The Voice That Calls You to Be Brave
Confidence Is Found in Who God Says You Are
I wonder why it is so easy to trust fear more than faith? Fear brings anxiety, worry, and dread—even blame. It whispers lies and as soon as I entertain them, they grow louder and scream over the truth so I can no longer hear it.
Fear over what cannot be controlled offers nothing good. It creeps in when uncertainty takes hold and the right answers elude. Fear doesn’t just envelope circumstances; it can wrap itself around our very identity.
We become what we believe—even when it isn’t the truth. What God says brings freedom but the lies? They only imprison. They put the body in a constant state of tension—jaw locked, brow furrowed, mind racing.They attack the mind with lies.
God’s will is for His children to be brave by trusting that His Word is more powerful than the wisdom of the world or circumstances that surround. He is calling His children to courage by trusting Him over their fears. My heart aches but trusting God feels brave.
It’s easiest to fear for what is most valued—whether that’s ourselves or other people.
I wonder if there is a healthy fear, not being afraid of, but being afraid for. No, it can’t be. God hasn’t given me any spirit of fear..of or for.
I spent many of my mothering years parenting from fear. I’m not certain I realized it at the time, but seeing the world my children were growing up in, the strong lure of wordly lusts and entertainment rattled me. They’re pleasing to the eye and pleasurable to the emotional center—how could I compete for their desires to be for the Lord?
I know sometimes they still see it in my face during conversation. I’m sure it looks like disapproval when really it’s fear. I’m still learning to trust even more deeply. His love is stronger than the lie of fear.
They have grown up in a world so upside-down from the kingdom of God. Creating a sanctuary at home I hoped would be more inviting alongside a world at their fingertips, pulling at their desires and FOMO. God’s kingdom takes more work to trust. It requires more faith to step into—a brave faith.
A mother can only teach and point to Jesus, but I can’t force the walk. Even our Heavenly Father never forces. He woos. He invites. Jesus prays on our behalf to Him. He sets the example of how to parent. Mothering brave means trusting God with the seeds.
I can’t sow just once—I sow endlessly. Sometimes the seeds don’t land on fertile soil. I pray for the soil and sow again and again. No matter what their age or circumstance, I sow.
It reminds me of how God draws me in. He draws me in with love, mercy, forgiveness, hope. He moves closer to me when I make a mistake; He doesn’t retract in horror or disappointment.
God draws me in through His kindness, His patience, His grace. Imagine mirroring those qualities of love to our children. When they know we are a safe place from judgment, shame, and performance, the desire to rise up in courage grows.
I’m not moved toward guilt or shame. These only make me sink deeper into myself, which makes me more vulnerable to the world’s “me-first” message.
I am His daughter first. I am a new creation and I’m chosen. I am His handiwork whom He’s created for good works. He’s made me free so I do not need to be a slave to sin, shame, guilt, or condemnation.
When I have the courage to trust God with my identity, then I am more prone to trust Him with my children and walk in the love He has given me; then they see a glimpse of God’s love for them.
Don’t mistake accountability for judgment. When they make their choices, they choose of their own free will. Just as Eve chose to disobey God—the perfect Father— in the Garden. Does that mean God was a bad Father because Eve made a bad choice? Of course not.
God tells me I did not fail. I am not a failure because I could not do what only God can accomplish. Instead, He calls me to be brave. I can choose whether to hold so tightly to my children that I risk compromising truth and honor, and authority. Or, I can do the brave thing and release my children to the Lord by trusting His Word, speaking Truth even when it stings, and standing in the authority He has given me as a mother.
He encourages me to be courageous, not afraid or discouraged, because He’s with me wherever I go. (Joshua 1:9) That courage becomes activated when I’m on my knees. Any worries or petitions I have, I release to the Lord.
It’s enough to know I am His. It’s comforting to know my kids are His before they are mine. I don’t possess their actions; only the stewardship God has entrusted to me. God gives us our children so we can give them back to Him.
I can be confident in releasing my efforts to the Lord. No matter how “good” or “bad” I did, I know I raised my children to know the Lord. What they do with that now is up to them. But Satan won’t win the war for my children’s hearts because they have a prayer warrior for a mama. I will make it my life’s purpose to pray their hearts to the Lord, and continue to move deeper into Him every year.
My role as a mother is part of my calling, but it’s not the core of who I am. I am His—and that is where my confidence lives.
And the same is true for you. Your role as a mother matters deeply—but it isn’t your identity. You are His, and that is enough.
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