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August 2015

Uncomfortable Bravery

Sometimes being brave means speaking the truth even when it may temporarily hurt the person to whom you are speaking. While it may hurt at first, you know that in order to fully heal or grow, they need to know the truth, acknowledge the truth, and deal with the truth.

This past week I had the opportunity to get real with an individual, in a less than comfortable situation. Though I tried at first to glaze over the root issue, she blatantly asked me to tell her the truth. I did not like the fact that I was going to have to say something difficult and although it would not be easy for her to hear, I knew that I would be the only one to speak this truth to her.

Out of love and genuinely wanting to help, praying desperately that God would give me grace with her response, what gave me courage to speak the truth was this verse:

Proverbs27.6

Just a few months ago, the reverse situation happened to me. I had people who loved me deeply tell me the truth about some things in my life that were so excruciating to hear, but were realities that I knew deep down were true. I knew they had my best interest in mind. It was the most loving thing they could have done at the time and it takes real bravery to choose love over comfort. However, it did require that I go through the uncomfortable process of humbling myself and listening to their wisdom.

I am so thankful that I had the examples of sincere friends who were not afraid to inflict that small little wound to spare me further intense pain in the long run. It helped me do the same this past week, taking that small brave step to love outside of my comfort zone.

I’ve realized more and more lately, that being brave is staying true to who I am, speaking truth, and not shying away from uncomfortable situations. In a world where most of us are scared to become vulnerable, as it may appear weak, we are longing for someone to take that first brave step to have a conversation that matters.

Is there an unpleasant truth or reality facing you or a loved one that needs to be brought to light?

Today you can choose genuine love over comfort and inspire others to do the same.

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Your Bravery Mountain

I recently traveled with an adventurous group of friends to Seattle by way of Yellowstone National Park. We were helping a dear friend of ours move and decided to camp overnight in the park. If you know me, you may be laughing and shaking your head right now. After a physically challenging yet satisfying camping experience, we then traveled the final stretch to Seattle. During this road trip, I was awestruck left and right by the natural beauty surrounding me. A lot of self-reflection took place due to a lack of wifi access which has, fortunately, resulted in a post about bravery.   
As we traveled, it struck me that the beauty of the mountains and surrounding landscape are the result of a lot unseen activity. I remembered reading about tectonic plates colliding, volcanoes forming, and eruptions occurring; resulting in the breath-taking mountains rushing past the van window.
My thoughts then moved to how bravery is represented in what I was seeing. It occurred to me that the basic instinct of bravery is consistent movement or activity like the tectonic plates I read about. Just as constant as the activity is under that earth’s surface, bravery does not stop moving in some way, shape, or form. It is relentless in making the best choices for your life. 

Bravery makes bold decisions or movements that can change the trajectory of your life. There is a lot of strength in the small consistent movements it makes every day as well. Its decisions are drawn from the high value placed on your life and what it can become. There are different experiences that can leave you stunned and numb at times. Sometimes, small everyday decisions are the hardest to make. Bravery sees the value of moving forward and saying yes to every movements that will get you where you need to be.

Bravery has such rewarding consequences, yet it can be so irritating and inconvenient. It calls you to step up your game and do more than you’re comfortable with. It will challenge you take on new opportunities that will transform you. All because it knows there is something in that opportunity that’s worth becoming uncomfortable for. It believes that the results of not trying are not worth it; not good enough. 

Bravery will keep you moving forward. It will have you constantly making small yet powerful decisions to live out your fullest life. It will create a bravery mountain out of a life that others will find breathtaking and awe-inspiring. 

  

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Bravery is required

Last June will forever be known as a turning point for me. The ministry I worked for had ended, my husband was transitioning to entrepreneurship and our babygirl Nyomi was born. I was so excited to give birth to my first child, but also had a great deal of anxiety. “Will she end up like me?” Anxious, fearful of making decisions, too worried about others opinions, people pleaser, easily swayed and manipulated. Most people say they don’t have regrets, but I do. Honestly, my biggest regret is choosing to make decisions that I did not agree with in order to please others. I had become comfortable in that lifestyle and understood too well the effects it had on me. I couldn’t let daughter live like that.


I remember the phone call. There I was sitting on the couch, stunned, angry and hurt. I needed to make a decision.  Nyomi was quietly nursing and looking directly into my eyes. She seemed so sure of herself, she didn’t know any other way to be. I wanted that–the confidence to just be. While looking into her deep eyes my heart violently turned in my chest, I could not contain myself. I knew in that moment that I had to live my life with no regrets and as her Mother, I had to show her how to live. I had to show her how to be brave!

It was not easy saying no and yet, I’m so glad I did. I believe that’s the beauty of bravery. It is not easy, but you do it anyway. Your choice to take the next step immediately knocks fear on its back and your confidence begins to push through. The more you choose to do this, the more confident you become and you start to blaze a trail that others can walk through and even admire.


Nyomi is one now and I am thankful that she is able to benefit from my brave choices. I can see bravery being shaped in her by her choice to confidently say yes or no to people and things, even to me. I naturally want to shelter her from everything, but I make sure to find the balance in being protective and just letting her learn and explore.  I won’t always get it right, and that’s not the goal.  The goal is to keep saying yes to living a life of purpose on purpose.  Bravery is required.

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