Hi friend! So nice to see you delving into our pages! You just so happened to have picked up a book on courage; Issue 40 is a collection of beautiful and humbling stories from some of our dearest friends who have opened their hearts to us—I think that’s courageous in itself and I’m so thankful for each one of them.
Quick question, how many times in your life do you think you’ve plucked up enough courage to let your voice be heard? There have been many occasions where I’ve felt completely weighed down by the expectations I’ve felt from others, whether real or perceived. It left me feeling powerless and riddled with self-doubt. I let the voice of others be louder than my own and it became my determining factor. I started seeing change when I acknowledged this and began to own the space—I became more intentional about the voices that I allowed to speak into my innermost life.
We’re all in different stages of this journey and I’ve learnt a couple of things along the way. The first is a little thing Luke says to our kids all the time: “Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not afraid, just don’t let it stop you.” I love it! I’ve often experienced the best things in life on the other side of fear. We can’t dismiss fear … it’s a great indicator of the good things to come. Do something with it and go for it!
The second is that courage isn’t necessarily always saying, “Yes”. Sometimes it can be stepping back and saying, “No”. We don’t always have to be on the frontline to win a battle—sometimes it’s in the quiet places, when we can unpack our thoughts and be still. I’m still learning this one, but I know I’m on the right path!
And finally, we most definitely need courage in our relationships, especially with our husband/wife, and I love this quote from Erika’s piece, ‘Facing Insecurities’ (pg. 32): “If you are insecure, you really need to pluck up the guts to be honest with the one you love. Honesty will pull the thorn of doubt out”. We need to build our relationship on a bed of trust where there is absolutely no doubt that they love you just as you are. I wish I had someone to tell me this as a newlywed—all those times I wondered if I was good enough because I didn’t do things the same way Luke’s family did. I learnt that I was good enough, he loved me just the way I am and he had my back no matter what.
I’m so excited for you in this season, this journey, these busy days. Keep holding each other tightly and stepping bravely. Let’s be fierce and laugh in the face of fear!
