About the Author

Robin is the author of For All Who Wander, her relatable memoir about wrestling with doubt that reads much like a conversation with a friend. She's as Southern as sugar-shocked tea, married to her college sweetheart, and has three children. An empty nester with a full life, she's determined to...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. i may not have posted in all the posts I did read them almost done with book. Ive learned what being brave truly is. I never would have thought I could be brave I’m almost always afraid but this book has taught me how to be real and brave. Love it. Thank you!!!

  2. I have to admit that reading this book was tough for me….in fact twice I set it down and walked away avoiding it for days before I ready to read again. The first time was while reading “Your People” , I wasn’t in a place where I was ready to admit I needed people. My story is one of abuse, abandonment, neglect, and more… the thought of really needing another scared me. But God worked on my heart during that time and I came to the place where I was ready to admit that I did need people, that’s how we where created. Then a few weeks later, after wrestling with something God had told me to do, I chose to be brave and obey. But the enemy didn’t want what God had planned and he twisted things to his own agenda. I found myself abandoned and deserted again. This time I set the book down with determination to never be brave again. My heart was broken and all efforts to reach out to those around me where dismissed. If that’s what being brave brought, I didn’t want it. So I walked away….but God called me back to finish the book and to be brave again. I’m still in a place of hurt and loneliness, but now I won’t let the enemy rob me of my brave

  3. For brave reasons you will discover latter…..I battled being a victim of my circumstances. During this this book study I was able to find closure. Closure to a part of my past. Letting go of the former coworkers who still are talking about my story……..My history=His story. No longer am I a Victim…..I am a brave Victor in God’s eyes. From this point onwards I have to be brave. I know not what God is going to do with my amazing story. But I will be brave. ….Wherever God leads me….I will go forth bravely.

  4. My biggest take away…the thing I needed the most in my life was permission. Annie gave me permission. She said it’s ok…I don’t have to go, stay, whatever it is…when my heart is not in it…I am learning to give myself that permission. Today, I bravely declined an invitation to a baby shower that I already had a gift for. As a person who would love to have children but has struggled for years with infertility and has accepted God’s answer (Be still) to my prayers…and someone who is terrible at saying no…this brave no, because I don’t need to go there at Christmas time especially, or any time really. Thanks Annie.

    • Oh girl. This is gooooood. Yes. You have all the permission you need and when you need to say yes or no for your own emotional health, you can. Cheering for you, Sarah, and praying God does mighty things in your life. <3

  5. Haven’t finished it yet, as you say life is pulling me in all directions! But I will be BRAVE and finish! I’ve loved this book as it really spoke to me!

  6. Loved the book, so many things to be learned, so many things to ponder. I have just turned 66 so much of life is behind me. There were times I was brave and there were times I was too scared to be brave, God has brought me thru many, many things and will take me many places before the final chapter of my life. But thank you to Annie and to you both. And Annie its never goodbye, its always a hug till I see you again.

  7. I loved this book! This book was the perfect cherry on top to my year of spiritual growth. I had been praying for months knowing that I was meant to do more, but I wasn’t sure what. I am now pursuing doing a mission trip for my job in Mexico. This may not sound super brave, but my feet LOVE to be firmly planted on American soil. Thank you for writing this book!!

  8. I truly appreciate the grace Robin just gave us in this post, saying no matter what you’ve done with this Brave study, you are brave. This idea makes my heart want to explode with freedom and it makes me want to show grace more freely! I am also in the middle of a book study with teens and tweens from my church (including two of my daughters). We are using Annie’s book, Perfectly Unique (and it is amazing).

    I have been very frustrated with the girls
    because they are not reading their chapters each week. But, each week we meet together in a Google Hangout and we have really great discussions about glorify God with every part of our bodies!

    And, even though I know that it is awesome to have these meaningful discussions with the girls, I have chosen to take offense that they aren’t as serious about the study as I am! That’s crazy!

    After reading Robin’s graceful words regarding our efforts here in this group, and after considering the effect this LABB study has had on so many women (whether they are reading right along in the book or not), how can I not laugh at myself for the legalistic attitude I have had with my teen and teen girls? I am going to give them all the grace they need to experience the growth God has for them in our Perfectly Unique study.

    Being brave doesn’t look like perfection–not even perfect obedience. We just take brave steps. That’s all I was doing when I first invited the teen girls to join a group in the first place! I just took one brave step. Now, together, we are becoming brave! Bravery really does beget bravery!

    • Thank you for sharing Perfectly Unique with them- and I know the frustration! I’ve led small groups through book studies before as well! You are brave for starting and hanging in there with them! I’m grateful for you. <3

    • Well, now…you probably have no idea how much your comment blessed me! Hearing a person transform – which is what your heart is doing! – is a gift! I think God is up to something pretty special in and through you :).

  9. I wish I had been able to participate more, but life with illness, helping with parents and exhaustion won this round. However…off to the beach for a few days with My Man and he has his reading lined up and LABB is MINE. Hugs and blessings and looking forward to the next Bloom read!

  10. Thank you so much for this book! Honestly, when I blogged about it, I could have touched on every chapter. You should see my scribbles & highlights in this book! Love how well your voice comes across in this book. You have encouraged me in this brave journey! I hope I did your book justice! 🙂 Be blessed!

  11. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the book and don’t really want to say “Goodbye”. 🙁 As I shared in my first post, my “brave” for the past 6 months has been in battling sarcoma cancer. Your book has been a definite encourager on many days throughout this journey. I’m buying both my daughter and daughter-in-law your book for part of their Christmas. My daughter got married in May, so she’s had lots of new things to be brave about. She also works in downtown Nashville for a non-profit that does amazing things, but being a social worker can be a high stress job…and one where you have to make many brave decisions She’s not really a reader, but I told her your book isn’t like reading….it’s like sitting down and talking to your best friend. 🙂 My daughter-in-law has a new brave too. After 2 years of waiting to adopt a baby, they finally got a beautiful little girl the end of August. (They named her Annie!!!) Things aren’t completely finalized, so that requires some bravery and lots of trusting…and after 3 month maternity leave, she is scheduled to return to work next week. That will need a new kind of “brave” that she hasn’t had to experience.

    So, dear Annie, thanks for writing about all the ways that we, as women, need to be brave. Everyone’s brave does certainly have a different look. I cherish my book….it’s so marked up and highlighted with words God was speaking to me while I was reading it. I hope I can pay it forward in helping other women learn to be brave too. God bless you, Annie.

  12. Can I just tell you how much I needed to read this line… “For those of you who’ve had the desire to join us, but life has dragged you in a thousand other directions–you’ve showed a picture of brave that says my heart is with you, but my reality means now is not the best time.”

    This is me to a T!! I had even bought the book with great intentions! So it will be there when my season of brave changes!

    • I have to smile, Julie, because I just wrote a post about intentions… :). So…if that little line ministered to YOU? Well…let’s just say it was the Lord who nudged me to write what, on some days and for some things, I needed to hear.

      xo

  13. This was my first Bloom study and it was only possible for me to participate because someone bought the book for me. Thanks!
    I thought that the book was good. I especially liked the chapter about the rythym because it clarified what discipline is and the need for practice at something so it can be done at a moment’s notice. Also very helpful was the realization that brave is not always one big thing,but several small things/steps.That was a new idea to me.

  14. A lovely book to read with (new) friends. Thank you thank you thank you Annie for writing it! It was a challenge – some things get sorted straight away and others need thing to get into place. My being brave is to be still and to wait. Like I said before …. Im in free fall. Only God knows where I will land. So Glad that God putting things into place… Im trying hard to let him. Im taking out all those old dusty talents and they are laid out on the table.
    Thank you all again – Ive enjoyed the journey on this brave route seeing others set free while others like me suspended in free fall …. this song kind of sums it up!

    http://youtu.be/0l9klzVkZ7o

    For now … The journey continues!
    Thank you thank you Thankyou!!
    Xx

  15. Oh my. This is the first Bloom study I’ve completed. I’d signed up for one or two before, but, um, (ahem) didn’t follow through. OK – didn’t even get started! I am so glad God blessed me with this study. Annie’s book is so great. The discussions the three of you had were fantastic. I loved hearing some of the “back” stories of things in the book. I was definitely challenged in my thinking, and in my heart, about what it means to be brave. And I may just need to snag the closing paragraphs (pushing off the boat) to use with my students at the end of the school year. Thank you for this study!

  16. I am truly thankful for everyone at (In) Courage! I believe we all have areas in our lives where we need to be Brave. I would love to work part-time or not at all and just be a local missionary. I would cook for people and assist at local shelters.

    This year albeit a rough one with my dad moving into assisted living and health issues, job issues with hubby, and my own job stress has gotten me to thinking about what’s really important. I find myself wanting more of Jesus and less of this world and working for the man!

  17. Annie Downs, you have ruined many a good woman with this book. You and your Jesus, what will happen to this world if we’re all suddenly brave and actively listening. What on earth has been unleashed????

  18. ANNIE! You have blessed my socks clean off!!! I have so enjoyed your book and the video sessions! What a wonderful and enriching way to enjoy this book! I loved it and I love you! I cant wait to meet one day in heaven and give you a big hug! I love how you just write out who you are!
    So much of your book resonated with me, but one quote hit me in the gut… “Be brave enough to love the people around you, even if it looks like sacrifice and feels like loss”… My oldest son has Aspergers. He is 18 and is so distant… I feel like this sums up my relationship and this spoke to my heart…. He moved out in Februrary and my heart is still broken. I know God is holding me and my sweet boy in his hands! Oh I have lots of wonderful in my life… I feel blessed beyond belief. I am celebrating 21 years of marriage to my best friend and we have 4 crazy wonderful teens:) And I know Jesus… How do people get through this life without Him??? Anyways! Thank you!! blessings and love to you!!

  19. Annie, this book, the videos, and your encouragement have made wonderful changes in my life. I am 58 and never married & live in my hometown. In my mind, this combination was the kiss of death. I recognize now that there are so many places where God can use me right where I am. Thank you for being brave through the writing of this book and thank you for encouraging those who read it to be brave. This book touched me in so many ways. We must have coffee so I can show you all of my notes!

  20. I was not able to work through this study. I wanted to very much. I have still read the posts and comments, but life threw something very hard into my path. I am so not a brave person, but I have posted about this hard time on my blog. Maybe just doing that is brave. Thank you so much. Leigha

  21. Although I am relatively new to social media and making public posts, I was glad to get my feet wet and just read along and try to keep up.
    Never did I expect that being brave over the past two weeks would mean to embrace my husbands

  22. …new job and now a sudden move – not where I was at when we started chapter 1. Now I need to reread the beginning of the book! Favorite quote “the road to courage is lit by God’s wisdom (p 120) and Isaiah 30:21. Thank you, Annie, for the long distance encouragement and personal feeling outreach. Thank you all and especially to God for helping us encourage each other!

  23. I started the book and then with one phone call life changed.. My already frail 91 year old mother fell and broke her back. For 30 days she suffered, she was in and out of it.. But she was sweet and put a smile on her face. She was BRAVE. She died one week ago. I was blessed to have her as a mom. Widowed young with 5 small children (2 of whom died within the year of our father ‘a death ).. She lived bravely every day of her life. I miss her so much. I plan on finishing the book and attempting to live bravely .. Following my mother ‘s footsteps.