Courage:
Noun
1. The ability to do something that frightens one.
2. Strength in the face of pain or grief.
(Definition from Oxford Languages)
I was at an indoor theme park this past weekend with my Husband and three kiddos. My oldest (nine years old), is a ride junkie. She has no fear and is all joy as she anticipates every twist, turn, and bend on every ride she goes on. Most rides take an obnoxious image while you are riding. My eldest' s pics somehow always turn out glorious, filled with so much laughter and all smiles. Meanwhile in these lovely photos, there is me, sitting next to or behind her, eyes all squinted and shoulders hunched in. Ha!
We recently added two more kiddos to our forever family, ages six and four. When our six year old told me she had never been on a roller coaster, we just knew we had to scratch that off her bucket list that day. She was elated as we waited in line for the ride, but also fearful of the unknown. While waiting in line she asked: "Is it scary? Will I cry? Is it safe?". To which I replied: "No, actually its fun, you might scream, you might laugh, you might even be surprised".
As I pondered while waiting in line, our little six year old had recently received a wonderful message from her school. She was processing fear and learned that you cannot have courage without fear. You cannot be brave without first being scared. If we were never scared or fearful, we would never have the chance to also be brave and courageous. We cannot have one without the other.
And that very day at the theme park, she was the epitome of courageous and brave. She went on that rollercoaster with gusto. She laughed, smiled so hard, screamed, and even admitted to a couple of tears shed along the way. At the end of the ride she was beaming. She had tackled her fear and learned that rollercoasters are actually fun. "Let's go again right now, Mom" she said. With my heart full we went on several more "big kid" rides with her that day.
Isn't life a lot like going on a rollercoaster for the first time? You might be terrified and reluctant to get on? You might be scared of the unknown. You might have to wait in a line for a long time. You might cry or tremble of the unknown. Who knows, you might even pee your pants a little?
But if we have even a mustard seed of courage and faith, man that will take us far! I look back at my life so far, and it has been filled with so many moments where I had to choose courage over fear. I could have chose fear and never jumped on the rollercoaster of life that is foster care and adoption (turns out my Husband and I love that ride so much we've already been on it four times).
I also could have given up all hope and faith when our late daughter, Olly, went to heaven at the ripe age of two. But courage and faith brought my family to new places where we have truly soared, been blessed beyond belief, encouraged others through similar circumstances, and brought God's light and love to the world in ways we couldn't have dreamt.
Now I do not consider myself a daredevil or fearless person. In fact, I consider myself a person who likes to calculate risk. But when it comes to my family and love, I border on the edge of too much grace and reckless abandon. Just ask my husband, who admits I am "stupid crazy" when it comes to giving my time, talents, and resources to help the people I love and care for. But I wear that as a badge of honor most days, knowing that with God, faith, and love we are changing the world one moment, one day, one person, and one miracle at a time.
Being fearful and scared is a common human experience for all of us. But when we trust God's plans, when we trust the safety nets he has placed in our lives, and when we step out in faith with courage and hope - anything is possible. My family is living, walking, talking, breathing evidence.
I pray in this season you are able to step out in faith and step into the person God designed you to be. Maybe that's picking up a bible, or asking for prayer with a close friend, or maybe even attending an Easter church service to see what this God and faith stuff is really all about.
"Now I'm anointed
To bring the news
Everything He did for me
I know He'll do for you
He gave me joy for the mourning
For the ashes a crown
Yeah, I'm a walking talking miracle
And I just gotta let it out
Ain't nobody love me like Jesus
Ain't nobody love me this good
Ain't nobody love me like Jesus
And I know, I know nobody could"