My last 100 days were rocked by this devotional, 100 Days to Brave by Annie F. Downs. Goodness flows on every page, but I want to share two fundamental truths I took away from the book. They apply to all of us, regardless of what stage or season of life we are in.
You Are Brave
Before this book, I would’ve responded to this statement with one major eye roll. Brave…who me?! Nah. To me, brave people weren’t afraid, but then I read these words from the author, “Being brave isn’t something that happens when you’re not scared anymore. Brave people don’t stop hearing the whispers of fear. They hear the whispers but take action anyway.”
Game changer. Your feelings do not determine if you are brave. You know who does? Jesus, and He’s already given you all the power and gumption necessary to act. There is no waiting to be brave, which is GREAT news for us in a season of waiting.
I’ll be the first to admit I still have difficulty believing this statement because of my sidekick self-doubt. It sabotages the idea that this profound and empowering statement could apply to me. It laughs and mocks me by asking, “When have you been brave?” But the more I pondered these words, the more I began to see I AM brave. Now I can say in response, “You want proof self-doubt? Let me show you.”
- Moving six times, attending six different schools K-12
- Starting a blog
- Being vulnerable to share our infertility story with the world
- Choosing forgiveness instead of bitterness
- Choosing to Trust God. Period.
- Giving myself injections
- Asking others for help
- Advocating for my health and future baby
- Continuing to dream of being a mom
Looking at all these, gives me the confidence that if I could be brave before, I could do it again. Bravery is something we all have in us; it’s just a matter of trusting that we are despite our feelings. The more times we choose bravery, the easier it can be to do!
Try it for yourself. Write down the various ways you’ve already been brave. You will be blown away by the courage you are already displaying in your life.
Bravery is a Necessity
Until I focused my thoughts on bravery and courage, I never realized the important role it plays every single day. So many of the choices I make hinge on my confidence of being brave. Maybe you are skeptical. When you take the time to think about your day, you’ll see there are countless times courage comes into play and you can be brave:
- With your words to encourage others
- Support someone, even if you’ve never met them
- Give generously – time, talents, money, grace, forgiveness
- Be brave to take a risk if you feel the sparks
- Join a small group
- Ask questions
- Be brave to trust yourself and who God made you to be
- Be brave and believe you already are
Learning about bravery and courage was exactly what I needed for this season and beyond. Maybe you are curious what that could look like in your own life. If you haven’t had a chance to read this book, I highly recommend it. They are starting another challenge January 2019. What a perfect time to kick off the New Year! Learn more.
If you’ve read this book or are currently reading it, I would love to hear your thoughts on it!
This post is inspired by the book, 100 Days to Brave by Annie F. Downs. Please, be brave and start this devotional, or pass along to someone else.
Reference: Downs, Annie F. 100 Days to Brave. Zondervan, 2017. Print.
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Please share with someone you know who could use some encouragement in the wait.