The BRAVERY of One

It was the bravery of one who answered the call to go on an international mission trip with a new ministry. She paid her deposit, filled out her application and applied for a passport. She sent out support letters and began to make arrangements for her small children that she would be leaving; all for a trip she knew little about. But her answer was still YES.

Jesus, you make me brave. You make me brave.
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves.
You make me brave. You make me brave.
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way.

Once the training began, she realized there were parts to the trip she had not expected.  She learned would be giving her testimony, but she already committed- so she painstakingly leaned into the trip’s agenda. She shared her testimony with teammates during training, revealing that those deepest, shame-causing secrets had only been told once before.

Jesus, you make me brave. You make me brave.
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves.
You make me brave. You make me brave.
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way.

In Guatemala, with shaking hand and voice she shared her story with a group of moms from the local elementary school. She revealed how trying to "fit in" led her places she never expected to go. The boundaries she once set for herself were crossed and crossed again and her feelings of worthlessness became all too familiar. She soon became unrecognizable from the girl she once was and all of this came at a big price and had severe consequences that ultimately led to years of disappointment, shame and guilt. Finally, she came to a crossroads: if Jesus could forgive ALL of her sin, could she forgive herself?  She made the decision surrender EVERYTHING in order to be fully free.  

Jesus, you make me brave. You make me brave.
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves.
You make me brave. You make me brave.
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way.

It was her bravery to share that opened the heart of another who listened to every word and realized that she was not alone in her feelings of unworthiness. It was her bravery to share about the redemption and restoration Jesus offered that was the catalyst for this Guatemalan woman to accept the gift of salvation and surrender her life to Jesus. 

Jesus, you make me brave. You make me brave.
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves.
You make me brave. You make me brave.
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way.

None of this is possible without the ULTIMATE ACT OF BRAVERY.  It is ONLY because of JESUS and his bravery to take our sin to the cross and die the death we deserve that we are made worthy, we are restored, we are healed. 

But HE was pierced for our transgressions,

HE was crushed for our iniquities

the punishment that brought us peace was on HIM,

and by his wounds WE are HEALED.

Isaiah 53:5

To God Be the Glory!

Lynde