Annie F. Downs writes today, “Being Brave is organic and spiritual and a unique journey for each person.”
I’m so glad so many different people from such a variety of places are joining together to go through this book! I’m convinced that communities (physical/tangible and virtual/online) are vital to us becoming the best version of ourselves. I’m looking forward to reading and seeing what each of you receives from the day’s reading. Use the comments below to tell what parts stood out to you, and share your own brave challenges if you want to.
The journey to brave will look different for each of us, but perhaps that’s the beauty of it.
Love to you all, Tifainé
Brave for me is being back and remaining wholly present at ground zero. A place where time seems to stand still, memories and perceptions exist as if they happened yesterday and all things, except for me, are familiar.
Recognising our bravery is important too, I think. I feel a tension in my bravery: a desire to do, the knowlege that I could easily not do it, plus all the many varied consequences of being truly me. It seems to be you’ve very eloquently summed up some of the feelings/backstories in that tension.
I started! Day 1 is in the bag! It’s short, it’s sweet and it is encouraging. I’m looking forward to figuring some things about myself and learning more about some of you as well.
Today I took time out to read this an journal while eating gumbo in New Orleans in Disneyland. Being brave is getting out of the office 😊
Believing I am strong, fierce and dare I say, brave, depends on the day. Perhaps brave is being ok with me where I am. Perhaps brave is having the courage to be comfortable in my limits (because I often over commit to things to maintain an image and please others). Perhaps brave is setting boundaries that protect me from burn out yet pushing the boundaries and limits that keep me from becoming the best I can be. And perhaps brave is figuring out how to recognize, admit, and face those boundaries and self imposed limits that keep me from being who I feel I am inside.
Because Annie F. Downs says, “Brave people don’t stop hearing the whisper of fear. They hear the whispers but take actions anyway,” I am asking myself if there are places I have listened and given credit to fear? Probably. Like every time the changes I want to make and the person I want to become feels like a mirage in a desert rather than a present progressive reality.
I really resonated with this. Especially the – it depends on the day! Some days seems like you could climb Everest and then the next it’s like a snack food spiral haha. But maybe it’s ok to not have it all together all the time. Thanks for sharing.
In the big things and in the small things, being obedient even when it’s scary takes courage, drawing our strength from Him, our Heavenly Father. In these times I whisper to myself, Phil 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (because I am His child and my help and power is from Him). This gives me the peace and courage I need.
This lesson came at such timing with some other info I’m reading. I’m single and I’ve been reading on stepping out and taking initiative on your dating life. This is new to me..I’ve always thought God will bring someone to me but I’m processing through the fact that I may need to make some changes myself to bring this about. “Being brave isn’t something that happens when you’re not scared anymore.” I think if I were to make a change-I’d be prone to waiting until I wasn’t scared. But also as Annie says “God made me on purpose and for a purpose”. Maybe I need to be discovering what that purpose is in relation to dating.
Thanks for letting me get those thoughts out there ☺️
I’m single too Sarah! Don’t be afraid to find your purpose within who God created you to be as an individual. Change up the dating or not …. I’ve no clue about that haha …. but come into that dating relationship as a fully formed follower of Jesus filled with passion and purpose and you’ll be even more irresistible to that lucky guy!
Thanks Chrissy! I wish you luck in whatever stage you are in with finding your purpose. Being a fully formed follower (or working towards that) is definitely key and I’m getting there!