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.
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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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My , love of my life, best friend husband passed away March 11 this year. For me, being brave is not losing my faith in God , waking up each day and healing a little bit more and believing I will one feel joy again. For me bravery is letting my children see me hurt but cry out to God to wipe my tears. Bravery is staying obedient when it’s cost you everything. Bravery is believing Gods love for me and His will for me is greater than the daily pain I’m in. Bravery is clinging to my Fathers truths and not listening to the enemy’s lies that I will never again be happy or that my baby was taken from me to punish me. Bravery is finally understanding that there is a time for everything and there may be weeping in the eveving but, yes- there is joy in the morning.
I sound so much like her: I have the same name, I’m the same age, have one more kid than her and some days I just don’t have the energy to get out of bed, but I do it. I can’t say I ever considered myself “brave” for that. My family is in a bad place and people call me brave all the time, but most days I honestly feel more cowardice than brave.
I’ve completely forgotten what being brave feels like. I’ve lost myself in the midst of a period of fear/worry/anxiety that seems to have taken over my life. I don’t recognize the person I am today, yet I know I miss the old me. I ‘ve been brave in my life many times, I know I have, but how? I’ve forgotten how to live and I miss living so so much. Existing isn’t enough.
My son heard Annie Down speak at a camp this summer. He said she was fantastic. I would love to win a copy of her book for us to read!
This post is so on point. I think we all needed to hear this and I am truly encouraged.
Being brave sometimes just means getting up and dealing with whatever the day brings. My husband -and the rest of us- has been battling cancer for over a year now. It’s been hard – very hard – but we know that God has a purpose for his suffering, and that this too shall pass. We cling to Him for our strength. We have to be BRAVE everyday, to face the treatments, and to face the result of those treatments. It’s tiring, I thought I was tired when my twins were newborns-nothing compares to this. In the fight of our lives He gives us the strength we need to get through, and the faith to cling to His promises for hope for our future. I would love to read this book-sounds like it’s right up my alley!
I would love to win this book!!!
A group of Compassion sponsors choose a “word for the year” at the beginning of every year. This year I prayed that God would help me know what my word should be. I kept hearing “brave” and the words of Nichole Nordeman’s song “Brave” kept playing in my mind. I honestly thought, “I don’t want ‘Brave’ to be my word.” I don’t know what I will have to be brave about, and that alone scared me. Yet, I couldn’t deny that God chose that word for my year. I still don’t know if it’s 1 big thing or a bunch of little things He wants me to be brave about, but I am ready for whatever He sends my way as long as He is with me through it all.
Love how God is speaking into you!
Blessings,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
This has been a year of bravery. Most days it doesn’t feel brave – sometimes we only realize how brave we are when we’re standing at the bottom of the cliff, only then realizing we’ve not only jumped, but landed on our feet.
God doesn’t want us to fear the unexpected moments in our life. He is right there with us going through the storm with us. God is not surprised by them. We can be brave by facing the tough moments of our day. Being brave is not about slaying the giant. It maybe as simple as applying for that job you have always wanted. Signing up for that bible study with the women in your church. Starting that walking program and beginning to eat better. It’s the simple brave choices we make every day that will continue to conform us to the image of Christ.
Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is keep moving forward, even when every fiber in our being wants to hide under the nearest rock or run the other way. Brave to me is one foot in front of the other when you don’t know how you are going to do it.
I really don’t consider myself a brave person. After reading this post from Annie I realize God has made me brave in ways I never realized. I feel a lot like Sarah at times. I’m 40 and have 2 children 13 months apart and there’s lots of days I feel my main purpose is taking care of 2 preschoolers. I lost my job 2 days before my youngest was born (almost 4 years) ago, but soon realized that was God’s will for us. Glad God’s made it possible for me to stay home with the children while my husband works. Sounds like a great book!
Would love to read the book, I don’t feel very brave at all I just lost my husband of 40 years and am trying to find a way to carry on. My husband took care of everything from finances to maintenance you name it he took care of it, now that I need to make those decisions I am lost. He was my whole life been married since we were 19 not even sure who I am without him. I get up daily and try to focus on God above to guide me.
Dee,
We are so sorry for the loss of your husband. Praying for you as you find yourself being brave with each step as you move forward with learning the finance side of things and as you make decisions. Praying for God to fill you with His peace and His grace as you take each step in moving forward and as you lean into God for his strength.
Praying for you,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Ministry Team
I don’t feel brave – ever! But after reading this post – I see so many ways in which GOD has made me brave:
Bearing 3 children
Dealing with a difficult 3rd pregnancy.
Taking the step to adoption.
Starting to promote my own blog.
All of those are “Brave” – thank you for this!! I needed it today!
This book sounds wonderful. As women, we become everything for everyone around us…husband, kids, coworkers, church etc. that we don’t really feel brave but safe. We are brave in our choices/decisions. Can’t wait to read your book!
Brave for me is just not giving up. Not matter what is going on and even though sometimes you don’t think you can make it through your circumstances as long as you hold on to God and don’t let go you will always make it. I know our circumstances help mold us and also help us better help others. Just hanging in there is brave to me.
This spoke to me as i am a mom of 3 children. Our first two are 13 months apart and was not expecting that to happen. God knew what he was doing and 4 years after my second child we got the son we long for. I try to be brave in my walk with God but I always let him and myself down. I wish i could be braver in my marriage. Ive let things hold me back.
This message spoke to me because I don’t think of myself as brave. However when I think of certain things that have happened in my life I realise I am brave. For example when I had a miscarriage and didn’t feel like going to work but my colleague and I had a presentation to do, I picked up myself and went to work. At the end of the day I could not understand how I managed but I know God’s grace kept me.
I am currently going through a difficult time in my marriage where there’s no emotional connection. I feel like giving up but i believe that I should give it a bit more time and thought and decide what is right. I am scared, tired, frustrated and unhappy. I want my children to be in a happy and loving home.
I also tend to put off things that I want to do for myself, like starting a blog and eventually writing a book.
I believe winning the book would be a good motivation for me. Thanks
Praying for you Sophia as you go through this difficult time in your marriage. Praying for God to fill you with his strength, his love, his mercy, his grace and his compassion, his peace. Praying for God to give you his eyes and his heart as you take each step through this. Praying that he will fill you with His bravery as you do the next right thing.
Prayers,
Donna
Renee Swope’s Email Ministry Team
Annie made me feel that the times all I could see was how scared I was might have been when I was actually brave because I went through it. I didn’t hide or run away but with a hand reaching for God went through until I got to the other side.
I am brave! Just reading that makes me wish I could live it. Doubt and comparison are my enemies!