Brave: endure or face unpleasant conditions or behavior without showing fear.

Have you ever had to be brave? Have you ever had to be brave in your outward appearance and yet inside you feel nothing but fear, anxiety, timidity, uncertainty, etc.? I know I have and if I am being honest I have done more of the second one than the first…especially since Jason passed away. Learning new things, going new places, moving, making decisions, and continuing to be a parent. All these life things had to keep moving forward despite my loss and grief. That is where “brave” had to take over. 

• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like getting out of bed for the first time in a few days.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like getting out of the house.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like going to the store alone. 
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like going back to church alone or with a friend.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like traveling alone for the first time or any time.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like being alone in your home.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like a family dinner even though you are missing someone important. 
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like celebrating a holiday or a special day without your person.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like being vulnerable and truly honest with someone.
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like going on an adventure or trying something new. 
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like allowing true joy in your life. 
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like moving forward while honoring the past and the story that brought you to today. 
• Maybe for you, “brave” looks like telling your story.

Being brave is contagious. Think about it, when you were a kid and you wanted to try something either your parents or someone you knew would always encourage you by saying, “Go ahead! It’s not scary so and so is doing it”…or whatever other encouragement applies to the situation. Maybe you had parents that would try things with you and modeled how to be “brave” for you. But once you saw someone complete the task or whatever, you would feel like you could at least try it, right? That is how “brave” is contagious. Now, apply that to your situation. For me, it is continuing to live my life in a way that honors God, honors the legacy relationship that Jason and I had and even honors myself by discovering who this new me truly is. 

Let me just tell you that there is not one single day that I “feel brave”. I have had many people tell me, “You are so brave. I don’t think I could do what you have done if I ever lost my spouse.” If I know them well enough my response is usually one of two things: “I pray you never have to find out.” or “I don’t consider myself brave. I am just doing the next thing in front of me.” Well, when you follow what God is asking of you (doing the next thing in front of you) that is being brave. That is also when those around you can see evidence of your Heavenly Father in you, your words, and your actions. 

There is a great book by Joyce Meyer titled “Doing it Afraid”. This last year I read it and walked through a study with a small group of ladies. While in this group, I realized that for most of my life I had been making decisions from a place of fear instead of a place of “brave”. So since then I have been taking time to really reflect and look at my words, my thoughts, and my actions. I have decided that instead of resolutions in 2023, I am going to set goals. One of my goals is to make small shifts in my mindset daily to intentionally be “brave”. But not as you typically think of brave. I have decided that instead of focusing on what I cannot do or rather do not know how to do, I will simply do the next thing in front of me that He is asking me to do. I will do this knowing that my Heavenly Father is walking with me on this journey. I still know I will not feel brave, but I know that by being obedient He will honor my actions and work in, through and around me to complete His ultimate plan. I mean after all He did use a donkey. 

My friend, where do you need to be brave? Where do you feel the Heavenly Father asking you to take a step but you have let fear rule? Change that today and be brave!