Courage Archives - Holley Gerth

If the Holidays Let You Down, God Wants to Hold You Up.

You are the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

Maybe the holidays are happy for you this year. Maybe they’re hard. Most likely they’re a mix of many different kinds of moments. Here’s a little reminder that in all of them, you’re never alone…

She stands at the edge of the room and stares at the floor. All around her conversations flow and laughter pours out. In a different moment she might have had the strength to reach out. She might have been able to overcome her insecurity. She might have made the best of this situation. But not today.

Then a voice calls her name. At first she doesn’t even respond. But soon she feels a gentle hand on her chin, tilting her face toward the sound of words being spoken to her. She does what she hasn’t all day: she looks up.

And standing right before her is Someone who loves her. Someone who sought her out. Someone who wants to hear about her hard day and her heart. And suddenly she feels a bit different.

Sometimes our hearts are downcast. We don’t even have the energy to try anymore. We feel alone. And then Jesus does something that’s beyond our comprehension. He comes to us in infinite love and tenderness. He lifts our heads.

When we look down, it’s usually because we’re feeling shame, sadness, or insecurity. Jesus wants to change all of that by reaching out to touch our lives and hearts. When someone lifts up your head, it’s an invitation for eye contact. It’s a way of clearly showing, “I see you. I’m here with you. I want to connect with you.”

Jesus is looking at you and loving you. He’s reaching out His hand to cup your chin and lift your face so you can look into His eyes.

And what else happens when we lift our heads? Our perspective changes.

Right in front of you is a Savior who wants to lift your head and heal your heart. Can you feel His touch and hear His voice? Both are full of love for you. Wherever you are today, He’s with you.

XOXO,
Holley Gerth

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours! We’re grateful for you.

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For more encouragement, join me for a FREE Online Bible Study! It kicks off in January 2020. Learn more and sign up here!

This post is an excerpt from my devotional, What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days: 52 Encouraging Truths to Hold On To. Each of the 52 devotions based on the Psalms will help weary women remember that God is faithful, we’re all in this together and there’s a good plan for our lives.

It’s Time to Fight Back. You Are an Overcomer.

by Holley

I settle into a comfy chair in a counselor’s office and begin to share the lies that sometimes swirl around in my mind. Like a tornado they threaten to destroy everything in their path. My peace. My joy. My belief that I’m loved.

I say to the counselor, “I know these words aren’t true. But in the hard moments, they feel true. And that’s where I’m stuck.” Can you relate? If you’ve ever felt that way, I want you to know you’re not the only one. I also want to reassure you it’s possible to beat those lies. Yes, it’s not only possible but also your right as a daughter of the King.

For years, when I heard lies my default response was “try harder.” But after months of counseling, conversations with friends, and time with Jesus, I’ve learned a new way. These days my response is no longer “try harder” but rather “fight back.”

The accusations toward our souls aren’t proof of our inadequacy; they’re proof that we have an adversary.

And the enemy is not ourselves. There’s a reason we use the phrase “beating ourselves up.” When we think the problem is us, we become harsh toward our own hearts. But our primary battle isn’t against any person — including ourselves. And the lies we hear have the same source as the first lie spoken to Eve in the Garden. If you are a woman in this world, you are at war. It is not optional. And while you may not go roaring into battle, at the very least you need to know basic spiritual self-defense.

That’s what I lacked. Even after writing books, even after encouraging thousands of women, I didn’t know how to defend my own heart. My husband and I recently watched a TV show in which the hero faces a powerful opponent. At one point the hero becomes weary and takes punch after punch. With tears in my eyes, I said over and over, “Fight back. Please fight back.”

It’s the same feeling I get when I look at my sisters in Christ. It’s the same one I get when I think about how I let my own soul be treated. And it makes me want to shout: ENOUGH. It’s time to fight back. It’s time to guard our hearts. It’s time to protect our minds. It’s time to stop taking the punches and instead take the victory in Jesus’s name.

Here’s the truth about us no matter what we may hear: We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, braver than we feel, and loved more than we can even imagine.

This post is the Day Three devotion from Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are. My new devotional released earlier this month, and I’d love for you to join me as we walk through it each day — together. Information on the Online Bible Study is available here, and I hope you’ll sign up!

In this week’s episode of More than Small Talk, we’re giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at counseling, talking through myths about it and sharing why some of us would rather go to a session than a spa. Listen to Episode 45: The Truth about Counseling here.

We Are Stronger and Braver Together

by Holley

Yesterday morning I sat across from a friend in a coffee shop. She ordered a cinnamon roll the size of my face and let me have part of it. Because this is what true friends do.

We’d both just come through weeks of turmoil and a few tears. We felt battle worn and a bit weary. But we also felt victorious. “Years ago we would have backed down,” we said to each other, “We would have let fear win.” But not now. Not anymore.

A few minutes ago I talked with another friend who is still right in the middle of the surge. She’s afraid and wants to quit but keeps saying, “I have to see this through because it’s about more than just me.” I know she will.

When I think of all three of our situations, and so many more I see in my real life and online, I realize we are a generation of warriors. We may not ever be recognized as such. Because we fight not with anger but with grace. We defend not with force but with kindness. And we know this secret—that God Himself is love and nothing is impossible with Him.

This doesn’t mean we need to have it all together. It doesn’t require a spotless life. We’re not supposed to have all the answers. I think it simply means that we speak the truth of our stories, the truth of the God we love, where we are right now and as best as we know how.

If we were face-to-face now I’d turn to you and say, “We’re here for such a time as this.” We’re in nurseries and board rooms. Homes and high rises. Schools and senior retirement centers. We’re a fiercehearted force to be reckoned with. We are strong, brave and loved.

This post is an excerpt from my new devotional Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are. It released two days ago, and I’m so thankful for the ways you have cheered this message on. Thank you! If you preordered a copy, or choose to order a copy now that it’s available everywhere books are sold, please hang onto your email receipt. It will give you access to an Online Bible Study. Learn more about the Study here!

Don’t miss this important conversation. In Episode 43 of More than Small Talk, we’re talking about mental health and the church. Click here to listen in.

No More Waiting for Your Life to Change (and a New Devotional)

by Holley

First, think of a recent moment when you felt insecure, when fear got the best of you, when you felt alone. A moment you wish you could redo.

Now imagine that moment being different. Instead of weakness, you feel strength. Instead of fear, you feel courage. Instead of feeling alone you know you’re fully loved.

That kind of change doesn’t just have to be in your imagination. You can start experiencing it now. It’s why I wrote my new 60-day devotional Strong, Brave, Loved: Empowering Reminders of Who You Really Are.

It releases today and will give you powerful biblical truths, prayer prompts to deepen your relationship with God and practical applications that can transform your life.

The words in this devotional come from my experience as a counselor, life coach and imperfect woman who has learned with God anything is possible. You really can overcome your struggles, win your battles, and walk in holy confidence.

When you get Strong, Brave, Loved you’ll also have free access to an exclusive Online Bible Study starting in January 2020. Go through the book now then do the study with a friend, sister, mom, daughter, or group of women you love.

No more waiting for your life to change. You don’t have to keep experiencing moments like the first one you thought of. You are strong. You are brave. You are loved.

P.S. If you’re interested in learning about the Online Bible Study, click here for more information! Thank you for sharing about Strong, Brave, Loved with your friends. Your support and kind words have meant so much to me! If you’ve ordered a copy, snap a picture and share with the hashtag #StrongBraveLoved on social media. I’d love to see the devotional in your hands.

This Is the Truth: You’re Braver Than You Know

by Holley

I can’t think of a single time “brave” showed up as an emotion in my world. I know what it is to be brave. But in those times often what I still feel is fear. The pounding of my heart and the quickening of my breath. The spinning of the earth beneath my feet and the sense that I may be full out crazy to go through with what I’m about to do.

And as I think about this, I realize maybe I’ve misunderstood what brave feels like: I thought it was a roar and a lunge. But maybe it is a whisper and a trembling step. I thought it was loud and bold. Perhaps it’s quiet and almost invisible. I imagined it would mean the absence of all insecurity. Yet I’m wondering now if it’s faith dancing the two-step with doubt.

If this is so, then what makes me act brave is also what scares me silly.

This lets me breathe a sigh of relief. Because it means I don’t have to wait to be filled with confidence and courage before I can do anything, I can just show up anyway. If that’s so, then I have more courage than I thought. And more answers than I realized. So do you.

XOXO
Holley Gerth

This post is a small excerpt from Strong, Brave, Loved. And in just a few days, my newest book releases into the world! I’d be so grateful if you would preorder a copy for yourself, for a friend, or to keep on hand for Christmas gifts. Be sure to hold onto your email receipt, because it will give you access to a free Online Bible Study {more details coming soon}.

On the More Than Small Talk podcast this week, we’re answering this question: If you were in a superhero movie would you rather be the superhero or the sidekick? I’d love to hear your answer! Join the MTST Facebook group and chime in, or click here to listen to Episode 42: Ever Feel Invisible?

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