Tag Archive for: brave

A Little More Brave

Yesterday felt a little like David versus Goliath.
Recently, we’ve been enjoying watching House of David on Prime, with the first season centred around the famous story of David and Goliath.
Yesterday, Kyle, Emily and I joined thousands of Dunfermline supporters travelling through to Hampden Park in Glasgow for the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic – again!
We were also joined by three visiting BYU interns from America – Reagan, Will and Brooklyn – who fully embraced the noise, colour and party atmosphere of Scottish football.
Dunfermline were very much the underdogs.
Celtic had greater resources, a larger support, more expectation and history very much on their side.
It was a brilliant day out, although ultimately the victors were Celtic… again ☹
It was also very much a game of two halves.
In the first half, Dunfermline looked overwhelmed by the occasion.
But after the break, they came out fighting, played with greater belief and even managed to score.
Afterwards, Dunfermline’s manager reflected on the defeat and said something that really stayed with me: “We needed to be 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒓.”
Reflecting this morning, that simple phrase lingered in my mind.
Because in many ways, the gospel of Jesus Christ has always been a story of minnows in giant arenas.
David facing Goliath.
A young Nephi returning to Jerusalem.
Esther standing before a king.
The stripling warriors marching into battle.
Ordinary people facing overwhelming odds with little more than faith, courage and trust in God.
Perhaps one of Satan’s greatest tools is intimidation.
The feeling that we are too small, too weak, too inexperienced or perhaps even just too ordinary.
Yet again and again in my experience I know that the Lord works through people who simply choose to be brave.
Not fearless, or perfect, but just willing to step forward and face up to the size of the giants around them.
Sometimes bravery does not immediately change the scoreboard.
Dunfermline still lost 3–1.
But courage changes something inside us.
And perhaps faith itself is a form of bravery.
What giants in our lives are we being asked to face a little more bravely?

Are you tiptoeing through the tulips?

We need 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬!
Over the last few days, I have heard several stories about individuals that have been bold and the consequences of their actions.
Those stories have inspired me to be bolder.
Frequently I’ve thought; “I need to be bolder!”
𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝?
𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 – “not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring.”
Other words for boldness: fearless, adventurous, brave, valiant, intrepid, valorous, dauntless!
For the Star Trek fans out there, we don’t need to “boldly go where no man has gone before,” we simply need to “𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐨!”
Hang on a minute however, I know a little about fear, and you probably do too.
Is it simply about laughing in the face of fear?
I believe that everybody has the ability to be bold, but many of us just have to dig deep to find it.

Tiptoes

Recently, whilst reading through a book on the life of M. Russell Ballard, I loved his words of encouragement, which were not to “tiptoe through the tulips” but rather to be bold in our actions and conversations.
Are you tiptoeing through the tulips?
Far too often we hold back and play safe in life.
On the other hand, being bold, while both frightening and challenging at times, is essential to living a true and fulfilling life.
Boldness is about stepping up and stepping out onto our edge in life—pushing the limits of what we think is possible or even appropriate.
I was reminded on Friday of one of my favourite little poems by the English poet, Christopher Logue.
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It’s too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and he pushed,
And they flew.
I’ve decided – It’s time to fly! (again)
What does being bold mean to you?