Everyday brave…does that describe you? My friend Janet Thompson knows all about living everyday brave. She’s an author, speaker, and three-time breast-cancer survivor. I’ve invited her to be my guest today and introduce her new book, Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith. Leafwood Publishers is offering a free copy of her book to one of my followers who leaves a comment. So…leave a comment!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Janet Thompson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re with a group of people you\u2019ve just met and you sense by their conversation and actions that they\u2019re not believers. What do you do now? Try to fit in or act the same as you would if you were with a group of fellow believers? We\u2019ve all been there sending up a silent prayer asking God, \u201cHelp!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n In today\u2019s culture, it often takes courage to stand up for our faith, but\nthis is nothing new. The message the Apostle Paul gave to the church at Corinth\nis still a source of encouragement for Christians to be brave today: \u201cBe on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong\u201d (1 Cor. 16:13<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n And Paul\nshould know. He was routinely arrested, sent to prison, flogged, and ridiculed\nfor his faith; but he never backed down from sharing the truth of the gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A group of what the Bible calls \u201cprominent\nwomen\u201d or \u201cleading women\u201d who were God-fearing Greeks in\nThessalonica and Berea heard Paul\u2019s message about Jesus, became believers, and\njoined his ministry. In both cities, the Jews listening to Paul became jealous\nthat he was drawing a crowd, and they formed a mob to go after him and his\nministry companion Silas. Knowing violent agitators and bullies were following\nPaul everywhere he went, what must these courageous women have feared might\nhappen to them? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Publicly\nbelieving the gospel and joining Paul\u2019s evangelistic ministry could easily\njeopardize their marriages, their standing in society, and their businesses. No\nmatter what the personal cost to worldly fame, fortune, and security, they were\nall in for Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They were brave\nbelievers and played an important role in helping Paul start the early church\nand share the gospel. Imagine the trials and struggles faced by these women as\nthey watched Paul endure persecution while they served beside him amid\nhostility and danger. We can learn from these strong women of faith how to\ncarry on their courageous legacy in a culture today that often isn\u2019t receptive\nto the gospel of Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes we\u2019re tempted to compromise on our beliefs because\nwe don\u2019t want to make waves; we want to keep everybody happy. Impossible. Jesus\nmade waves. We worry how we\u2019ll look to our peers. Jesus worried about the eternal<\/em> life, more than the earthly<\/em> life, of both his peers and his\nenemies. What if they reject or snub us? They rejected Jesus. What if God\ndoesn\u2019t come through for us? God is always<\/em>\nfaithful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible says people will know us by our actions. So it\u2019s good to take our spiritual heartbeat by asking ourselves some revealing questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bible says people will know us by our actions. So it\u2019s good to take our spiritual heartbeat by asking ourselves some revealing questions. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n Do\nmy actions portray that I\u2019m a believer? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Am\nI a Bible-believing Christian role model to the world? To my family? In all<\/em> situations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Am\nI willing for others in my circles to know I\u2019m a believer\u2014maybe the only one? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Would\nsomeone have to ask if I\u2019m a believer? <\/p>\n\n\n\n And\nif they did ask, what would be my response? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Would\nI have the courage to stand by my convictions at the risk of losing my job or\nfriends?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, it\u2019s uncomfortable and difficult, but as long as we stay tethered to God and biblical truths, he will provide us the strength we need to go against the worldly secular culture when it opposes our faith. Be strong. Be courageous. Be brave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As long as we stay tethered to God and biblical truths, he will provide us the strength we need to go against the worldly secular culture when it opposes our faith. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always\nbe prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for\nthe hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,<\/em> keeping\na clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good\nbehavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander<\/em> (1Peter 3:15-16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When has God given you the courage to be a brave believer? Please comment below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Janet Thompson is an international speaker, freelance editor, and award-winning author of twenty books. Her passion is to mentor other women in sharing their life experiences and God\u2019s faithfulness. Her latest book Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith<\/em><\/a> <\/em>releases September 10, 2019 and is available for pre-order now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She\nis also the author ofMentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and\nGod\u2019s Faithfulness<\/em><\/a>;\n<\/em>Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture\nHas Forgotten<\/em><\/a>; The Team That Jesus Built<\/em><\/a>; Dear God, Why Can\u2019t I Have a Baby?<\/em><\/a>; <\/em>Dear God They Say It\u2019s Cancer<\/em><\/a>;<\/em> Dear God,\nHe\u2019s Home!<\/em><\/a>;<\/em> Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter<\/em><\/a>; <\/em>Face-to-Face Bible study Series<\/em><\/a>; and <\/em>Woman to Woman Mentoring: How to Start, Grow, & Maintain\na Mentoring Ministry Resources<\/em><\/a>.\n<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Janet\nis the founder of Woman to Woman Mentoring<\/a> and About His Work Ministries<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Visit\nJanet and sign up for her weekly blog and free online newsletter at womantowomanmentoring.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join Janet: <\/p>\n\n\n\n facebook.com\/Janetthompson.authorspeaker<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n