I’ve always wanted to be brave. And sometimes I am. But then there are those other times… times when I let fear, doubt and the comparison curse make me feel not-so-brave. And during those times, my feelings of “blah” and not-so-brave need a kick in the booty. Others times I need a friend to remind me I am brave. I just need to choose to “live” brave.
I invited my friend Annie Downs to stop by and be that friend for us {all} today. She’s part of the (in)courage contributor team with me, and her book about being brave just released into the world this week. All kinds of awesomeness is happening because she was brave enough to write this message; a message we all need to hear! Here’s Annie…
My friend Sarah said she never does anything brave.
She’s 37. Married. Three kids. A dog that yips too much. Her husband has a job and they live in a house.
It’s your basic suburban life, with a literal suburban as the family car.
As we sat at Starbucks, catching up while her kids were in Vacation Bible School, she asked about my new book Let’s All Be Brave and proceeded to inform me of her lack of brave.
I laughed. Sarah is one of the bravest friends I know. We’ve been in each other’s lives for years, since college, and I have watched her be brave over and over again.
Her first date with her future-husband. Brave.
Finding out she was pregnant with #2 quicker than expected (ahem). Brave.
When things got bad after her third baby, you that mama-doesn’t-have-it-in-her-to-cook-another-meal kind of bad? She didn’t run away. She cooked dinner that night and the night after. If you ask me, that’s brave.
Sarah walked away from a job she liked to raise her family. Brave.
Now she works part-time to help ends meet. Brave.
Do you see it? Do you see the brave in the every day? Do you see the moments when fear or hurt or worry could whisper so loudly that all movement halted?
Here’s what’s true about courage: being brave isn’t the absence of fear or worry;
being brave is stepping forward even when the fear still whispers.Brave people hear the fears, they just don’t listen to them.
I laughed at Sarah. Yes, right in her face. (We’re good friends; it was appropriate.) I laughed because I know she is brave, just like I know you are brave.
There have been times when you wanted to quit, but you didn’t. There have been moments when you wanted to say no, but you said yes. There have been opportunities to stay when you knew it was right to leave. So you left.
You, my friend, are brave.
It isn’t just the ones who jump out of planes or move over the ocean that get to wear that courageous title.
It’s yours too.
And when you’ll be brave, the people around you will see that brave and they’ll choose it too. In the everyday moments, in the big moments, look for brave, choose it, and know that your people are watching and deciding to live brave because of YOU.
Let’s all be brave and watch as it changes the world.
Annie F. Downs is an author, blogger, and speaker based in Nashville, Tennessee. Flawed but funny, she uses her writing to highlight the everyday goodness of a real and present God. An author of three books- Let’s All Be Brave, Perfectly Unique, and Speak Love, Annie also loves traveling around the country speaking to young women, college students, and adults. Read more at anniefdowns.com and follow her on Twitter @anniefdowns.
ENTER to WIN:
What resonated with your heart as you read Annie’s thoughts about being brave?Enter to win Annie’s new book, Let’s All Be Brave, by clicking “Share Your Thoughts” below today’s post and do just that. Annie is giving away 2 copies!
This giveaway is now over, but I would still love to hear from you!
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I would love to read this book. What hit me is that we all want to be brave. The desire is in us to be brave but so many things cause us to doubt that we can be brave. How to choose to be brave is the question. Thanks for the chance to win this book!
What you said is so true, and I think it will help many people have a higher self-esteem of themselves – in a good way! I recently stepped out in faith and God took away all my fears when I did street ministry for the first time. He gets the credit for my bravery!
This book sounds like one that I need to read and share possibly in a women’s group. It kind of opened my eyes to think “Brave” is not just jumping out of an airplane or doing something dangerous, it’s living God’s Word everyday! It’s actually doing what we know we should do and doing it and not doing what we should not do. I am so glad that I have read and am studying “A Confident Heart” in small group. Sometimes we have to slow down and focus on the things above and know what real life is all about. Brave people hear the fears, they just don’t listen to them. WOW! A wonderful statement!
Love sharing with others knowing that your not the only one who has these feelings of not being brave!
Being brave is more than a word, it taking action even when your brain is saying no, no, no.It’s taking that first step even when it is something that you have never done and accepting the results weather it was a success or failure. It’s accepting help from others.Being a parent or grandparent, especially when you don’t know how or what to do.Facing each day is an act of bravery. I was diagnosed as Manic-Depressive and clinically depressed after I tried to kill myself. Every day is a gift from God and living for him is an act of bravery that I deal with every day. Sometimes when I and I do so quite frequently, it’s all I can do to pick myself up and try again.we all need to remember that fear is not fear unless you are afraid to try. So personally I would rather be brave than crippled by fear.
Brave, brave, brave. Yes, I know I’m brave, but sometimes I forget. A single parent for 20+ years. Raising 3 wonderful kids who are now adults. Daring to love again. Going back to school as an adult learner to finish my degree. Facing job conflicts in a corporate world motivated by the bottom line. Moving to a small town. Facing health problems. Dealing with aging parents. Dealing with grief. Yes, I am brave. Thanks for reminding me!
Annie, God is so good! Thank you for allowing Him to use you to speak to me tonight. He knew this messy, weepy girl needed to read the words you penned “being brave isn’t the absence of fear or worry; being brave is stepping forward (trusting God) even when the fear still whispers” in this moment of my life where there is a life changing decision that needs to be made. Knowing that God loves us when we lack courage, yet are willing to step forward in confidence that He will carry us through and around the fear to get to the place He knows is best for us.
I love this reminder that I don’t have to jump out of a plane to be brave. There are things that we do every day that are considered brave. Thank you for the reminder ,
book sounds great we all have to be brave every day GOD gives us are strength
The fact that she recognizes that being brave is taking a step forward regardless. Also fear is present for all of us in some form or another, but it does not have to paralyze us if we use it to propel us to be brave! I choose to be brave today and not let fear take over. Life is too precious and we were meant to take risks. Hope I win!
Made me realize even though I may just be a mom I am brave also in so many ways I haven’t realized! Love to read this book!
I had a situation that required action on my part that caused me so much fear. I pressed forward and did what I knew what I needed to do. I had no idea that my sister had been watching me. Because I got brave it gave her the courage to deal with something in her life that brought fear to her. I would love to read this book and then pass it on to her.
Being brave (with knocking knees!)
Kathy
I never thought about being a brave person. I just got back from a mission trip to Costa Rica. I went for the first time ever without any family with me. Thinking about all the people I met and prayed with on the streets. The homeless. I’m handicapped too, so I think that considers me pretty brave, even if I didn’t feel brave. I think everyone is brave. Meeting someone for the first time, speaking in front of people, driving somewhere your not sure of. Leaving home for the first time as an adult. Trying new food can even be brave. Sounds like a great book. Thanks for being real.
I am not as brave as I should be. I would like to win this for myself and for my daughters to read so we know how to be brave.
When I read her story.. about her friend Sarah.. I feel lke Sarah sometimes. I am brave for my children. I’m s single mother of 5 blessing 9 and under. .. I need to be brave for them.. and there is somedays I don’t feel at all brave. I hope I win this great book to hear some encouraging words. Thank you for that chance.. God bless.
Sounds like a wonderful book!
Being brave is going to a parent-teacher conference knowing that the news is not going to good.
Being brave is feeding your parent and talking to them about plans for tomorrow while they’re in hospice.
Being brave is letting your adult child make decisions that you know are not the best but allowing them to learn on their own.
Being brave is telling God you’re not brave and need Him continually.
Whew! “Do you see it? Do you see the brave in the every day? Do you see the moments when fear or hurt or worry could whisper so loudly that all movement halted?
Here’s what’s true about courage: being brave isn’t the absence of fear or worry; being brave is stepping
forward even when the fear still whispers.”
There are many times I have wanted to q uit, but, by the grace of God, I didn’t. I have grown weary and said, “just take me Home, God!” I’m still here, alive and kicking. God is so very good!
Thank you for the reminders about what bravery really is. God continue to bless you richly!
Admire a mom who was pregnant sooner than wanting to be. I was in that situation and know how tough it is. Mine are 13 month’s apart.
Reading this made me realize that being brave doesn’t mean climbing a mountain or running into a burning building. Every person has the potential to be brave and has shown that bravery in her daily life over and over again. I’d love to read this book in depth and better understand how I can be brave and how I am already brave. Thank you.