Top Ten Braveheart Builders

Here is a quick list of ideas that can help you give your child the courage to try, so he or she can be the person and live the life God planned. They are explored with more detail in older posts.

1. Discover passion.  Passion, especially from being "called" or doing right, trumps everything.

2. Develop strength.  Strength of mind, soul, and body gives confidence, be "strong and courageous."

3. Past experiences.  David beat Goliath partly because David had already conquered a lion and bear.

5. Find fit.  Matching gifts and abilities with the task gives courage.

6. Growth mindset.  See everything as a way to grow so that fear of failure goes away.

7. Model courage. There is nothing more powerful in teaching children than to see it in the lives of parents.

8. Manage risk. Anything important has risk, so learn to manage it instead of waiting to get rid of it.

9. Live life. Life is meant to be lived abundantly and with purpose, how sad to watch others live it.

10. Trust God. Faith in the Living God allows men and women to overcome fears and make a difference.

And there may be others.  What comes to your mind?

My Missing Prayer

When I pray for my children, I almost always ask God to keep them under His wings, to guard and keep them from difficulties. My real hope is that they won't have trials and attacks to face, that God will give them an easy road.

I am afraid to say what I should be praying for, because it means that my prayers may be wrong, at least in part.

I think I should be praying a lot more for my children to have the ability to face trials and attacks instead of not having problems.  I don't like that idea, because I don't want my children to have a hard time.  But, it might be what is best for them.

Let me give a few ideas from the Bible that show I may have been praying too much for an absence of difficulty and not enough for the ability to deal with them.

* From the writer of Hebrews:  "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (12:1-3, and read chapter 11 about heroes facing trials).

* From Peter:  "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." (1:6-9).

* From James:  "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" 1:2-4).

* From Paul:  "Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:35 and 37, but read 8:18 through the end of chapter 8).

* From Jesus:  "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, but read chapters 14-17).

* Moses,to Joshua, as he led Israel to take the Promised Land, "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1).  He doesn't pray for no enemies but to conquer them!

In none of these is the prayer to get rid of trials and foes.  It is to endure, to trust, to be strong, to be courageous, to know that God is with you.

In all of these there are huge benefits to going through trials, for the person and for God's program and glory.

But, what about God's wings?
I got my idea of praying for my children to be protected by God's wings from Psalm 91:4:  "He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark."

Here, in this safe place, under God's wings is a place of refuge, a place to rest and prepare.  It is not an absence of problems, but a place to pause and feel His goodness and care.  To be reassured.

The psalmist follows in verse 5:  "You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that files by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon."

The problems are still there.

As much as I will probably keep praying for my children to not have problems, I need to get on board with God's approach and pray even more for their strength and courage to face the problems, to be bravehearts. That is the way they grow, the way they conquer, their part in God's story, the way they experience God's power and grace, the way they bring glory to Him.

What do you pray for your children?  I need to change my prayers.

"How to Be Outstanding"

Below is a recent article from Jeff Goins, one of my favorite bloggers. He tells about the need for courage to "be outstanding."  A great piece to give older braveheart children...or ourselves!

To read Jeff's blog go to http://goinswriter.com/outstanding/


How to Be Outstanding


Posted: 23 Feb 2012 02:00 AM PST

Everyone wants to be extraordinary, but no one wants to be unpopular.

Everyone wants to be a genius, but no one wants to be called a nerd.

Everyone wants to be outstanding, but no one’s willing to stand out.

Earning the attention you deserve will be the hardest, scariest, most grueling thing you do. But it will also be the most rewarding.

The typical tale of an outstanding person
I once met a girl named Patricia. She wanted to live life to the full. When everyone else was playing those “reindeer games” she was being Rudolph. She was standing out.


This usually earned her a few rolled eyes and jokes cracked at her expense, but that didn’t bother her.

Then one day, Patricia stood up when everyone else was sitting down. She did the bold, courageous, amazing thing. And everyone admired her for it.

Suddenly, Patricia wasn’t the outcast, anymore. She was the leader. And there was a crowd of people standing behind her — literally — ready to go wherever she would lead them.

The cost of courage
It takes courage to go where no one else has gone. It takes the heart of a pioneer and the mind of an engineer — to set out for the Promised land and build the road as you go.

To do something this creative — something that’s never been done before — you have to be a little crazy. Fortunately, those who are, end up changing the world.

Of course, like all new endeavors, this involves risk. There’s a cost to doing great things.

To be a leader in today’s world, you have to be brave enough to wander off the worn path and make a new one. And no one will be walking with you those first few steps. So be prepared.

It’s lonely
There’s a reason why most startups fail and most books never get finished: Being a leader is hard.


Which is precisely why we need you to do it. Why we need you to do what so few are willing to do: to be different. To take the initiative. To courageously go where no one’s gone before.

So what are you waiting for?


“An engraved invitation?!” as my dad used to say to the parked cars at the green traffic light. Green means go. Time to be outstanding

Courage to Have God's Best

Recently I preached a sermon on Deuteronomy, a rich experience for me. Our church is going through the entire Bible in a year. Since that means one or more books in a week, we are getting a chance to get the big picture.

Deuteronomy's big picture is about having courage to live in God's best.

Years before, Israel failed to go into the Promised Land because they were afraid.  While the land was as great as God had told them, Israel were afraid of the big people in the Land and rebelled against God.  They didn't get God's best because of fear.  A whole generation of warriors died while the nation wandered for forty years.

In Deuteronomy, Israel stands to the east of the Jordan, ready to complete the conquest and to live in the Promised Land.

Will they overcome the fear from forty years before, take the Land, and live well there?

Moses pours himself out in Deuteronomy in three sermons.  He is about to die and he so much wants the nation to move in the Land that God gave them and to live well there.

Moses says four things to help Israel overcome fear and move in the Land.  The same four will help us and our children overcome the fear of moving into the life that God has prepared for us.

First, remember our story.  In chapters 1-3, Moses reminds Israel of their story, of God's direction and care for them.  God wants us to remember what He has done for us, our story, so when we face something hard, we know we have been there before and He is faithful. How do we help our children remember their story?  Books, pictures, telling stories, or a bulletin board with memories of God's care and rescue?  What else?

Second, God's steadfast love. In chapters 4-11, Moses shows God's steadfast love for His people.  It is about relationship and God's commitment to them.  And, their commitment and love to Him. As we learn more and  more about God's deep love, we know He won't leave us and will be there.  There is no need to fear the obstacles in the way of His best for us.  Church, family devotions, quiet moments in a busy life, and a parent's unconditional love will help children know God's love.

Third, standards for living well.  In chapters 12-26, Moses gives specific ways to live well in God's Promised Land.  It isn't enough just to get there, but living well and rightly for generations is his dream and God's provision.  While the specifics don't fit our world, the idea of teaching our children to live well is the same.  What principles of life, biblical and not, will help our children live a life of courage in their own Promised Land?

I noticed that most of the directions Moses gave are costly, either time or money.  Feasts and providing for the poor costs money.  Taking care of a neighbor's donkey or praying for someone costs time. Living in God's best for us and our children is not about comfort and privilege, it is about celebrating and caring, about loving God and loving people.  God's best for us is costly.  But, worth every penny and second.

Fourth, choices to make.  In chapters 27-34, Moses declares that Israel has to make choices, between life and death, between bad and good.  And, there are consequences.  Will we and our children have the courage to choose to live well, to enter the life God has for us, even if there are monsters and it is costly?

If we remember God's care in our own story and reflect on God's rock solid love for us and our family, we can face the fears that come with living the great life He has for us.  He is trustworthy and able.

May our children have the courage to enter God's best and live well there.

Report Card for Parents

Building Bravehearts is so much about parenting.  How are you doing?  Our students just got their first semester grades to give parents a snapshot of how their children are doing.  This is a great time to think about how you are doing as a parent.

What is even better is knowing that you can start a new grading period for yourself right now!  Set some goals, make some plans, and ask God's help.  Then, in June, see how this semester went for you.  None of us do it all right, for sure.  But, thinking about how to improve as parents is a huge step the right way.

You won't get it all right, but God is gracious and children are pretty resilient.  Intentional, sincere, and humble parenting will move your children forward and give God room to work!

Below is a piece I did in Tween Ages.  Maybe it will help you think of how you can grade yourself.  You might have some changes from the ideas here.  Creating your own categories would make it even better.

I trust you have a great semester!

"I Hope You Dance"

About twelve years ago, Lee Ann Womack recorded "I Hope You Dance." What great dreams for a child are in the song, words to inspire our prayers and hopes for our own children as they become bravehearts.

I am encouraged every time I hear this song written by Tia Sillers and Mark Sanders. I hope some of the same things. I hope they never lose their sense of wonder. I hope they always have a hunger and love and don't take life for granted. I hope they don't fear the mountains or taking chances.

I hope they choose to dance.

As you watch or read, I hope you search your dreams for your own children and put your own words to them in prayer.

You can click here to watch Lee Ann Womack and her daughters perform "I Hope You Dance."  Or, read the song:

"I Hope You Dance"

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'

Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'

Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter

When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance

(Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along)

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder, where those years have gone?)