From Authenticity to Boldness — a 4 year Journey, One Word at a Time

Authentic (2011): I had been compartmentalizing myself on the internet — with a running and weight loss blog and then a faith based blog. I was tired of feeling like I was splitting myself in two, and being shallow versions of myself in both places.  I created a brand new blog, which merged the two of them together into a brand new site. It was called My Journey to Authenticity.

The next year, it was Cultivate (2012). I had to make the most important relationship in my life my priority. I delved into Bible studies and prayer times and embraced the fact that I am already beloved,  but that I needed to cultivate my relationship with God.

By the end of that year, the Lord had started a new thing. He had started giving me songs to sing. They kept coming, and I kept writing. My focus for the next year became Rejoice (2013).  I wrote blog posts, and songs, and learned how to find my voice. During that summer, the Lord dropped the biggest, craziest bomb in our lives, revealing that He was calling us to move to Nashville!

Last year, preparations already in place and being made for our move at the end of June, my word was (quite necessarily) Believe (2014).  Believe served me very well. It got us here, in Nashville. It helped me have the confidence to start calling myself a songwriter. It gave me the boldness and courage to reach out to songwriters that I respect and admire. It gave me the courage and strength to believe, despite the fact that there are more talented people here in this metropolis than there were residents of my home city . . . and that hopeful musicians are a dime a dozen . . . to believe that God has a plan to use me, and that He brought us here for a reason. He connected me with wonderful friends who support, encourage and nudge me out of the comfort zones that I created here after leaving all of my other ones behind.

It has become increasingly obvious that fear has become a real issue for me. It paralyzes me. Fear is what is keeping me from doing the work that will make me ready for when He reveals His plan. In order to fight these fears– these feelings of inadequacy that sabotage me — I need to be BOLD.

 

 

I need to boldly believe the promises that He has given me. I need to boldly approach the throne of grace. I need to boldly do the work that is required — and rejoice every minute! I need  to pray boldly for His help and strength to accomplish to good works that He has set before me to do. I need to boldly believe that I am His workmanship, His work of art. 

I need to remember that at no time am I ever alone.

And the best part of all of this, is that when I am able to be bold in conquering myself, I will be free to boldly proclaim His love to everyone — through my songs, my writings, and anything else that I do!

That is my mission this year, dear friends. Are you with me?  What is your word? Let me know, and leave a link to your blog in the comments, because I would LOVE to make you a graphic with your word!