100 Days to Brave: Why? and When?

As I am going through the 100 Days to Brave devotions, I am journaling in a notebook and I will also post here along the way.

Day 2 was about the reasons WHY we need to be brave.

The Apostle Paul told Timothy, "We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now" (2 Tim. 1:8-9, The Message). Paul was teaching Timothy and other believers (us) that the only way we can be brave is by the power of God working in us and through us.

Annie Downs points out that "seeing other people be brave makes us want to be brave, too," and "when we are brave enough to share the God stories in our lives, it changes the people around us." The WHY is that "others will be inspired to be brave along with us."

Day 3 dove into the WHEN to be brave or WHEN someone else told we were brave. As I said in my first post, I have several times in my life when either I or someone else labeled me as "brave":

• Choosing to go over a thousand miles away from home to attend college.
• Leaving friends/family to serve as a missionary for a semester in Hawaii.
• Walking through divorce.
• Taking a new full-time job in a different field than I was trained and in a corporate setting.
• Leaving that job to take a position at my church office.
• Getting on an airplane alone to travel to the Middle East to visit family.
• Deciding to sell my house and not having another place to buy and move into right away.

I didn't necessarily feel brave when I was doing those things or going through the decision-making process. In fact, I'd say that I probably had a lot of anxiety and fear of the unknown when I was actually in those circumstances. But the way that I got through it all and the way I live my life today is by trusting in God's grace and faithfulness to me. God has led me and has helped me and has always given me exactly what I need each day. I have no reason not to believe that he will continue to do that and I'm so thankful!

I love it when passages of scripture that I am led to read in the mornings layer the truth and sink it deeper into my soul. Today was no exception. The passage from the 100 Days to Brave reading was Isaiah 30:21 (and I expanded it to verses 18-22) and then my Psalms reading for today was Psalm 145. I hope these passages will inspire others in their bravery and remind us all that the only WHY and WHEN of our bravery comes from God, the One who makes us brave and helps us to be brave.

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,
    and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
    blessed are all those who wait for him.

¹⁹ For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. ²⁰ And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. ²¹ And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. ²² Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!” (Isaiah 30:18-22, ESV)

The Lord upholds all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways
    and kind in all his works.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.
¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord preserves all who love him,
    but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalm 145:14-21, ESV)

100 Days to Brave

100 Days to Brave is a devotion book by Annie F. Downs and I've decided to start it today, along with others on Instagram under the hashtag #100DaystoBraveSummer.

The book's subtitle is "Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self." In full disclosure, I already think of myself as a somewhat courageous or brave person. This isn't because I don't have fears or act out of fear sometimes, but I think of myself as courageous because I have been facing my fears and walking bravely for many years. This has been out of necessity and circumstance and I've only done it by faith in God and by his mercy and grace.

The reason I think this book is compelling and the timing is good for me to start reading and following along is because I am in a place of waiting and contemplating. I recently sold my house where I lived for over 20 years. I haven't found my new place to live yet, so I'm staying with friends who have generously given me space in their home. Last year, my only son graduated from college and is thriving as a young adult out in the world. I am feeling unhindered and have a world of possibilities in front of me, a 51-year-old single woman. I want to live with my hands and heart and mind open to what God has for me and to do that courageously and bravely . . . maybe even having to face fears and trust God more than I ever have before.

So, here I go!

The verse for Day 1 of 100 Days to Brave is from Isaiah 41:
"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you" (Isaiah 41:13, NIV)

I wish I knew how many times this verse in Isaiah has spoken deep into my soul and has comforted me. It is too many times to count on all my fingers and toes, I'm sure of that! The first time I remember it speaking so profoundly to me was on the night that I knew my marriage was probably over. I went to my bedroom alone and got my Bible and turned to these verses in Isaiah (starting in verse 10).

I don't know if I was led there through a devotion I was reading or a Bible study lesson or simply by the Holy Spirit guiding me in that moment, but I read the words and found comfort for my heart, mind and soul in a very uncertain and scary time of my life. I already trusted God and I could believe that his words were (and are) true.

Since then, God has reminded me over and over again that he is holding me and helping me. I don't have to be afraid. I can be brave because he is with me and for me.

Yesterday at church we sang a favorite chorus of mine (written by Keith Green):

Thank you, oh my father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
'Til the work on Earth is done.