Boldly courageous…that was the phrase God gave me one year. It sounded exciting at the time…like a warrior princess. Adventurous and brave. Little did I know what it would entail.

Being boldly courageous.

It has meant going when I didn’t want to go.

Doing when I didn’t want to do.

Being when I didn’t want to be.

It has meant confronting the enemy of my soul and declaring him defeated even when my circumstances suggested otherwise.

Being boldly courageous.

Circumstances have presented themselves and my head has said, “no way!” but my gut knew I had to say “yes.” As I fought between the two the entire way there, with my gut winning out, my husband would remind me, “This is what boldly courageous feels like!”

Being boldly courageous meant trusting my gut in spite of the circumstances.

Conversations happened that required me to go deeper than I felt comfortable; sharing more vulnerably than I was accustomed, yet sensing it was “right” and knowing it was boldly courageous.

Situations came up requiring me to step outside my comfort zone when I preferred to stay nestled in the familiar. Yet I could see the ultimate benefit if I would step out and be boldly courageous.

Being boldly courageous.

I didn’t know what it would entail. But I quickly learned.

It was a lesson in trust.

It has meant trusting when I found it hard to trust.

Being boldly courageous.

It meant setting off into unforeseeable waters, hoping I wouldn’t sink or be deserted on an island.

But ultimately what it meant was trusting in the One who sent me.

Would He be true to His word to never leave me or forsake me?

Would He be faithful to His promise that He who began a good work in me would see it through to completion?

Would He be true to His word that He had a plan for me, and that His plan was not only good, but that it was to prosper me and not to harm me?

The thing is, the situations were going to present themselves anyway.

I had a choice to make: shrink back in fear and wonder what could have been. Or take the leap in bold courage and hold on in hope for what He had for me, trusting that whatever it was was good.

When was the last time God called you to be boldly courageous?

 

(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)

Contact

 

Depression doesn’t have to become a permanent part of life.

There is hope.

Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression and the companion Hope Prevails Bible Study help the reader understand how depression comes to be, recover their joy, reclaim their peace, and re-establish their true identity, while knowing their worth, remembering their secure destiny, and being confident that nothing separates them from God’s love.

Hope Prevails and the Hope Prevails Bible Study are must-reads for anyone suffering from depression or knows someone suffering from depression.

“Dr. Michelle Bengtson sent this ball over the fence! Hope Prevails is the most helpful and practical thing I’ve read on dealing with depression! A compassionate filled work from someone who’s been through the struggle personally. This is a must have resource for anyone struggling with depression or for those who know someone who is. Armed with Scripture, Dr. Bengtson gives step-by-step strategies for combating the lies of the evil one. Hope is on every page!”

~ K Douglas Brown, Associate Pastor of Family Ministries at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK
Author, Shotgun Rider: Restoring Your Passion for the Ministry Trail