Be Brave & Don't Break

I have always been the girl to take the safe route. Being courageous just was not in my skill set. There have been a plethora of occasions where I was too worried to take the more dangerous route. Example: in Malawi we were on Mt. Mulanji and there was a water fall with rocks surrounding it. All of the girls, without even a thought, took off their shoes and started climbing to the top of the cliff. The words, "Are these girls crazy?" kept running through my mind. I couldn't imagine jumping off of the cliff into the water. Now, sadly, I didn't discover my bravery until after it was all over. I insanely regretted not jumping the minute we started hiking back down the mountain. Being brave is a tricky thing and it always seems to come 5 minutes too late.

 In one of my favorite movies, We Bought a Zoo, one of the famous quotes that comes from it is:

"You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it."

I have loved this quote from the minute I watched this movie. I never knew it could come back into my life at such a vital point.

This past weekend, on Easter Sunday, I was in church and this exact quote was quoted during the service, crazy cool, right? We were told that sometimes this is truly all we need, in being a Christian and in being a person. I didn't believe it a year ago but I absolutely believe it now. This past year, specifically this last semester of college, I have been the most vulnerable version of myself that I have ever known. Due to this I was blessed with a renewed heart, for God, for love, and for my future. I went in head first for the things I wanted and I honestly didn't think twice on it. The risks that were being taken didn't phase me one bit. I knew there was a possibility of heartbreak but I'm glad God held my hand through it all.

Sometimes you have to be brave and go for something, even if you don't know how it's going to end. It could end in heartbreak, in pain but it can also end in something beautiful. 

Even if it does end in heartbreak, it can never break you. Nothing can break you without you letting it. Sure, you can feel pain but never allow yourself to break. You're all you have, so you might as well stay in once piece. Heartbreak, in all situations, is the first step to a better tomorrow. God has been teaching me this so much. Heartbreak is a way to renew yourself. It truly can be beautiful, you just have to let it.



2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.