God's Brave Women - Meredith's Story

I was pretty comfortable growing up. I had wonderful parents, two sisters, and plenty of friends. There wasn’t much about my life that was all that hard, so bravery wasn’t something I thought much about. Looking back, I think my concept of what it meant to be brave was largely shaped by books and movies rather than God’s Word.

You know the familiar story. There’s a young girl, most often a princess, faced with some difficult decision or task. She has a trusty sidekick or a wise old lady cheering her on every step of the way, encouraging her to keep going. Her “trial” only lasts about a day, or at most the length of a three-minute song. And once she is victorious (meaning she finds the prince or wins the battle), there is a huge celebration followed by a group song.

Well I’m sorry to tell you, but it turns out that’s not real life.

God gave me an opportunity to be brave about five years ago. My husband and I had one little ten-month-old baby who was the center of our world. I was working full time for the Department of Children and Family Services, and on a random Thursday afternoon, God introduced me to another baby girl that changed everything. In a moment, I knew this baby was meant for our family, and God gave me the chance to be brave. I could say yes to this baby, or I could try to ignore what I knew He was calling me toward.

"In a moment, I knew this baby was meant for our family, and God gave me the chance to be brave. I could say yes to this baby, or I could try to ignore what I knew He was calling me toward."