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Katie Westenberg

I Choose Brave

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When Brave means Stepping Scared

by Katie

I was scared. You prayed. I stepped. And now I’m one step braver.

That’s how it works.  It’s that simple and yet that hard at the same time. That one step right in front of us, one small step at a time, braver. And each time we learn – a little more about ourselves, a little more about our fears and a little more about God and how this brave things works.

Last weekend I learned a few more things.

Sometimes living brave means stepping scared - choosing courage over fear and stepping out anyway. Here are 10 things I've learned from stepping scared.

10 Things I’ve Learned About Stepping Scared

  1.  You won’t die.  Usually.  I think.  At least I haven’t yet.  But here is the thing – you will feel like it’s quite possible.  You may feel like the wind has been knocked out of you.  Your hand may shake so badly you couldn’t put your eyeliner on straight if you tried (true story.)  But stepping scared will not kill you. And eyeliner is always optional.
  2. God will grow you most when you are beyond yourself, because only then do you truly realize how much you need Him.
  3. Duck taping the control pack for a cheek mic to the back of your dress really is a feasible option.  Because a belt clip…in a dress…with no belt, is not a feasible option.  I have no idea where this will take you in life, but I think friends should tell each other these kinds of things.
  4. There is life beyond your comfort zone.  So much life. Don’t miss it.  Go there.
  5. Brave is forever contagious.  Amongst your friends, your family, your children, and yourself.  Knowing you stepped scared (and didn’t die) gives you momentum for the next brave step.
  6. It’s okay to be scared.  You don’t have to fake it, you simply have to lean into it.  You have to go right on and do it anyway.  When you’re brave enough to admit you are crazy scared, people dive in with you, they pray for you, they are mentally cheering you on.  Mental cheers count; they are effective!
  7. Friends will show up in support of you.  They will offer up words of encouragement, send you a text and make you laugh when you feel like you might cry.  They will pray with you and for you.  Hang on to those friends who are in the arena with you and be that friend right back.  Good friends make you braver.
  8. Critics will grow you, if you let them.  Criticism is not easy, but it makes us stronger.  It refines us.  It helps us realize what we are doing really matters to us.  Jesus had critics.  And He was perfect.  Be brave long enough and you will find some too.  Stay focused, stay brave.
  9. There is grace for the brave.  If you are supposed to speak for 30 minutes but you tell the worship director that you are crazy nervous and will probably talk too fast and come up short, they have grace for that.  They have extra songs for that and tricks up their sleeves.  There is grace for the brave. Just step.
  10. You are living for an audience of One. A little tunnel vision, remember? God has called you to do things – big things, scary things.  You have much to offer the world, your family, your church, your neighbors.  But life is distracting and living brave is scary, opting out is easy and fear is real.  There is freedom, so much freedom, in living your life for an audience of One.  It’s truly the only way to do this well.

 

All those things we feel – scared, not enough, ill equipped – they’re real.  You know what?  They may even be true to some extent.  But even more, even truer, is the amazingly big, amazingly real God who has told us that His power is made perfect in our weaknesses.  What more could we possibly ask for?  Even our weaknesses can glorify him if we are willing to use them.

Isn’t that just extraordinary, friends?

So dip your toes outside that comfort zone you’ve been hanging out in.  If He’s calling you out beyond the shore (and I promise, in some way shape or form He is!), it’s high time to get your feet wet.  I don’t type these words, cozy and sound behind my computer screen. I type them on the front lines, stepping scared, right beside you.

For those of you who have asked how last Sunday went, here is the video for you.  If nothing else fast forward and watch the Louie Giglio clip of the sun, stars and planets – it’s truly amazing.  And thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement, brave friends, it means the world to me.

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Forsaking Fear; Living Brave from Grandview Nazarene Church on Vimeo.

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Filed Under: Brave Faith, Living Brave Tagged With: brave steps, faith

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Comments

  1. Tiff says

    June 7, 2016 at 7:52 am

    You did an awesome job!!!
    Proud of you!

    • Katie says

      June 7, 2016 at 7:01 pm

      Thanks, friend. <3

  2. Krystal @ Little Light on a Hill says

    May 23, 2016 at 8:13 am

    Wow! What an inspiring leader you are proving to be for me. Every time I read your posts, I walk away challenged, refreshed, inspired, full of faith. This year is proving to be one in which many doors are closing as God has allowed others to open. He is stretching my sweet little family in so many ways! Some days I am scared out of my mind to think of what the future holds. Today…I choose brave. (You see what I did there?) 🙂

    • Katie says

      May 27, 2016 at 8:02 am

      I love that you are choosing brave, Krystal! 🙂 I so get the stretching; it’s a daily decision to keep stepping. I’m honored to be working this out right along with you!

  3. Karin says

    May 22, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    This is something that has been on my mind lately, and you summed it up beautifully in this post! Number 2 rings especially true to me 🙂

    • Katie says

      May 23, 2016 at 7:46 am

      I agree, Karin. Keep stepping; He is faithful!

  4. Alesha says

    May 22, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    You did awesome friend. Your brave is inspiring many. 😊

    • Katie says

      May 23, 2016 at 7:47 am

      Thank you, friend, for continually pushing me. <3

  5. Tammy says

    May 22, 2016 at 3:40 am

    So good Katie. Praise God for providing us with our gifts to use for His glory.

    • Katie says

      May 22, 2016 at 6:02 am

      Thank you, Tammy. And yes, exactly.

  6. Darla says

    May 21, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    Thank you!! I was hoping at least to hear an audio and here is the video!! So excited because I was so sad I had to miss the service while I was away. Can’t wait to watch…..

    • Katie says

      May 22, 2016 at 6:05 am

      <3

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Katie Westenberg

Hey, friend, I’m glad you’re here! I’m Katie. One girl determined to do life bravely. One girl determined to Fear God and Live Brave, to parent well, live authentically and work hard for all the things that matter. I Choose Brave and I hope you will too!

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{Beautifully modeled in Psalm 77. See for yourself, friend.❤️}
Slow processor over here. But this little book lau Slow processor over here. But this little book launched into the world on Tuesday and I’m still reeling from the beauty of celebrating side by side with so many sisters, the grace of what it looks like when so many women offer their gifts for His glory (fishes and loaves never looked so good!), and the incredible support of my local community. I’ll never forget it.
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The humanity of Jesus Christ is an indispensable g The humanity of Jesus Christ is an indispensable gift to us as believers. Every challenge we face He met and mastered. The Bible doesn’t speak of endless notifications and group texts, but it does speak of people with real needs showing up in Christ’s path constantly. 
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