Her eyes widened as she moved her chair closer to the table.

The crowded coffee shop had not deterred her from being open and honest. Now, it was my turn.

This young girl in her twenties tried to conceal her surprised expression. “I thought you wouldn’t understand, Karen. I imagined your childhood and life near perfect.”

Oh, how wrong her sentiments. Truth is, we held much in common. We both experienced a troubling upbringing, one affecting our life as adults.

When a parent abandons a child physically or emotionally, they leave behind a broken life and heart.

As I opened up to my coffee-shop friend, pain from my past spilled out as tears. In the most vulnerable way, I conveyed how I spent part of my childhood with one parent absent and the other present, but just in the physical sense. The emotional support a child so desperately needs to give health and wholeness to her soul, remained at zero.

My friend and I shared a similar story. Since Christ is our common denominator, He used our story to spur one another on in the faith. Not only through “me too,” but also through “here is how Jesus helped me overcome and gain the victory.”

An authentic voice helps others and holds the power to heal us.

When we authentically share our story, our dreams, our soul-wounds, our heart-cries, and even our faith-struggles, something powerful happens.

Authenticity makes us comfort ambassadors.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” ~2 Corinthians 1:3-5  (ESV)

That day in the coffee shop is forever etched in my mind. My realness became a divine appointment of comfort to a searching soul. Still further, it jump-started my journey to authentic faith in real life, the desire to become an authentic woman of Christ.

Authenticity creates divine appointments, offering comfort to searching souls. Share on X

Many times on my Christian journey, I pretended the past didn’t exist or affect me. As strong women of faith, we pretend so as to not appear weak.

We’re Christian women who want to be courageous. Yet, we believe this false mindset. I’m supposed to always be the strong one for my family, friends, and for women who reach out to me.

We hide our tears and put on a brave face when we’re really a fragile warrior. Bravery is always lost when we rely on our own strength.

Bravery is always lost when we rely on our own strength and not God’s power. Share on X

God provides the strength to brave authentic.

• Authenticity in telling our story is a powerful tool to reach others and make a difference in their lives.
• Authenticity breeds vulnerability and trust which makes us approachable so other women open up too.
• Authenticity unveils the real “me” in Christ and tears down any pretensions I’ve set up.

Then, we see the benefits to choosing authenticity. We’re not a person who just takes up space in the lives of our loved ones. But we are a mom, wife, daughter, and friend who takes a place in their heart.

We brave authentic relationships so we are present in the present and present emotionally. We stay connected with others in authentic community.

Today, lay down the lie that if people see and know the real me, they will flee. Instead, believe the real me in Christ attracts others. Including wanderers and those wayward in the faith who have lost their way. And it even draws in those who are strong, but learn authenticity from us.

Becoming who we were created to be in the #MadeForBrave #Sisterhood! We were never created to hide. We were never created to retreat. We were never created for defeat. Real Women, Real Stories, Real Brave! Share on X

 

---

Whether speaking or writing, Karen moves an audience to laughter, tears, surprise, and deep reflection. Her heartbeat is helping followers of Christ live with authentic faith in real life. Known as “Girl Friday” in the blogging world, she shares a central message: you are never far from hope. Karen’s entire family is fond of the expression, “TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday.” They owe Monday an apology. Visit her blog, Hope is Among Us, http://www.karengirlfriday.com

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

 

Catch Up On Previous Made for Brave Stories…Here

Sisters, we are called to walk the way of hope instead of the way of defeat.  We must claim more than our title of “Daughter of the King.” We must step up and also claim our position.

And we must claim these together. As a sisterhood; a sisterhood of brave women who stand strong in the promises of who God is and who we are.

• We all are Made for Brave.
• We are made to live for something authentic and brave.
• In living brave, we silence the past, transform the future, and take a front row seat to God’s wild and uncontainable love!

So, I’m inviting you to join this Made for Brave Sisterhood, each Monday as we share our stories and allow God to bring hope and healing. Let’s commit to being authentic and brave, one step at a time, side by side, holding each other up and nudging each other toward our true selves. And let’s claim the victory waiting on the other side of brave; for ourselves and our sisterhood.

Let’s celebrate our tears and our struggles as we peel away the layers of fear to reveal the beauty of brave.

Let’s risk everything that brave requires for everything that brave has to offer…

Becoming who we were created to be!

In living brave, we silence the past, transform the future, and take a front row seat to God’s wild and uncontainable love! #MadeforBrave #Hope Share on X

Do you have a Made for Brave story to share? Get the writing guidelines and submit your stories HERE!

Download Your Made for Brave Manifesto in the Soul-Hope Cafe!