I have a solo version, girls choir version, and then just the piano part (recordings) and then the sheet music this can all be downloaded for free.

Thanks so much Mary for sharing her wonderful talents with us again! If you have not heard Mary’s song Believe in Me, please check it out and enjoy!

A note from Mary

I was asked to be over Girl’s Camp Music again this year and felt the theme “”Courage to Stand”” really strong. It is from this year’s youth theme: ”Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9” In trying to find a theme song, every song I listened to just didn’t come across strong enough to me and my camp director. We both wanted an anthem feel. I started hearing the chorus in my head….and the whole song came easily one morning. I really feel we are in a war with Satan and his hosts, which is why I referenced this in the first verse. Can we see how he affects us every day? I also really believe in the words “”I AM””. Whatever we attach to those words will come to pass…. “”I am tired, I am lonely, I am hungry, I am happy, I am satisfied, I am strong, I am courageous!”” They are words of creation and so I feel we need to be really careful to give ourselves positive self-speak…even when we don’t initially feel like it. So the words “”I’ll remember who I AM”” in the song has a double meaning: they refer to our eternal self worth…and the sacred name of God our creator: “I AM that I AM””. I hope when the Young Women sing this phrase they will feel the power of those words. I also have really felt strongly that the adversary and his millions of hosts affects us most by putting temptations into our minds in the form of thoughts which manifest themselves in negative emotions, addictive habits, etc. According to the scriptures, one of the ways we can combat these influences is to fill our minds continually with the Word of God, his sword. In Ephesians 6:17 we read “”And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God””. His word is powerful and can cut through anything. The more we have his words in our minds, the more we will recognize Satan’s whisperings. So when I put “”With God’s Sword in my hand”” I am referencing our vital link to the holy scriptures.
We did the recording really quick just as a sample of the song, and the harmonies were added after the fact. So I included a sheet of the harmonies (that my lovely sister made up and recorded) so that the Young Women can sing harmony with the melody. You can hear the harmony really well on the solo version. If you want a beautiful hard copy of the song, I have copies in my home and they are just the price of printing: $1.00 a copy. You can contact me @ (480) 832-9353 and I will send them to you. You can also download it for free on this site. Thank you to Liz for putting this on here!
I hope the message ”I Am Strong and Courageous!” can be felt and infused into every one of our lives. We did not come here to fail….God needs us….we are his Saturday’s Warriors. I have a line in my patriarchal blessing that says “”You have been sent here in this dispensation because of your valor (which means marked courage) to build up Zion and make it a beautiful place to live in”. I know that message is true for each one of us!

Love Mary (for more about Mary click here)

Courage to Stand Lyrics

Everywhere I look there are choices to be made—

Can I see this war ‘gainst Truth and Light all around me everyday?

My time on earth is sacred —Do I remember that pledge I made?

As I STOOD with the Savior and vowed I’d STAND in THIS day…..

(Chorus)

I am STRONG and COURAGEOUS—

When life’s storms come my way

I will FIGHT for His RIGHT ev’ry moment, ev’ry day’—

I am STRONG and COURAGEOUS

With God’s sword in my hand –

I’ll remember who I am…….

And have the courage to STAND!

It takes COURAGE to repent when I know that I’ve done wrong—

It takes COURAGE in this loud world to be still and hear His song—

It takes COURAGE and CONVICTION which comes from a changed heart—

To STAND with the Savior and with His spirit do my part…..