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!
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
It is good to know what it really means to be brave. It is not what the world thinks but what the Lord thinks.
Soooooooo trying to be brave in the midst of my mess. I know I am supposed to be here right now,but so very very hard in so many ways. I know YOU will be brave for me and through me! I am counting on Him!
Pam,
It’s in our messes where He fills us with His bravery. In our weaknesses, He is made stronger as we lean into Him for His strength. Thank you for sharing your heart and for your realness.
Prayers being lifted,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
would like to win
Being a military wife gives me countless opportunities to be brave, although I can’t say that I choose to be brave every time. Sometimes it’s easier to cry in the dark and hate the Army and the war for changing my husband the way they have. But every time, I pick myself up again and keep pushing forward. I think that’s the most important thing about being brave – is getting up even when you’re bruised and knocked down. 🙂
Wow, Malori! Thank you so much for sharing your heart and what you have learned from your “countless opportunities to be brave.” I like that. Thank you for reminding me that ” the most important thing about being brave – is getting up even when you’re bruised and knocked down.” Maybe I am a little more brave than i thought. 🙂 God continue to bless you richly!
Malori,
Thank you for being brave. Thanks to your husband for being brave. And yes, you are a LOT more brave than you think. Thanks for being brave and for getting up when you are knocked down and bruised. Praying for you and your family as you serve each one of us. May God bless you abundantly beyond what you can imagine for your bravery.
Blessings and prayers,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
I never really considered it being brave is the little things in life…it is rally amazing how Annie makes you stop and think and realize that sometimes just getting out from under the covers each day is being BRAVE to some people. Thanks Annie for the reminder that just because we are not literally climbing mountains….sometimes our mountains come in diffrent packages.
As a mom of teenagers I need all the encouragement I can get to be brave!
Most if the time I think of brave as saying yes, even when things are uncertain. But sometimes, it’s saying no to a seemingly perfect opportunity. I had been praying for years for God to open a door for me to stay home with my kids. Then my Pastor came to me with a job opportunity at church. It looked like my prayers were finally being answered! The committee wanted me so badly they pulled strings for a decent salary and also told me I could work when the boys were at school and still be home to get then off the bus. I was so excited! But hubby was not. He had a lot of concerns and we prayed and talked and talked and prayed and put out a fleece that God change hubby’s heart if this was his will. And his heart did not change and the opportunity passed by. My heart was broken. It took a long time for my disappointment and anger to go away. Imagine my excitement when the job offer came back a year later! Surely this was from The Lord! But hubby’s heart was still troubled and this time I told he and God that no matter the outcome, hubby and I were in it together this time and I would trust God. After much prayer and discussion, I had to say no. I had to honor my husbands leadership and trust God as he didn’t change hearts. And it was so so hard. I mean, how could working at a church not be His will??? But sometimes you have to be brave enough to say no. And He blesses and blesses and blesses it. Being brave.
Wow, Paige! That is hard to imagine. I kept thinking as I read your comment that maybe you saw why you weren’t able to take the job. Have you seen that yet? Maybe you will down the road. Thank you for the example of honoring your husband’s leadership and being brave enough to say no. This is an insightful twist on bravery. 🙂 God continue to bless you in your bravery!
Wow, what an inspiration! So many times I feel like it’s only the big things that make me brave, although I see the little things in other people as being brave. I’m working on having the courage to step outside my comfort zone and do new things, take chances in a new career to enhance my health and that of others around me; this book is something I would love to read, and then pass it on to my daughter, and young mother of two (mostly stay at home…she has a part-time job that she can take her children to work with her).
Right now I’m not ‘feeling’ so brave – just got word that my mother-in-law just had a stroke – she’s ok but it brings back the memories of so many deaths our family has gone through. Needed this word of encouragement, to put one foot in front of the other as we trust God with her. I’d love to have a copy of the book!
Deb,
Praying for you as you minister to your mother-in-law and family. Praying for bravery as you trust God.
Prayers and Blessings,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
I am dealing with the this right now. I want to be brave again. Would love the book to help with this. Thank you.
Wow!
What an inspiration, this really touched my heart and is so true in every aspect of my life. God and all of my friends and family seem to play a part in this aspect of my life; hopefully as much as I support them. Thank you
A couple of years ago I was one of those “move over the ocean” people and so many told us they could never be so brave – and it’s funny because I didn’t feel at all brave at the time. I was terrified! But I guess I’m realizing anew that “brave” isn’t the same at all as “unafraid” or “fearless.” It’s exactly for those times when we aren’t unafraid and when we are terrified. Because we can do it if God wants us to anyway. But the other thing is that being brave once or many times doesn’t mean we won’t ever be afraid again or that we’ve got this “brave” thing down. There will always be new lions and giants and mountains and enemies to face… and new grace and strength from God to do it with. So yes! Let’s be brave! With Jesus and His Body in the flesh, we can do it. Thanks for sharing this message, Annie and Renee!
I DO want to learn to be brave…or am I already? I’d love to read Annie’s book!
Thanks Renee!
At a time in my life where I have so many days where I look around me and I just get overwhelmed, this is a wonderful reminder. I don’t feel brave staying home, raising my kids, but it is. I don’t feel brave going to a new church and talking to people I don’t know, but it is. Everyday, I have a change to live life bravely, with confidence that I can glorify God with all of the gifts he has given me. I am brave because I choose to live for him, each and every day.
Love your comment Becca about living everyday with confidence that you can glorify God with all the gifts He has given you and because you live for Him, you are brave.
Amen and Amen,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
I really like how Annie sees the brave in the everyday. Brave doesn’t have to be big to be real. Sometimes the seemingly small steps of bravery are the biggest of all.
It’s amazing how it is easier to see other people’s brave, strong side and not our own. But how exciting and encouraging to think that could be me too!
This really got me thinking. My friends have always told me I am brave. It’s true I have survived some horribly scary days and situations in my life. But, I always considered myself stubborn and fighting to survive, not brave. When I read the line, ” There have been opportunities to stay when you knew it was right to leave. So you left.” I realized maybe that is the bravest I’ve been. In those moments when it’s easier to do nothing, I have forced myself to jump into the deep waters of faith to do the right thing. That’s where doing things to survive becomes doing things in order to grow. That takes every ounce of bravery I can muster. Bravery comes from pushing beyond the natural response for survival and risking everything to trust what can be.
No weapon formed against us shall prosper.
Being brave is stepping forward when the fear still whispers.
I want to be brave. As I work towards reconciliation with my formerly abusive husband who is now working towards right living in Christ. I want to be brave as I explain to others that I feel God can heal even this marriage. I want to be brave as I continue to trust in Christ. I want to be brave.
Jennifer,
Praying for you and your husband as you take the next brave step together. Praying for brave as you forgive your husband. Praying for brave as you wait for God to heal your marriage. Praying for brave as you and your husband make God the centerpiece of your marriage. Praying for brave as trust God to lead your husband closer to His heart. Praying for brave as you keep your eyes focused on God.
Blessings,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team