She told me she wanted to have it all together before she came to church. By “it” she meant her kids, her house, the job she desired but didn’t have yet, transportation, and a conflict. Sitting in the local pregnancy resource center’s counseling room together, I immediately told her God didn’t require us to get ourselves all together perfectly before we came into His presence.
We left that room and she shopped for some diapers, wipes, and clothes for her youngest two kids with the points she had compiled through the earn-while-you-learn program at Life House Care Center. I prayed for her, we continued chatting, and then I realized I was no different than her.
I try to pull myself together – at least for any onlookers – before I walk into church. I go to others before I go to Him. I try so hard to solve and the problem before I tell God about it. I worry about what’s to come before surrendering to His ways. I try to perfect myself while I also proclaim I trust the Author of my stories.
I’m in one of those seasons where God is doing a big new thing in my soul, but it’s taking a bunch of small, faithful steps to get there. Honestly, it’s brutal and beautiful at the same time.
Meanwhile, I’m being reminded through my time with God, the books I’m reading, and the songs I’m hearing that we don’t have to have it – whatever it is – all figured out to be used by our Creator. His strength truly is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
God rescues us and redeems our hard stories
so we can proclaim His faithfulness.
We have to be willing to share our story so others can know God more deeply through our experiences. Of course, sometimes sharing our story looks like a heart-to-heart with your husband or confiding in a friend. Maybe it’s voxing a group of friends who get you. Or maybe it’s sitting on a couch in a counselor’s office and digging down deeply. Maybe you’re called to share from a stage, but more than likely we’re called to share as we go about daily life doing everyday things that testify to God’s faithfulness.
Being brave doesn’t mean performing in big lights.
Being brave may mean making a phone call for an appointment you’ve been dreading.
Being brave may require you to do normal life differently than you’ve always done it.
Being brave means closing our mouths long enough to hear from God and those we trust.
Being brave means speaking truth in love even when it’s hard.
Being brave isn’t easy.
But being brave will change us from the inside out.
*****
I have some songs on repeat in my house and my soul, so I put them together in a playlist that I’m sharing with you. I didn’t plan for this as I was gradually adding songs, but there’s a theme: God rescues. I also recently read Jamie Ivey’s coming-in-January book called “If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free” and am in the process of reading “Kill the Spider: Getting Rid of What’s Really Holding You Back” by Carlos Whittaker. These books echo what God’s teaching me, and I’m sure you’ll hear more about them. I’m grateful for the repetition and pray God continues to bring revelation to my life.
*****
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Kristin, this here spoke to my heart this morning > “more than likely we’re called to share as we go about daily life doing everyday things that testify to God’s faithfulness.” And that my friend, is brave!
I’m glad you, my friend, could be encouraged.
Thanks for sharing your heart from the midst of this new season of brave. It’s rough when we don’t know the outcome or when life doesn’t look like we imagined it would — but you’re so right in embracing it as an adventure.
(And the picture was perfect for this post!)
Thanks for being here and encouraging well, Michele! xo
Kristin, love connecting here as well as SOAP girls with Lyli Dunbar! It’s encouraging to be reminded that brave is small steps, everyday actions, and attitudes that bring us closer to Christ because we rely on HIm and let Him change us from the inside out.
It’s so amazing that what I’m learning in life right now is also what God is teaching me in these first few days of the Philippians study. He knows I need repetition. 🙂 I’m glad you’re here, Debbie!
Your words so resonate with me and I love your being brave list!!
Thanks, friend! I’m glad you were encouraged.
Absolutely, It is the small steps of faith that get us where we need to be. Being brave with a little thing first is what gets you started. This concept was so hard for me to understand and apply. Honestly, I still struggle. But with the journey, we have taken I have had to learn small is HUGE and to be celebrated.
Yes, bravery is worth celebrating! I get the feeling this is one of those lessons I’m going to continually have to come back to because of my stubborn heart. 🙂
Bravery is not one of my strong points. So I love reading posts like this. You encourage me to do the small things and count them as bravery. I can do that! Thanks, Kristin. “We don’t have to have it – whatever it is – all figured out to be used by our Creator. His strength truly is made perfect in our weakness.” Amen.
Yes, those small things totally count, and in God’s economy they add up to big things. I’m glad you found some hope here, Lisa!
Truly needing to have more courage – and praying it will, indeed, change me from the inside out! This post was very helpful this morning!!
I’m so glad you could be encouraged here, Jennifer! May God continue to give you courage and peace.
Love this! Brutifal–Brutal and Beautiful all at the same time.
Yes, that’s exactly right.
my pastor said: trusting God is going ahead while afraid.
I love your small steps equaling a big brave. thanks, kristin – for hosting and blessing.
Thanks for sharing that and being here, Sue!
God is repeating the same messages to me lately as well! I keep ignoring the small steps because I’m eager for more but He keeps reminding me that the smaller steps are what’s needed for bigger things to happen. Thanks for sharing
Yes, God does big things with small faithfulness, that’s for sure! Sometimes it’s hard to remember that and keep doing the small. Glad you’re here, Katie!
Kristin, I wish you and I could sit over a cup of coffee and just talk. I feel like you and I would have so much to talk about. I can totally relate with this post.
I’d like that too, Emily! And, yes, I get the feeling we’d have plenty to share.
Love this! “But being brave will change us from the inside out.”
I’ve been writing about being brave too, and I love how there are so many ideas behind the same topic. 🙂
I’ll have to go read some of your brave, Laura! Thanks for being here today.
This is my first time here! I followed a link here from Lisa’s post. I’m not naturally brave, either, and it takes a dose of bravery for even small steps sometimes. But God grants it, and if we come to a “big” thing to deal with, God will grant grace for that, too, when the time comes. Love this: “Maybe you’re called to share from a stage, but more than likely we’re called to share as we go about daily life doing everyday things that testify to God’s faithfulness.”
Welcome, Barbara! I’m glad you ended up here. 🙂 You’re right that God provides what we need for the big and small steps in life.
Hi Kristin! I love the theme of this post…that being brave to one person can mean something differently to someone else. God is so intentional that He can use what might looks like a small step to us to be a courageous thing to others. Thanks for sharing…beautifully written!
Hi, Neca – Thanks for your kind comment. I’m glad you could be encouraged here.