Honestly, how brave are you and how do you even know? I’m fairly sure I’m a big baby and a chubby chicken when it comes to courage and fearlessness, but maybe it’s not a matter of my own bravery after all. In light of a phenomenal book I just finished reading and then the harrowing events in London this week, bravery has been on my mind. What makes us brave when we desperately need to be? And what is bravery anyway?
Definition of bravery: “the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty.”
So this is my “not particularly brave” face. Rather unsure. Slightly uncomfortable. But dressed in red, which clearly means I’m super confident and ready for anything, right? Hmmm. As most of you know by now, I’m a Brit. Stiff upper lip, shoulders back, everything’s “fine”, and “keep calm and carry on”. Even back during WW2 (my current obsession for fiction books), it seems a little red lipstick went a long way when under attack! I actually get that—it’s the bravado thing. But my soul’s been stirred with the sorrow and stress in the aftermath of violence and terror in London this week. Doesn’t it just break your heart?
The courage and determination shown by civilians, those in authority, and individuals in leadership have been evident. They won’t be deterred. They are digging deep and standing firm. It’s a stark contrast to the cowardice that initiated such an act, isn’t it?
It’s easy to allow fear to take hold. We need only watch the news for an hour and everything seems crazy and unpredictable and just plain scary. If it were down to me and my so-called bravery, I’d be in trouble. But as a Christian, as one who looks to a mighty God as her refuge and strength, I find myself letting go of any lurking or obvious fears and allowing my bravery to trust God. That’s where I can be brave. Even me. Even you.
As I said, all things brave have been bombarding my brain this week, and it was sparked by reading this incredible book…
Everyone Brave is Forgiven is a witty, raw love story set in London during The Blitz. It truly brings to life the sheer horror of surviving in that great city as it all but crumbled to ruins while its people went about their day-to-day existence. Soldiers, civilians, rich, and poor—they endured it all with a bravery I can only imagine. (Lipstick during air raids is involved!) It’s a fiction novel, yet Chris Cleave based it on his own grandparents and spent years researching intricate details to help us understand how bravado transformed to bravery. He even put himself on London Blitz rations for three months to fully enter into his research. No lie. Three months.
(You guys—this is hard core. Suddenly my trip to the Oregon Coast to research my current manuscript sounds kinda lame. I ate a lot of seafood for “research purposes.” How can one compare?!)
The book is ON SALE right now, and if you would like to pick up a copy, here’s my Amazon affiliate link (full disclosure here) which means I get a tiny commission while you pay the regular (current sale) price: EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave. It’s SO good.
Also, If you’d like to check out Chris Cleave’s interview with our wonderful book Yoda, Modern Mrs. Darcy, here’s the LINK. It’s fascinating. Especially if you’re a writer, reader, or like to listen to English accents. 🙂
My point in all this? The Brits had to be brave back in the day, as were countless others the world over, and the Brits are doing the same again right now. We can choose to put on blinkers and pretend all is well, or we can bring it all to a God who cares and loves and longs to give us hope…
Our time of need is now. Whether you’re concerned about the world your children are growing up in, what your own future might hold, health issues that are plaguing you constantly, or a million other things—let’s pray. Pray for the big stuff, those in authority, those fighting for freedom, those in pain and grieving, and pray for ourselves—that we would be brave enough to trust God. With everything.
That’s where we get to be brave, my friend!
Linking up with some fabulous encouragers! Check them out:
So true that we can be brave because we know who our Father is. It’s not just about getting on with life anyway, it’s about realising that we trust in Someone trustworthy despite what’s going on around us, isn’t it? I’m so proud to be a Brit when I see people standing together in simple and calm strength after violence and I believe it comes from our strong Christian heritage, however much that might have been squashed over the years. I’m also very intriuged by the book you recommend. I’ll have a look.
Thanks so much for stopping by with your thoughts and encouragement!Yes, it’s totally about trusting in One who is completely trustworthy. I’ve been in Canada for over 20 years, but I also feel proud to be a Brit—I think you may enjoy the book I mentioned, it made me even prouder of my heritage! Blessings to you 🙂
Laura, what a poignant and candid post. I don’t consider myself brave either. Growing up on my parents’ stories of life through the Great Depression and WWII, I saw glimpses of what bravery can be. I love the reference to red lipstick! I’ll have to seek Chris’ book. The old movie MRS. MINIVER (sorry b/w, so the lipstick isn’t as apparent ), gave me a whole new perspective on the bravery of civilians. Like Mama told in a time of life and death, literally, sometimes you just have to stand there and take it, then do the best you can to move forward. Blessings from your neighbor at Kelly’s.
Hi Alice—thanks for taking the time to stop by with your thoughts! We really have no idea how desperate times were back in the day (and still are in some areas of the world, of course).I’m grateful I can be brave in trusting One who knows all things! Yeah, the book is really worth a read 🙂 Blessings to you!
great post and so sorry about your London town! will buy that book. I read recently that it’s good to take a risk for 20 seconds a day! now that’s a good habit to begin!
Thanks so much, Sue. Ah yes, the book is AWESOME! Oh, I think even I could manage 20 risky seconds a day 😉 Blessings to you!
It’s been a shocking week here they interviewed a guy who was just leaving Westminster after a meeting fir a charity event and when he saw the attacker he ran straight to the policeman who was being brutally attacked and tried to save his life!! True bravery! But thank God that we can go to him and when we are afraid he will carry us on his shoulders and confront the trouble makers on our behalf as He is a just God!! And yes lipstick is a true sigh of bravado as Nanny wore it to the end!!
Hey Heid—oh I feel for you guys, it’s so sad. Amazing what people do when faced with an urgent situation… that guy you’re talking about sure was brave! And yes, so comforting to know God is sovereign and walks with us every step of the way. Couldn’t help thinking of Nanny and Grandad when I read Everything Brave is Forgiven… it’s really worth checking out! Yay for lipstick (I come by it honestly!) Thanks sis xxx
Visiting from Moments of Hope. Thank you for sharing this. It is good to remember of Who has our back, Who our Protector is, and that we can depend on the Lord when we are overcome by fear. May your soul be refreshed in the knowledge of the Lord’s sovereignty.
Welcome here Cheryl— and thanks so much for your encouragement! Yes— we can always rely on God as our Protector and rest in that truth 🙂 Blessings to you!
I definitely agree with the red lipstick! Ha! I’m not actually a red lipstick gal, but getting up, dressing up, and putting the color lipstick of the day just gives me the extra boost to step into my day with bravery! 🙂 Ultimately, though, no amount of getting up, dressing up, or lipstick is the weapon to knock fear on it’s bottom. It’s trust. Trust in God to handle all that we cannot. Trust in what He will do with and through us as He walks us through each step of the way. This sounds like a great book, Laura, and I can’t wait to hear about your next project! Thanks so much for sharing at #MomentsofHope! It was so good to see you there again!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, Lori! Yes, trusting God is absolutely key. And lipstick helps…? Always great to hear from you— Blessings!