It almost broke my heart.

When I sat down with my friend, Lynn Cowell, she shared a statistic that hit me hard.

She said that a girl’s confidence is at its peak by the age of 9.

Nine years old. 

That’s a baby. That’s the brink of change. That’s when she is a dreamer.

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It’s also a time when she’s experiencing life. Even if she’s protected by those who love her, she’s discovering that life isn’t always equal.

When I look around at the girls and women around me, I wonder about their 9-year-old self. I wonder if she was fearless. If she thought she could do anything. I wonder if we — as strong, faith-filled women — could not only rediscover our fearless self, but pass that on to all the girls coming up behind us.

I think we can.

I think it’s a conversation worth having.

We’ve been in a Summer of Permission series, and today we are going to give ourselves permission to be brave. But that starts with giving ourselves permission to try new things. That begins as we offer ourselves permission to fail.

I hope you’ll tune in to today’s vlog, and more than that, I’d love to hear what you have to say.

 

Lynn’s written a new book called Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You. It’s a brand new book for tween girls. Lynn is giving away a copy to one of you today. Just leave a comment below!

Share what it means to you to be brave, or why it’s important. Tell me what that fearless you looks like, with God’s help.

[bctt tweet=”Anytime we learn something, it costs us something. #brave #livingfreetogether @lynncowell” username=”suzanneeller”]

I am praying that this book lands in the hands of tween girls all over the nation. I pray that student leaders will share it with their tweens, and that moms or aunts or guardians will nestle with a girl and breathe truth into her heart.

Last, I pray that this same truth covers you. There’s a fearless you living inside, and it’s never too late for her to emerge.

Suzie

Meet Lynn Cowell

She’s strong. She’s fun. She has one of the most servant-hearted spirits I’ve ever known. She’ll stop and pray at the drop of a hat, and it’s sweet and genuine.

She’s written several books, speaks across the nation, and is currently working on a Bible study for women. Her book, Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You releases in three weeks, but it’s available for preorder today. (It’s almost half-price on preorder!)

Connect with Lynn Cowell on her blog, on Facebook, and Twitter.

 

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