Inspire Bravery

Annie F. Downs' "100 Days to Brave."

At the beginning of 2020, I wrote a blog post about my hopes for the new year. There are a few quotes from that blog post I want to highlight: 

"If 2020 is anything like its predecessor, it's going to be an amazing year." 

"I'm also determined to grow in my many relationships--with my family, my friends, special people in my life, and above all, my relationship with God." 

"I fully intend to make every day of this year count."

"Life is too precious to waste standing by the sidelines." 

"I need to be brave." 

"I have a goal for this year: to be brave." 

I find myself chuckling at many of these remarks. 2020 was going to be an amazing year? I was going to grow in my relationships? That's hard to do when you have to be separated from people. I need to make every day count? That's also hard to accomplish when every day is the same routine. Of course, I had no idea at the time I wrote that blog post in January that three months later, we would find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic. We would be forced to participate in social distancing standards. We would have to be quarantined at our home. No one could have anticipated this pandemic. 

But there's one quote from the blog I have tried my best to follow: "I need to discover that I am braver than I know and that I'm stronger than I ever thought possible." 

I'm happy to report that I have discovered this about myself the past five months. Like I discussed in the original blog post, I read Annie F. Downs' devotional book, 100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self. The best-selling author and speaker wrote, "You were always meant to be brave." At one point in her life, Downs decided to stop allowing fear to hold her back. Like many others, being brave wasn't easy for her, but she didn't give up. It wasn't easy, but it felt "right." It was a sense of freedom. 

Annie F. Downs' "100 Days to Brave."

In the compilation of daily devotions, Downs walked me through 100 days of devotions to find my own bravery. With scriptures, heartfelt messages, and questions and prompts to consider, the book motivated me to open it every day. For the first time in my life, I finished a devotions book from start to finish. Usually, when I'm in a busy and stressful season, it's difficult to find time for myself. 

But, I made it a priority to open this book every day--for 100 days straight--and reflect on Downs' words. I wrote down the scripture, meaningful quotes, and answered the questions in my journal. I spent time with the Word and it was a great sense of relief. It was peaceful--to know I could rely on the book to teach me a new lesson every day. I knew I was going to learn something new and grow more as an individual, which was the whole point of the devotions. I became more confident in myself and my abilities. I'm braver than I was at the beginning of the year, and boy, am I thankful for that. 

Below are a few important, meaningful notes I kept from the devotional book: 

• There is something super powerful about putting bravery on display--in your life, in the lives of the people you love, in the art you see or read or hear. 
• There is so much power when you begin to understand that you are who God says you are, not who other people say you are or who you believe you are. 
• Knowing that while I am making mistakes, I am not a mistake. That is where you can find your courage, too. 
• God made you on purpose and unique. God has called you to be brave. And God will equip you to do it. 
• All over His Word, God says that you are strong and important on this planet. You are who God says you are, and you can be brave. 
• Dream big. Be brave enough to believe that as much as you could want, God could give to you. We are meant to make a big impact on the planet. Bigger than we could ever dream up on our own. 
• If you're looking at a closed door today, then there's an open one just around the corner. Be brave enough to walk through the doors than the Lord leads you through. Even when they are unexpected or feel scary. 
• You can be brave and find your calling no matter what your job is now and no matter where you may work in the future. You are one of a kind, made on purpose, deeply loved, and called to be courageous.
• Brave people are willing to let go of everything as they hold tight to God, even when things start to change. 
• It's brave to make small decisions with the big picture in mind. Little yeses lead to big yeses. 
• Say yes to the situations that stretch you and scare you and ask you to be a better you than you think you can be. Say yes to the moments that will only come once. Say yes to Jesus in every way--every chance you get. 
• You can be brave in whatever type of waiting season you find yourself when you are living in total dependence on your ever-patient, ever-present Father. 
• Failing doesn't make you a failure. Trying something new makes you brave. It's when we let it define us that things go wrong. Brave people don't let failure define them; they let failure teach them. 
• Brave people don't give up. Brave people don't quit. Brave people realize that we rejoice in our sufferings because it leads to perseverance and perseverance produces character, and ultimately, it brings us to the hope we have in Jesus. Hope is worth fighting for. 
• He deeply loves you and deeply knows you and is doing the hard work of forgiving and forgiving and forgiving again and again. Jesus is brave, and He made you to be brave, too. 
• You can be brave during all the changes of life. You can be brave in the face of pain. You can be brave with your health. Brave with your money. Brave wherever you are! Your God will not leave you or forsake you. And because you know that, you are brave. 
• Making brave choices in your life is going to change the world. At the least, it will change your world.
• I pray peace for you. And joy. And hope. And courage--the deep, deep kind that changes the way you live. Let's all be brave. 

My copy of the devotional book.

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I am braver than I was five months ago. I'm especially braver now than I was a year ago--even five years ago. That's the whole point of life, isn't it? We learn and grow all the time. We grow into new people who are comfortable in their own skin. While reading the 100-day devotional book, I made more time for God. I trusted that He would stretch my time to push me where I needed to be--to motivate me to finish Downs' devotional book. 

God wants me to be brave. He placed this book in my heart--encouraged me to take a chance and read it from start to finish. He loves me and He is constantly there for me. He wanted me to realize I am braver than I think and that I'm special. I can be courageous in all situations--as long as I trust Him. 

Downs offered so many beautiful, relatable words and stories in her book. She inspired me to consider things in a whole new way. She encouraged me to keep going--to keep trying and trusting God. To keep aiming for finding bravery all around me. To feel comfortable with myself. She is brave and she wants us to be brave, too. 

And I am. I am brave. I am braver than I ever thought I would be in my life. I'm ready to walk with freedom, strength, and hope, even in the face of the unknown. I'm ready to see what happens. I might have to wait a while to get started due to the current pandemic, but once this ends, I'm ready to be brave and watch what happens. 

Are you ready to be brave? 

-KJL-