doitafraid

Do it afraid.

I live by these words. They are engraved on my heart and in my approach to life.

That wasn’t always so.

There was a time that I went down the soap aisle if I saw an acquaintance in WalMart. My hope was that I wouldn’t have to talk to them.

Sure, I was myself with the people I loved, but those I didn’t know?

Well, it was just better to hide.

At some point God calls us out of obscurity and that involves risk.

We risk being known as imperfect.

We risk saying something we wish we hadn’t.

We risk showing others that we don’t have it all together.

But by taking these risks we discover that everybody else on the planet isn’t perfect either.

Jumping_Woman

We discover that we can be ourselves — our imperfect, work-in-progress selves, and accept others in the process.

We show our girls that they are valuable and have something to offer. Way beyond what they look like, or what someone wants from them.

We show our guys what a strong woman looks like, even when she’s afraid of the leap she’s about to take.

Maybe your risk is different than mine.

It might be believing that you can be a good mom.

It might be pushing out of isolation into living fully in the world around you.

It might be stepping into your snarky, fun personality and celebrating that God made you that way.

Regardless of the nature of this healthy risk (we’ll talk more about that tomorrow), are you willing to do it afraid?

What healthy risk is God asking you to take?

Suzie

Taking it Deeper

Erwin McManus, author and speaker, says, “We are seldom afraid when our opposition is smaller than us. When we keep our challenges manageable, we not only manage our fear, but we squelch our faith. One way to deal with our fears is to surround ourselves with predictability and security. We may look courageous when in fact all we’ve done is minimize our risk.

Q: In Chapter 9 “Becoming a Risk Taker” we discover the difference between a healthy risk and risky behavior. Are there healthy risks that you avoid? Why or why not?

boatRead pages 124-125 in The Mom I Want to Be: Rising Above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future.

Q: Describe your safety zone. How does it limit you?

Q: Do you ever pass your fears on to your children?

Q: How might”do it afraid” ignite courage in you and your child?

Q: Read Matthew 14:28-31.

  • Should Peter have remained in the boat?
  • What happened when he started to sink?
  • What was Jesus saying to Peter in his rebuke?
  • Note in the conversation between Peter and Jesus in the first two verses. How does Jesus’ response to Peter make this a healthy risk versus risky behavior?

Get alone with God. Ask Him to show you one area where He wants you to “do it afraid.”

If you haven’t purchased the resource for this study, The Mom I Want to Be, it’s on sale on Amazon!

 Jill Savage, founder and President of Hearts at Home, says, “The Mom I Want to Be will help you find hope, freedom, encouragement, and vision!”