Something You Need To Know To Be Brave

Have you ever noticed that life's biggest moments often happen quietly?

No one noticed that you sent that encouraging email. Or only you know that you forgave your offender. You've been fasting for how many days now? You signed up to go on that mission trip to where?

Most times, when we step out in faith we do it in silence.

I like it when God’s silent whisper is somehow louder in our hearts than the clamoring hard beats inside our chest. You were finally brave enough to say yes.

Don't look longingly back at your comfort zone and wish you were still there. You can't see God's next step when you have your neck turned to your past.

It's oddly silent here though and something is missing.

Don't you wish sometimes you had your own cheering section? One who lifts their poms poms in the air and say "we are proud of you". Would it make a difference to say out loud that you wrote that letter of forgiveness to your friend? Or do people really need to know that that you serve the homeless dinner every Tuesday night? 

Would that make you feel worthwhile to know that your acts of service were noticed?

Would you love more if you if you felt more loved?


Today, let me just give you a pat on the back. You are doing better than you think you are. You're not a failure. I just needed to say that to you.  If you are feeling low and don't think anyone cares, there is One who does. Even when you don't care for yourself. He knows what you are going through.

If you are facing a situation and you have to be brave one more day you think you are going to crumble under the pressure, then I just want you to lean in close....I know what you are going through and you are going to make it.

God says this....to your heart today...."You may feel insignificant, but I love you."

Whether you are taking a big step forward, or a small step back...don't forget to keep in step with the one who is your real over-the-top cheerleader. He is cheering you on 24/7/365 days and counting...and he always has something good to say about you.

So if you have to be brave or strong, you need to know that you are doing good. You are. Don't base the outcome of your day on how you feel about yourself.

Don't rely on your feelings to guide you. Keep moving towards the One who loves you more than you could ever imagine. There’s no limit to what He can do in and through you if you let him, and you pack your willing heart.

It always takes a step of faith to get to the Promised Land. And if you wait until you’re unafraid, you’ll never cross the bravery line. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a wondering moment too, where God is asking you to be brave and you are feeling really timid and unworthy.

If you are taking your own step of courage, then please hear me...I am cheering for you. You may not be able to hear, you may not be able to see, but know this....you are not doing this alone.

Be brave...with nothing holding you back. Don't forget who God is and what he can do. With His courage you can. You can do what he has called you to do. You can do it if you rely on Him to give you what you need. He is cheering for you too.

The Pretenders

I think it's interesting the way we pretend.  We Christians really project the wrong image.  We act like we have it all together....like we don't have any problems.

Think about how many times we respond with....

 "I'm fine" when asked if we are ok?

You say..."Not much" when asked, "What's God up to in your life these days?"

And this line..."Oh, I don't have anything to share, life is great!", when asked "How can I pray for you?"

Hey...don't ask if you really don't want to hear the answer.

I don't know why we do that.  


Are we that prideful that we can't be open with each other?  


Get real.  Be honest.  


We all have problems because we live in a fallen world.  If nothing else we all know there is someone who needs Jesus and one person who could be prayed for.


There seems to be a very fragile glass house we like to construct around our perfect structured lives, to make it appear like the Christian life is grand.  It's the story we like to share with people because we don't want to be a burden with our own little problems, or our big problems.   But in doing so we really are cheating God. 


We are robbing God of the glory that belongs to Him.  By not being open and honest with our struggles, we dismiss the chance to give witness of any kind of God-change that happens, if we allow the work of God to take place.  


I might be guilty of this myself.


To outsiders, it might appear that I have all things under control and put the nicely ordered details of my life in a neat little Christian package with a pretty pink bow on top.  But honestly I have the same kind of struggles in many areas just like you.  


God is growing me into becoming a quirky God-fearing woman but it's not without my fair share of lessons along the way.  Buy me a cup of coffee sometime and I can tell you some stories.


Some potential believers think that they have to clean up before accepting Christ.  One look at our less-than-perfect-but-clean-on-the-outside lives and it makes Christianity look so unattainable.  What is needed is a wrecking ball loaded with God's awesome-ness to hit dead center on target to the delicate barriers we have carefully crafted.  


I don't have it all together.  I don't know of one person who does.  There is always something that we are hiding, covering up, or tucking into the inner ugly places and we don't want to deal with it.


Let's be honest with each other.  We need Jesus daily, we need to show our weakness and struggles with others so that they can see how God is working in our life.  We need addictions to be revealed so that we can be a living testimony to the saving and healing power of Jesus.  We need to go to our own burial grounds so that Jesus can roll away our stones and say "Come forth!"


I can't bring any perfection to this picture.  But I am thankful that God brings Jesus to the picture and sees me in His eyes of perfection.  By faith, I can share in that perfect big picture, but I know that I will never have it all together until I land in heaven.  I can't fix my broken parts.  God can and always has a better answer.  Let's just say...He has a lot of work to do.  


"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Ephesians 3:16-17

God has made great progress too.  At each turn in this road He will show me my godly response and actions as He aligns my heart with his.  If only one step at a time, with just enough light for the very next step, He will guide as He leads, fixes and heals.  With each correction, it's He who is the Answer to the questions, the why's, the hows, the whatever's.  There is plenty to give witness to from this heart. 


I don't assume to know it all.  But I love the One who does.  Oh and that protective glass barrier...that was destroyed long ago.  Ask me...I'll tell you!