Finding courage is difficult and simple all at the same time.  It is difficult because stepping outside one’s comfort zone and having faith that things will all work out is ambiguous and undefined.  There is no guarantee that one will not fail.  I have failed at so many things so many times, but for me, the key is learning from those failures.  Having the courage to step out again using the information learned from past mistakes.  For me, not repeating the same mistake is key.  Finding courage is simple, in that I rely on my faith, but it is not always easy!     

I have many courageous friends who fight daily to succeed in various aspects of life.  Some face physical issues, some mental, some courageously serving others.  Several years ago a very good friend of mine and I met for a weekend.  It had been twenty years since I last saw her. She’s a beautiful, smart, thoughtful, and kind woman of faith.  She is a great businesswoman and a loving mother.  

What unfolded the first evening we reunited was something that forever changed me.  My friend was divorcing her husband after 20 years of abuse.  As my friend spoke about what she had been through and what her children had witnessed, I felt chills through my body.  It was surreal to think that this strong, thoughtful, kind woman had lived through things unimaginable to me. 

Interestingly, at the same time these horrifying feelings were inside me I was also overcome by the courage that I witnessed from my friend.  I asked her how she picked herself up, time and time again, after each beating.  I then asked her how she finally had the courage to leave everything behind.  Her answer was simple, but not easy; it was her faith. It was faith and continuous prayer that allowed her to move forward and restore her life.  

This friend was beaten numerous times throughout the years. Starting from when she was first married throughout the next two decades. This is a woman of great prominence, with numerous friends, and most would assume she had a wonderful life.

The same woman of prominence left everything behind after being beaten for the last time.  She crawled to the curb of her luxurious home.  She sat at the curb waiting three hours, to be picked up by a friend after getting off work.

She did not only leave her husband, but she also left her life, her kids, and everything that she knew for the past two decades. She did that with courage and grace because she had faith and believed, through prayer, that all things are possible.  She set out to rebuild her life, and by the grace of God, hopefully, rebuild her relationship with her children.

When I struggle with the courage to do something, I often think of my friend and the power of her faith.  I think not only about her courage to leave her abusive situation but also about her courage to forgive.  Her ability to forgive, her courage, and her faith empower and guide her daily, leading her to live for something greater.    

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