100 DAYS TO BRAVE Book Review and a New Year’s Challenge

by Sally Matheny

 

Where in your life do you crave courage? If you’re like me, you feel a tug in a certain direction but, for whatever reason, lack the confidence to move forward. Have I got a book recommendation for you!

100 DAYS TO BRAVE, written by Annie F. Downs, is a compilation of devotions for “unlocking your most courageous self.”

How good is this book? Well, let’s just say I read 100 devotions in 30 days. The devotions build on one another and unfold like a story. Downs intrigued me, so I couldn’t stop reading after just one devotion a day.

What’s Inside 100 Days to Brave

The one hundred devotions cover eleven areas:

Brave Enough to Start

Brave Enough to Be You

Brave Enough to Believe God

Brave Enough to Dream

Brave Enough to Work Hard

Brave Enough to Love Others

Brave Enough to Face Change

Brave Enough to Persevere

Brave Enough to Pursue Healing

Brave Enough to Serve

Brave Enough to Be Where You Are

Brave Enough

Encased in a beautiful hardcover, each devotion is about 400 words. Each begins with a short scripture and ends with a call to action.

The author includes personal experiences in most of the devotions to illustrate a point. She bravely exposes our fears and offers helpful encouragement on how to maneuver past them.

I highly recommend this book. While men would certainly glean encouragement from it, I believe it is best suited for women. Even though the author writes from her experience as a single Millennial, women of all ages will enjoy and benefit from her book.

A Challenge for You

Now, a challenge for you.

While you’re mulling over your goals for the new year, will you pray about the areas where you need courage? Ask God to help you follow through on whatever you just know you’re supposed to do.

Ask others to pray with you. I think this is where I’ve failed in dealing with my own fears.

Facing serious health issues requires courage. We often don’t hesitate to ask for prayer in those situations. Many other personal battles call for bravery. Why do we hesitate to ask for prayer in other areas of our lives?

Are we afraid to reveal the thing we feel led to do? If we give it a voice, we may have to follow through! It may be difficult. There may be repercussions. We may have to change.

Whew! Scary, isn’t it?

Let’s set aside time to pray, specifically about this THING. What is it for you? Say it—out loud. What fears have immobilized you? Why? Expose them for what they are.

Want us to pray for you? Share your request for bravery below or send it privately through the Contact Page.

 

 

Motivated by the power of story, history, and His Story, Sally Matheny’s passion is telling the next generation wondrous things.

Her nonfiction writing appears in national and worldwide publications, including Appleseeds, Clubhouse Jr., Homeschooling Today, and The Old Schoolhouse.

She and her husband live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and are blessed with three children, two sons-in-law, and armfuls of grandbabies. Connect with Sally on several social media sites, but her favorite hangouts are at SallyMatheny.com and Pinterest.