Diane Cunningham
Most of us don’t consider our lives or ourselves brave. We go through the day and we live our lives and don’t consider anything about that particularly special. We are who we are.But every time we take a little detour in the path we walk in order to be true to ourselves, we’re being brave. Every time we step out of our comfort zone, we’re being brave. Every time we stare rejection in the face and still move forward, brave is giving us the strength. Every time we push through a crisis, provide a shoulder to lean on, or reach out a helping hand, we show the world what brave looks like.Brave is a mother who lives with the knowledge that each moment, death stalks her children. Brave is walking beside a loved one as they’re wheeled into surgery, knowing that you may never see them or talk to them again. Brave is holding the hand of a child with cancer and presenting a picture of strength when all you want to do is crumple before God and cry.Brave is painted in the face of a wife fleeing her abuser, in the journeys to a foreign land, in the decision to pursue a career when everyone is telling you it can’t be done, in walking obedient to God in providing ministry to others who are in need or hurting. Brave is standing on trembling knees, with fear waiting to devour you, and refusing to cower any longer.The Art of Brave Living takes us through the stories of remarkable women who found their brave. These stories aren’t about one journey, but a lifetime of choices and decisions that empower them with strength and purpose. They help us see that each time we meet life’s challenges head on with dignity and grace, even if we’re in tears, we mastering the art of brave living. Their stories inspire us to recognize and embrace the brave that stands before us in every decision we make.