You may or may not have heard the name Brené Brown, and if you have not, I strongly suggest  you look up her TED Talk on YouTube! You’ve definitely been impacted by her work, in one way or another. Brené is a speaker, story-teller, and shame-researcher. As you likely know, the area of shame is a hot topic in our world today, and what I think Brené uniquely seeks to do is very gospel-driven. Her desire is to understand things like shame, empathy, vulnerability, and connection - and it has impacted much of my thinking when it comes to how I show up in my life. In fact, in 2018, my cousin and I read Brené’s book, Rising Strong, and together we discovered how hard it is to be vulnerable, but in the same sense, how worth it vulnerability is!

Brené’s key piece of work, Daring Greatly (and the theme of her new Netflix special, “The Call to Courage”),* centers around this shortened quote by President Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts…[no, instead] the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly...”

This figurative man showed up to the fight, even if he knew he’d fail. He showed up with his whole heart, even when it hurt, and dared greatly to love in the face of previous hurt, to start the business in the face of risk, to go for the promotion that felt like a longshot, to evangelize to the person in his family who hates God, to pray for the miracle healing even though it may not happen. The truth is, he, and we too, can dare greatly, even when it’s risky!

....Sounds inspiring, right? Well, it is, but it’s also messy!

You see, this idea of daring greatly has been one I’ve wrestled with a lot the last few years. How do I both dare greatly AND fail well? What does it even mean to fail well? How do I obey God and risk big with wisdom? And how do I fail gracefully, while also still glorifying God? Below are just a few things I’ve learned in thinking, praying, and talking through these issues:

1) Failing well doesn’t mean you don’t risk. If you never risk, you never fail, which means you never succeed.
2) When you fail (and you will) learn from it and keep going! Persevere. 
3) Jesus will break your fall, every time. And He can handle your failure.
4) If you risk for Him, it will be worth it - He’s a Master Weaver!

These four truths have kept me going like a buoy in rocky waves throughout the last year. You see, whether others knew it or not, I’ve felt like I failed a lot in the last year. And it’s been vulnerable and crushing at times. I failed in big and small ways in career, friendships, love, housing, finances, business, etc. - and it’s been hard. I’m sure in many ways this will continue to be true. But the central thing I’ve learned throughout all this failure is there will ALWAYS be storms, but there will also, ALWAYS be Jesus.

I was recently the maid of honor in my best friend’s wedding, and one of the gifts she gave all her bridesmaids was a simple metal ring with a wave in the design. This small gift has been an anchoring point for me - it helps me to remember that Jesus is my Strong Tower in the storms of my life. That, like Peter, I can choose to trust Him. And trust, I have.

He will catch you. He is faithful, even when you fail. Because here’s the thing y’all: Failure is part of life in a Fallen world.

I know for a fact  it is He who has sustained me. It is He who has spoken life and truth to my weary soul  through music, through His Word, through the balm of a friend’s words. It is He who has restored what the locusts have eaten. It is He who has grown me up, pruned me, and dressed me as the vine I am in His hands. I can honestly say if it were not for this last year full of failure, I would not know Him the way I do now, and for that I am truly grateful. 

One Biblical story that has been a surprising comfort to me in this season has been the story of the unnamed woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment in a crowd. This saint with an “issue of blood” had been to many medical doctors and experienced much failure. She had tried it her way, the world’s way, and any other way she could get her hands on! She was worn out. She was tired. She was desperate. This medical failure drove her to Jesus. It drove her to dare greatly - right into the arms of the Healer! She didn’t just quit, even after much failure. She didn’t lay down and choose apathy or bitterness. No, instead, she showed up for her life and trusted God one more time.

I think that’s the main thing I want to remind you all today: Yes, dare greatly! But more importantly, dare greatly with Christ at the hem. He will catch you. He is faithful, even when you fail. Because here’s the thing y’all: Failure is part of life in a Fallen world.

It just is, we can’t avoid it, but so, too, is risk. So, I say, risk boldly and dare greatly - knowing that Jesus has your back. Or, as Paul put it in Phil. 1:21, remind yourself that “To live is Christ, and to die is gain!”

So….

Love again.

Witness to the broken.

Go bold in your career.

Show up for your life!

No fear - go all in for Jesus. Dare Greatly - with Christ at the hem.

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​Bekah Brewer wants to live in a world where discipleship is the thriving heartbeat of the whole Church. When she’s not practicing the art of digital marketing for Media Tractor or editing for her side business (Words Redeemed), you can find her playing soccer, pouring into friends & family, or planning out more times of fun, rest, and growth. Her favorite verse is Philippians 1:27a: "Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (HCSB)

Are you dreading something or living in fear? Are you terrified of the future? Often times life’s circumstances bring us to places of great trepidation and uncertainty. Although we are not being pursued by a great nation such as Judah was in Isaiah 7 and 8, in some ways the spiritual warfare that we face is as real and foreboding. When we succumb to the enemy’s devices by meditating on and analyzing all the ins and outs of a situation, we are fighting against the Lord and His great grace over our lives. So often we, like Judah, listen to the report of our enemies and not what God is saying. We feel as though we are being conquered or terrorized by something or someone in our lives. We falter in our faith because we have our eyes on ourselves as the solution, rendering us unable to stand against the wiles of the enemy. God reminds us in Isaiah 7:9 that unless we stand on Him, we will not be able to stand at all:

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, then you will not stand at all.”

How do we stand firm in our faith when we feel as though we are floundering? We grab hold of the Rock of our salvation! We anchor our hearts and minds on the One who condescended to our lowly estate in order that we may experience the power of His presence in our lives. We are ambassadors of Christ, made fit for royal service in our King’s great army. And yet, all too often we believe in the enemy’s strength more than in the power of our God - a God who moved heaven and earth to rescue us from darkness. God has ordained us and called us His own and we are to walk in newness of life. Many times that translates to laying down the old, worn path of worry, fear and anxiety and coming face to face with the living God, who by His mighty right arm has conquered all our foes! 1 Peter 2:9 confirms our position in His kingdom:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

There is a high call on our lives to proclaim the excellencies of Christ to a people who do not yet know Him. How can we do that if we are in bondage to fear and dread? There is no reason to be afraid or filled with dread of the future because Jesus is our great hope and He is victorious! He rescued us out of darkness! What are we doing running back to Egypt, walking those old paths of sin that we died to? We have believed the report of men over God. We are so prone to wander back to the old ruins of our life before Christ, where we believed that we were sovereign over our own lives.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
- Isaiah 7:14

Our culture spoon feeds us the demonic worldly ideology that we are to be independent and self sufficient. This ideology creates great barriers of unbelief that stand in the way of us viewing Christ as supreme in our lives. When we lose sight of God in our circumstances, we grow fearful and unbelief begins to propagate a whole host of lies in our minds. We are so quick to forget that God is with us. We must remind one another that we are not alone and we were never meant to do this alone but that God, in name and character, is with us. 

It was no coincidence that Isaiah was sent to prophesy to Judah immediately after he had seen the Lord (Isaiah 6). His assignment was to carry the true message that God IS with us to His people. They had believed the lie that their safety and security was dependent upon their own wits and strength, but God encouraged them with the hope of His condescension so that they would have faith and be able to stand in the face of great tribulation. Just the mention of His name, Immanuel, connotes a calming and quieting effect for God’s people. We have a peace that the world cannot offer, but we must continually remind one another that we are not alone. Jesus himself reminds us that we are not alone in John 14:25-29:

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.” 

Jesus left the earth so that we could have access to Him 24/7! We must believe that He is with us and that knowledge will surely lead our hearts toward the path of peace. We must rejoice in the knowledge of this truth together, reminding one another daily so that our faith does not fail. It is essential to our daily lives that we walk in the mandate of Philippians 4:4-7 in order that our minds not be taken captive by the lie that we are on our own. We must believe that He is with us!

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 4:4-7

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 Karen Savage wants to live in a world where Christ is Glorified. When she's not serving her family, you can find her serving others. Her favorite Scripture is John 15:7-8 ESV.

Sleep has been an elusive companion as of late. My mind thrums with growing to-do lists and worries of if I am trying hard enough or accomplishing enough, fearful something will be forgotten over the course of the night. It turns out that amid the worry and fear, I have indeed forgotten much. I have forgotten who God is and, subsequently, who I am. It is in the midst of my forgetfulness that I have been both confronted and comforted by the words of David found in Psalm 103.

“The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”
‭‭- Psalms‬ ‭103:8-13‬

In the face of God’s steadfast and unwavering love, I realized I have been longing for control rather than the peace of His presence and trying to rest in assurances I can hold in my hands rather than those I can hold in my heart. I am putting my fear and attention in the wrong place. I have foolishly been fixating on what-if’s rather than what is. What is, is the Lord. Though circumstances have changed, God has not. He is the same loving and fierce and gracious and holy Creator that He has always been and always will be.

In our readings for DWITW 365, Psalm 103 falls between the death of Saul and the anointing of David as king over all of Israel. David exhorts his soul to praise the Lord for His merciful forgiveness, His unrelenting love, and His ultimate kingship over all creation. In a time when David’s thoughts could have been consumed by the struggle around him or the prospect of resolution, he turns his focus to the everlasting — to the God that sustains him, to the God that made him, to the God that loves him.

God has declared a forever love for temporary people

In verses 15 and 16 David reminds us of our temporal nature, “as for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.”  It is this innate transience of humanity juxtaposed to the eternal nature of God’s affection that coaxed my mind upward. God has declared a forever love for temporary people. God’s love for us has existed and will continue to exist beyond the limits of our lifetimes. 

My days are short and measured. They have a number to them, though I do not know what it may be. I can spend these days encumbered by anxious planning and preparation or I can fight to look beyond the ebb and flow of chaos. My surety lies not in where my feet fall but in where my mind and heart are planted. They need to be deeply rooted in the truth and love of God, in the place that cries out, “bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” (Psalm 103:1-2)

As we carry on into the week ahead, I pray that like David we would call to mind the benefits our God has been so gracious to extend, that His goodness would press us to praise, that His peace would quell our hidden fears, and that our hearts would be ignited by the remembrance of His steadfast love.

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:
“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

As we continue through the overarching story of the Bible with DWITW 365, this week in the book of Numbers, finds Israel camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan. While Israel is encamped, we become acquainted with Balak, the king of Moab. Balak knew what had just befallen the Amorites at the hands of the Israelites and their God. He knew of the bloodshed, the destruction. Now, the Israelites were close to him. Too close. He was afraid. He needed a solution and he remembered the prophet Balaam.

Balaam had a reputation for being a man whose words of blessing or cursing held power. What he said, happened. And Balak needed something to happen. So he sent money and princes to entice Balaam to come and curse this multitude of people camped in the plains of Moab. Twice Balak sent princes to Balaam. Twice Balak dared hope an easy victory was well within his grasp. After the second request, Balaam returned with the princes to Moab and informed Balak that he could only speak the words that God would give him.

When morning came, Balak set his plan in motion, but things didn't go as Balak had anticipated. Three times, he took Balaam to a place that overlooked the Israelite camp. Three times, Balaam instructed Balak to build seven altars and sacrifice seven bulls and seven rams. And three times, Balaam spoke an oracle of blessing over the people of Israel, much to the frustration and anger of king Balak.

There is no peace to be found in my own accomplishments, strengths, or even in the shadow of another’s failure.

As I read through the plight of this king, I couldn’t help but wonder, what is it that I run to when I am afraid? What is it that I seek out when I fear that I am failing as a wife, or as a mother? What do I turn to when I feel like I’m insufficient and incapable? Do I turn to the opinions of others? Or play the comparison game? Or, is self-deprecation my go-to?

In his fear, Balak summoned Baalam to curse the Israelites - this was his attempt to gain control of the situation. If he could decide the outcome, life could resume as normal. But to his disappointment, his peace did not lie within his grasp. And, nor does mine. There is no peace to be found in my own accomplishments, strengths, or even in the shadow of another’s failure.

Peace, true peace, lies in the hands of our Maker, our Creator God, who promised Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Him. Our joy is to know the fruition of that blessing in Christ. I need not entertain the thoughts of comparison that only seek to rob me of the joy I can savor in seeing others blessed.

How many times have I sought out my own affirmation at the cost of missing the opportunity to encourage a friend? What petty suppositions of mine have grown into downright cold-hearted competition? Are you, like me, at times disheartened by others success, how God has blessed another?

Dear sisters, we are far stronger together than we are alone. Let us use our words to remind each other of our great God, His great love for us, and the holy lives we are called to live. Lives that reflect Him and His nature to the world around us. And this is not something we have to do in our own power. No, we have the Spirit. That Holy Spirit living in us which so gently guides, comforts, and corrects.

We also have the Word. His Word that stands as a mirror to our lives and our hearts. We have His Word that shows us our own ugliness and shortcomings, while also pointing us to the unsurpassing beauty and completeness of Jesus. And from the depths of that knowledge may we speak of Christ to one another. May we speak of love and hope and grace. May we set our minds and hearts on things above; things that are true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and praiseworthy - things that remind us of Jesus and help us remember the God of peace that is so near (Philippians 4:8-9). Because of Him, we need not fear.

“”If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.””

— Colossians 3:1-4

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:
“ Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

Today's team journal was written by our sister and DWITW treasurer, Kaitlyn Carl.

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.”

— Ephesians 6:16

Two Pharisees, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, had the distinct privilege of burying the Lord Jesus after His death on the cross. They buried Him like a king, using seventy-five pounds of spices to cover His body before they wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in a never-before-used tomb (John 19:38-42). What an amazing opportunity these men had to honor our Lord in His death! And they risked much in doing so. Both men were members of the Jewish high council: rich men of high status and great repute among the Jews. By stepping forward to bury Jesus, they risked losing all of that. They also defiled themselves by touching a dead body, foregoing their ability to participate in the Passover feast that the Jews were celebrating that night. They would have to celebrate one month later (Numbers 9:5-12). What dedication to our Lord is shown in this truly sacrificial act of love. 

But these men didn't start here.

Joseph of Arimathea is described in John 19 as a secret disciple of Jesus, for he feared the Jews. 

Nicodemus had previously approached Jesus under the cover of night, alone, so as not to be seen speaking with Him (John 3:1-2). 

While these two men ministered tenderly to the Lord in His death, they missed the opportunity to have regular, face-to-face interaction with the living, breathing, flesh-and-blood God incarnate! And for what? To retain their status among the Jewish elite? To hold on to their abundant earthly riches? 

“Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in [Jesus], but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God”

— John 12:42-43

Ouch. Can anyone else relate to that? I certainly can.

I can think of many times in my life, including recently, when I've had a chance to speak truth or be a witness for Christ, but I kept my mouth shut. It just didn't seem like the right time. Or I was worried about how the other person would react. Or about the affect it would have on our relationship. What would they think of me? How would it make me look? 

As I've thought on this passage for the last week, I've been struck by one thing in particular: these worries and fears that kept Joseph and Nicodemus and me from being a bold disciple of Christ rather than a secret one are so temporal.

Sure, I maintain status in the eyes of the watching world, but I lose the chance to potentially bring another sister into fellowship with her Heavenly Father. 

True, I may keep in tact a relationship that I value, but do I really value it that much if I'd rather risk her soul than create a potentially awkward moment between us?

I'm convinced that fear of man over fear of God is one of the greatest tools of the enemy against the spreading of Christ's church. Satan uses our own feelings of inadequacy so that we don't feel well enough equipped to speak the Gospel in truth to our fellow man, fearing not having the right answers or not knowing how to speak, and thus never open our mouths to proclaim Christ. Satan uses our deep desire to be accepted to quiet our tongues for fear of losing status with a friend. Satan uses our want of praise and status to shut us up because we fear ridicule. But dear sisters, we must recognize these thoughts for what they are: lies of the enemy. Because the root of them all is fear. 

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord...but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.”

— II Timothy 1:7-8

Immobilizing fear of this kind that prevents us from acknowledging Jesus Christ is not from God. Let's recognize it as such and put those lies to death. 

For we are not inadequate to share Jesus with others. Luke 12:11-12 tells us to not be anxious about how we will defend ourselves or what we should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach us what to say in that very moment. What greater Helper when we are in need of words than the One who inspired each and every writer of the Holy Bible as they penned our Biblical cannon??

We don't need to fear a loss of status among men: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first" (Matthew 19:29-30). And in addition to the last being first in the Kingdom of God, as followers of Jesus, we have the greatest status of all: "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided that we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him" (Romans 8:16-17). Fellow. heirs. with. Christ. I have the same status as Christ Jesus in the eyes of God - who cares what man thinks of me?

And ridicule? Well, it actually seems to indicate that we're on the right track:

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on [Jesus’] account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

— Matthew 5:11-12

These fears and lies of the enemy restrained Joseph of Arimathea's and Nicodemus' open worship of Jesus when He walked on this earth. It took the death of the One they refused to stand up for to embolden them to step forward and publicly acknowledge and care of Jesus. So I find myself wondering, what will it take for me to step forward? For you to step forward? Who do I fear: man or God? Where is my hope: here on this temporal earth, or in eternity with my Savior? 

O Lord, grant us great faith in all circumstances, that with it we may extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). Move in us, Holy Spirit, to speak and to act and to boldly proclaim the Gospel as often as we may. Embolden us to be out-in-the-open followers of Jesus, going and making disciples for Him (Matthew 28:19). I pray that each one of us would know the height and depth and length and breadth of Your love for us and that our hope would rest there and not in the things of this world (Ephesians 3:18-19). Help us combat the lies of Satan with the sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word, O God (Ephesians 6:17b). May we be women of the Word that we may tell the Word to the world without fear and with integrity, clarity, and boldness (Philippians 1:14). In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

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Kaitlyn is a wife of 5 1/2 years and a mama to two precious girls. She is a worship leader at her church and a group leader with Bible Study Fellowship. Kaitlyn is passionate about sharing life with others.  She loves brunch/lunch/coffee/play dates, over-sized sweatshirts, coloring books, and having to double recipes because her table is surrounded by people.