Do you ever decide to do something and then take a step back and want to retreat?
You know, like when you stand in line for an hour to get to the top of a rollercoaster only to feel your fears kick in and your panic rise to levels that make your eyes search fast and hard for the exit sign.
I’m feeling a little like that today. But here is what I know. I have stood at the top of many high places and wanted to run but I stayed the course. And at the bottom of the twists and turns, at the end of the exhilarating and often frightening ride, I have always been glad that I didn’t let my fear get the better of me.
I’m clinging to that thought today: I will not let my fear get the better of me.
Tomorrow we offer a series called Praying Brave with a Yes Heart. When God invited me to do this I was all in! Then I asked some friends what they thought praying brave involved and I saw words that elicited my fears. Words like listen, surrender, and wait are scary when you know that you aren’t good at any of that.
My inner voice said run, you are unqualified and unable.
But my God reminded me that He is able.
God has reminded me that we can do many things with him and brave prayers produce results!
Peace is on the other side of a brave prayer.
Courage is found through brave prayers.
Divine direction is gained through brave prayers.
Battles are won because of brave prayers.
Satan is at the root of the lies that tell me to cease this journey. I’ve got a message for him, “I’m standing firm and inviting girls to stand with me”.
Will you come get brave with us? Will you pray brave with us? Will you pray saying my heart is ready to say “yes” to whatever God asks? Twists, turns, and bumps in the road. Let’s pray brave. Join us in just saying this simple prayer, “Lord, help me pray brave with a “yes heart”, Amen”.
Then meet us on our Facebook page as we ask ourselves, what it mean to pray brave with a yes heart?
Until then, praying with and for you,
Jodie
PS
This morning as I studied His word he sent confirmation that it’s all going to be good. Love Him!
PSS
I’m loving my friend, Suzanne Eller’s new book, Come With Me Devotional, and I want you to have a copy! Leave a comment on what praying brave looks like to you and we will draw a random winner on Friday to receive a copy via mail!
Our winner is Lindsey Walker! We will be in touch Lindsey!
What praying with a brave heart looks like to me in general is being able to wholeheartedly understand the answer I get from God may require me to take his hand and “jump”. It may not (most likely) won’t be comfrotable but if we can focus on the fact that He has our best intentions and the best plans for us written on his heart we can leap by faith knowing we will be caught.
Personally it looks like me praying for God to guide and direct me in the career path I should go. Even though I am comfortable where I am at, I have felt that tug of “there is more I have planned for you than this, move”
I need to pray that honest, brave prayer with a “yes” heart and then move when I get my answer which may be a time/season of change.
I’m hoping to pray more brave prayers with more of a “yes” heart.
I would love to have the book to help me with this challenge. Thanks for the opportunity!
Kelly- Thank you for sharing! We are going on this journey with you and praying for your career path direction to unfold beautifully. And yes, let’s take his hand and jump! TOGETHER 🙂 ~ Joyfully Yours, Jodie
Praying brave means to me that the hopes/dreams I pray for May. It be his will for my life. Then working to be happy and satisfied with whatever His will is for me.
May NOT be His will for my life…..autocorrect ????????♀️
Praying brave with a yes heart to me means to really mean it when I pray “Not my will but yours; have thine own way Lord.” To say yes to His plans even if they look nothing like I imagined them. To say yes I believe that God is good in the midst of the trials.
Such wisdom in these words Jane Ashley. Those words, “thine own way Lord”, have been on my heart. I pray each of us is able to begin praying yes and trusting that even when His way looks different we will press forward. Love you! Jodie
Praying Brave: I have been practicing this for 2 weeks now and when I saw that y’all were starting this I was so excited. Everyone needs help in their prayer life at times. Some encouragement and inspiration. The meaning to me is asking God for the things my heart desires but to make sure my request are in line with his will. I want God to open my eyes to the path the he has planned out for me. To be able to recognize the wrong paths. Also to be patience in waiting for God to answer my prayers the way that he see’s fit. The book “wait and see” was a great book and it taught me alot about the waiting phase and what God is able to do in that time. I know that God’s plans are better than my own and I’m going to continue to pray brave and wait for his answer.
Praying brave with you Evie! Trusting that God has you in the palm of his hand and that he can and will work things together for the good of those who love him. So glad you are here. Thank you for sharing! Jodie
To me it is all about FAITH and knowing that He will answer in His time and not ours. Faith is something I’ve been working on most recently. FAITH over FEAR. We trust God to hear us and we know that He will and we also must understand that the outcome is His will and not ours! I’ve faced many challenges in recent weeks with my health, my kids, and my life. I will pray bravely and be comforted in knowing that God has a great plan for me. I may not see it right away…but I will be STILL and KNOW that he will reveal that plan in His time! AMEN!
Amen! and all his girls say Amen! Thank you for sharing Dana. The word comfort bounced out at me and I trust that while we pray brave and wait patient he will indeed comfort us. Joyfully Yours~ Jodie
Praying for that BRAVE girl who reached out in the night to tell me she got saved…thanking God for sending her my way to treasure in my heart. For the men who wait patiently while sharing one jar at a time and respond in prayer. For the opportunities in front of me each one leading & keeping my eyes focused on Jesus♡
Praying with you Maggie! And rejoicing in the brave girl who now knows Jesus! love you~ Jodie
Praying brave looks like praying boldly to me these words are new in the same..thank you for giving us a chance to win. I had this Devo on my wish list for when I get a job.i love devotional.
Thank you for sharing! Praying for you as you join us on this journey Noelle. Joyfully Yours, Jodie
Praying brave is having Strong faith, knowing God has the plan already laid out for you. It is not always our way of doing things but it’s Gods way and we need to hold on and wait for it all to come together. Knowing that some times you don’t see results to problems or see the solution turn out but someone will see it and will show them Gods power.
Renee! Love that you are here. And I love that you pointed out the “someone will see and will show them God’s Power”. Goodness, that is a prayer right there. May the eyes of all be opened you your power Lord. Love you! Jodie
Love this! Love you girls! LOVE the new site!!!!
Thanks Cindy! We love you also! ~ Jodie
Thank you for sharing, Jodie! I have had to step away from my comfort zone and into situations I would never have hand-picked, but God knows what’s best every time and I need to only trust Him.
Oh Lindsey! I’m jumping with joy to see you here. You are so right. God knows what’s best every time. Every. Time. ~ Jodie
Lindsey Walker! You have won the signed copy of Come With Me Devo! We will be in touch to get your mailing address!
Praying brave to me means praying and leaving “it” at the foot of the cross. I am only brave because He is strong, capable and able. Praying brave means trusting Him to do His will, which is always the right thing.
I am currently reading “Everyday with Jesus” devotional Bible and just this morning I started to think I’m going to need to come up with something new before the end of this year, then lo and behold, I see this post!
Karen- we trust in God’s perfect timing! I am so glad you saw the post. We look forward to the next three weeks together. Make sure to follow our facebook page. Praying for and with you! ~ Jodie
A brave prayer begins and ends with a willing and obedient heart to live out the answer that the Lord gives. Maybe it will be easy but maybe, just maybe it will challenge our faith.
I think you are right Debbie. I think maybe, just maybe it will challenge our faith. Thank you for being ready to pray brave and be challenged. Love you~ Jodie
Praying brave to me means that I’ve got to stop trying to find the answer myself and trust God to show me the way! I’m so guilty of praying those brave prayers but not waiting and listening to what God REALLY wants me to do and trusting him fully. I’m so excited to be doing this praying brave series!
Jamie! It’s so good to see you and I can so totally relate to the not listening part 🙂 Be watching…there is a day just for us on that whole listening thing. Praying for you as you go on this journey with us. ~ Jodie
Praying brave means not my will but God’s will be done. So often I want to tell him what I want instead of trusting he knows what is best.
Tracy, I heard a wonderful message that I haven’t forgotten that a mom gave. She poured out to God exactly what needed to happen in her daughters life and asked him to follow her plan. He didn’t. God did even better than she imagined! It’s been a constant reminder to me that I leave the planning to the Father. NOW if I can just keep remembering that. So glad you are here! ~ Jodie
Praying brave for me is believing the impossible, trusting and leaving the outcome to God and resting in His presence, at peace knowing He hears my prayers. I love Suzanne Eller, she is such a prayer warrior. Thank you for this .
Susan! Thank you for sharing. Wise and wonderful words. I love good nutshells! And I love Suzie too! Thank you for being here~Jodie
To me praying brave means accepting whatever answer God gives you for your prayers. Accepting the challenges to get to the end results you THINK you should have. Praying brave means really wanting what you’re praying for. Willing to accept the answer that’s given. Praying brave means putting yourself into an uncomfortable place because that’s what God asked of you.