Embracing Courage
“I can find courage through remembering who You are— pondering Your awesome Power and Glory, delighting in Your unfailing Love. I rejoice in knowing I’m on an adventurous journey with You and my ultimate destination is heaven!”
– Jesus Listens,August 18th
Are you ready to embrace a more confident and courageous life? Is it time for you to set aside your doubts, reservations, and hesitations, and step into a more courageous faith? Then let today be the day you begin implementing seven practical steps that can set you on a brand-new course, one that is directed and empowered by our Heavenly Father.
For most of my life, I considered myself to be strong and courageous. I believed that courage centered solely around the ability to face challenges and conflicts with personal strength and stern determination. Today, I understand that true courage is the willingness to pursue God’s will, rely on His guidance, and trust Him with our outcomes. As we take God-inspired risks and trust the Lord with the future, we exercise our courage muscles and embark on a more courageous and faith-filled life journey.
Courage is something we all desire. It’s an attribute that encourages us to venture outside our comfort zone and embrace possibilities. It gives us the ability to be brave, to conquer our fear and despair so we can take on necessary challenges and make necessary changes. Yet too often, we choose to settle for the status quo and accept the existence of fear, stress, and limitation.
Twelve years ago, I chose to overcome my hesitations to pursue God’s will and calling. In the process, I began implementing seven courageous steps that ultimately changed my life. Today, these steps are known as the seven steps to COURAGE, and they have become the foundation of our discipleship ministry, Courage for Life.
THE SEVEN STEPS TO COURAGE:
C = Commit to change
O = Overcome obstacles
U = Uncover your true self
R = Replace worldly lies with Scriptural truth
A = Accept the things you cannot change
G = Grasp God’s love for you
E = Embrace a life of grace
These powerful steps provided me with the tools I needed to learn how to act rather than react and make intentional God-inspired choices. They strengthened my courage muscles and ultimately brought me into a closer relationship with God. And it’s this relationship, above all others, that enables us to walk with courage, live in grace, and find true joy on the miraculous journey of life.
If you are struggling with a difficult situation, challenging relationship, or even with memories from a painful past, it’s important for you to know that God wants to give you courage to overcome these obstacles in your life. God wants to help you stop making fearful choices so you can pursue the abundant life He has prepared for you.
When I made the decision to pursue healthy changes in my life, I learned to lean heavily on my relationship with the Lord and trust His Word for wisdom and guidance. As I took the bold step of navigating toward change, I took comfort in knowing that I didn’t have to take the journey alone, that my Heavenly Father would be with me every step of the way (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 28:20). And of course, the same is true for you.
My courageous changes involved learning to manage codependency, overcome past pain and self-condemnation, and embrace forgiveness for myself and others who had wounded me. After working through my own dysfunctional habits, God encouraged me to birth a discipleship ministry that would also help others in their journey toward a more courageous and faith-filled life.
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
Will you join me today and find the courage your soul desperately longs for? Together, let us stand firm and not be hampered or weighed down by the burdens this world seeks to place on us. As fellow warriors for Christ, let us lay aside our heavy loads and take up our Lord’s yoke that is far lighter (Matthew 11:29–30). Let us learn how to make fearless choices, walk in grace, and change our lives.
With God’s help and guidance, begin implementing the seven steps to COURAGE today and start living your best life!
About The Author
Ann White is an internationally known author, speaker, and passionate Bible teacher. She founded her global ministry, Courage For Life, out of a calling to share with others how God and His Word brought restoration to her life. In her book, Courage For Life, Ann shares with transparency a message of restoration, hope, healing, and how to walk in God-given courage in the face of fear. Ann has published inspirational books, discipleship curriculum, Bible studies, devotionals, a fully female-voiced audio Bible, and two Study Bibles. Her latest 365-day devotional, Courage For Today, helps readers take a deeper dive into God’s Word and encourages them to fully embrace their God-given courage for life. Ann is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her husband reside in Belleair Shores, Florida.
