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.
I need to read this book and be inspired to be braver. I’m in a difficult situation and I need to find my braveness!
My first thought when I read this was that although I have been brave at times in my life, there’s always another area where I need to be brave, so I’d better read this book. It’s not as if I have conquered fear for the rest of my life. There are always new fears that will arise. It is something that will need to be addressed/identified, prayed over, and surrendered to the Lord for all my remaining days. It’s a tactic used against us, but God is greater and as you ponder how he’s helped you deal with it in the past, it will build your faith and encourage you for the future.
Being brave is waking up and facing the things that life throw at u. The book looks great!
I SO desperately wanted to be brave when I was growing up….being painfully shy I just never made friends….I still have those same issues today as an almost 50 year old. It’s just easier to bury myself in being a single mom and caregiver to my parents. I just lost my Dad and will be burying him on Friday and I’m arranging his service that will be on Saturday. My mom has dementia and so she’s unable to help plan so I’m feeling overwhelmed right now.
I appreciate how you explain brave….maybe I’m braver than I think……I can’t wait to read your new book!
In reading Annies’ thoughts, I realized that being brave isn’t what most of us usually think of: Most of us think being brave means bungee jumping or something. But really, being brave is something that can be done in everyday living.
For me, I have a chronic illness. Being brave means fighting. Fighting for a cure, fighting to go to the next appointment, to go through the next horrible-scary test. It takes bravery for me to get up in the morning.
I would love to read your book, Annie (I’ve read your other 2 and enjoyed them 🙂 ) God bless!
I think I need more encouragement to be brave in my faith & life.
As women we are taught to rely on men as husbands and boyfriends, and fathers, but some of us are left by men we trusted and depended on. Learning to be brave and make it on our own without depending on any human male is hard and scary. As a single mom going through school, moves, new jobs and big decisions–relying on God is the only way to be brave.
So many times I think I am being Brave — but realize that I don’t go to my full potential because of FEAR and DOUBT — I have a gift of touching people as they need it…. but I get overwhelmed with Spirit using me and tend to back down a bit. So close to completely surrendering to God’s Will and shining His light for others. Your words are inspiring!
I moved 3,000 miles across the US to start a new life with my 3 kids (leaving behind 10 years of court battles with an abusive ex). I have almost no material things. I have my faith in God, a fabulous church, and my freedom. I need this book.
I was drawn to click on this post about bravery because I am desperately in need of some right now. When I became a Christian five years ago, a deep rift occurred in my family and my mother and siblings parted ways with me. It was during this time that I was also fighting a battle with severe illness that caused weakness and many food restrictions and muscle loss. Abandoned and on my own, with just my husband and I, God began to send people our way and built a new family for us. I find myself now pregnant and overjoyed, but in desperate need of bravery. I need God more than ever now.
I discovered that I am brave even though I didn’t realize it. Sometimes I make myself do things that I’m not comfortable doing, but I do it because I know it’s the right thing to do. I pray and ask God to take over when I’m feeling that way and He always comes through for me. I feel at peace when I know God is control.
I think more women should give themselves the gift of being brave!! So excited to read more!!!
I lost my dad to cancer when he was 39, my brother (22) in a house fire and my sister (24) in a car accident. Some days I feel brave just getting out of bed. I have to trust God with my two kids every moment. Brave is hard.
I am so guilty of thinking I’m not being brave because I do things full of fear instead of with confidence.
I’m not a very brave sort of person. I have a really hard time when faced with adversary or people who are strong willed. But after reading the insert I see that I am probably braver than I think. I love the Lord with all my heart and sole and I am not afraid to show that to all! I feel that this book could help me see my strengthens and worry less about my weaknesses that the devil tries to hold me back with.
Made me cry. In the daily of it all, I don’t feel brave – just clinging to God and waiting for later to figure it out. Then I tell a story to someone and I see it on their face, that look that I wear as I hear THEIR story – that look that says “wow! I can’t believe you did that!” Thanks for reminding me of the wonder we are all given, and to slow down, see and celebrate it!
I love this! We spend so much time putting ourselves down and comparing to those who are out moving mountains that we fail to recognize the bravery in just living day to day. Thank you Annie Downes for pointing this out to us all. Let’s all live BRAVE!
I loved her perspective on being brave in the every day. Life is sometimes mundane, even when we love our life, but it takes courage to keep on keeping on and facing the mundane with joy. That’s being brave and something I needed to hear.
Being brave is letting God carry me when fear paralyzies me
I’m so thankful to read this today. I need the reminder to be brave. I am going to give birth to my first child any day now. And my entire life I have viewed childbirth as this Goliath sized obstacle. Thank you for the reminder that it’s okay to feel fear, but I can’t let the fear paralyze me or cause me to freak out. Instead, I step forward. Take the next step. So much of this post resonates with me. I’ve chosen to stay home, leaving a beloved teaching career. I never really had considered that to be a brave choice, but I now see that it is. Thank you for sharing!