Fearless

Fearless. I've been thinking about this word a lot lately and just exactly what it means. It is a word that has been working in my life for the better and I hope one day will describe me completely. I bought a bracelet over a month ago, just one of those bracelets that is thick, plain black, and has one word written in big white letters. I chose the one with "FEARLESS" on it. People have asked me before why I chose this one specifically and I always have a hard time explaining to where they will see where I'm coming from. You see, all my life I've been afraid, mainly of what others thought of me and what would happen if I messed something up or made a fool of myself in the process. This fear has held me back from so much. I began to truly love myself and not be so afraid in just the past few years and I am a much stronger person now. I wear that bracelet everyday to remind myself to be fearless, and just be myself, no matter what others may say or think. The only opinion that matters is God's and I know he thinks that I'm pretty amazing. It also reminds me to take chances, no matter what the outcome may be, because you may not ever get that chance again.

I'm just now starting to understand what it means to be fearless. However, I did look up what it means on urban dictionary and I love the definition I received. The first one described being fearless as "Strong willed. Heart of gold. Beautiful inside and out. Able to push through the storms of a shattered heart, broken spirit and tattered body emerging twice as graceful and independent then before. A truly gifted woman with a gorgeous soul and a dreamer's disease." This is the exact kind of person I am working to become, and I couldn't have said it any better myself. People find their strength in all kinds of places, whether it be a situation or maybe a role model. I find my strength in God, because I know that there is no better person to depend on. Even when I have had my heart broken in what felt like a million pieces, he was still there. I think a broken heart can sometimes cause a broken spirit as well. And when we experience pain like that, it makes us think twice before ever attempting the thing that gave us that anguish again. It's hard to put yourself out there, especially when talking about dating, after you've been hurt so much because all you think is how you never want to experience that pain again. But to be fearless, you know that yes, there is a chance you could get your heart broken again, but you push forward anyway.

I think the "what if..." question comes into our head in any situation like this. Such as, "What if I put myself out there and someone hurts me again?" But the real question should be "What if I don't take that chance, and miss out on something truly wonderful?" I would much rather risk pain and heartbreak to experience something great God has planned for me, rather than be so scared of getting hurt that I end up being the one that hurts myself instead. Fear will do nothing other than hold you back from God's plan for you. And I believe with all my heart that God has a plan for everyone, and he has someone special for you as well. Sadly though, I also think that we let our fear get in the way of God's plan, and sometimes we can stop it from happening. Whether its fear of commitment, getting hurt, making a fool of ourselves, or even a fear to truly love someone, any of those things can get in the way and cause more harm than good. I think also sometimes we tend to think that we aren't ready for a certain situation or aren't mature enough, that maybe in the future we might be, just not right now. But I have a question for you, do you really think that God would put his plan into motion in your life if he thought you weren't ready or couldn't handle it? The answer is no. God is loving and all knowing, and when he gives you an oppurtunity that you think you aren't ready for, take it anyway! It may start off rocky, but if you trust God with every ounce of faith within you, you can move the mountains. Don't let your petty fears get in the way of his great plan for your life. Take a step off the edge and watch him catch you, or even show you how to catch yourself.

So my resolution is always take that chance, no matter how risky it may seem. Don't be afraid of failure, but instead be afraid of what may happen if you don't follow your gut instinct. And don't be afraid to love someone who you believe God has placed in your life. Because if you don't, they could be gone before you know it. It's true that you never know what you've got until it's gone. And don't wait until it's come to that point to truly appreciate what God has given you. If you love and trust God with all your heart, there is no need to be afraid. Put your heart on the line, do something to make you stand out, and attempt something completely new. This is what it means to be truly and completely fearless to me. And I hope it does to someone else as well. I pray that what I have written affects someone in a positive way, even if it is only one because then you are the exact reason I write this and I pray God performs mighty works in your life.