Show Up and Stand In Your Brave

I think there is an old lingering belief in our society that tries to define brave as putting on a happy face and pretending we have it all together. It says, “Show up,” (in a negative way). But it’s not really working anymore. People need to show up and be brave, knowing they are okay despite their flaws. I don’t know if you’ve seen Wonder Woman this summer but I’ve been inspired by the story. The character had a fire inside her to go and take down Aries, the god of war. She couldn’t not go. She thought that it was her sword and shield that made her able to take him down. But in the end it wasn’t that, it was she herself. She just had to find that she was braver than she thought and show up. 

(Side note on Gal Gadot. She’s my new favorite actress. Here’s an article from Monday of her at Comic Con comforting a young Wonder Woman fan who was crying. She comforted her for real. We don’t see that enough!!)

Often times, people think those of us who are trying to be a positive force in the world never have days where we don’t feel brave. That’s totally wrong. We do. We just choose to show up for everyone else like us who needs it like we do. This little card sits on my bulletin board in my office as a reminder.

We have to learn to stop focusing on all our insecurities and fears. Know that you we are inherently good because God created us that way, and still show up even if we have a hard time believing it. We have that really loud Unhealthy Voice that likes to tell us we aren’t good enough to show up yet. It tells us we have to get it together to show up and be seen. That’s what makes us hide behind the news feed.

I am finding that God wants me to just be brave and do what I don’t want to do – the things he’s called me to do. How badly do I want to say, “Someday…” But you know what? There are things I want to do this fall that I have put off for ages – seeds of hope God has planted in my soul that I keep putting off for someday.

Some of those seeds are books. I’m talking multiple ones. Three already outlined. More in the process. Some of those seeds are videos to help people who wouldn’t otherwise know they have a Healthy Voice. Some of them are people – people God has called me to walk beside that I haven’t been brave enough to gather together to guide.

I’m not saying we all have to go climb a mountain today. But I am saying, we have to show up and be brave despite our fears.

What’s funny about that mountain though is… Last week I was in a group meeting and this woman next to me starts talking about how she literally just climbed a mountain. I did a double take and said, “Excuse me, you literally climbed a mountain?” to which she responded, “Yeah.” Just when you think you are facing your fears and someone tells you about something you’d probably be terrified to do. “Oh yeah, I climbed Mt. Rainier.” (Oh yeah, me too.) What?!

I sat in awe of this young woman who was just standing in her brave. It was written all over her face, and not in a prideful way, but a very real way. I was inspired to not be so afraid of my brave because this girl did something that was completely out of my comfort zone.

I think back to last year and the last time I tried to climb a mountain. It was Zion and we started to climb up Angels’ Landing. I made it to the foot of the peak but I was too afraid to take the really, really narrow road to the very top. And there were my husband and my stepdaughter just going for it. They inspired my brave then. This girl inspired my brave now.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is, I think we’ve got to show up and be brave even if we don’t really feel like we’re being brave. That’s my prayer, that God gives me the strength to step out of my fears and to take a risk and plant those seeds he’s called me to plant.

Where is God calling you to be brave? Where is he nudging you to plant the seeds he’s called you to plant where you’ve let your fears quiet your brave? Do you think you can show up and be brave anyway? I know there are still a lot of women in this world who want to live behind the mask. I get it. It seems easier. Yes. But what does that do for the women, especially of the next generation who need us just live brave and vulnerable?