I’m not particularly into venturing or being bold in general. I’m quite timid and shy, preferring to huddle in my introvert corner, curl up with a book (or 10) 📚 and enjoy being solo. But I know that’s not a healthy way to operate for me and you. It should be the soul care necessity exception rather than the rule.
It took considerable persuasion and encouragement for me to brave social media and tackle writing in the public sphere. When my gifts and talents were being kept hidden and unexpressed, I suppressed them in private as well for many years, because I bought into satan’s lies about not being able or capable enough. 📝
I thought that perfection was the criteria for being confident. I also (wrongly) assumed that no one else would want to see or read my words in a public sphere. I convinced myself I had nothing of value or worth to bring to the table. A kind of self-preoccupied, introverted pride, I guess.
And then the scales fell off my eyes. God showed me that faith is all about surrender and trust, yielding to His work in me and sharing my imperfect (yet needful) offering to bless and encourage other members of the Body of Christ. Turns out it was never about me at all.
Venturing in faith is being courageous in coming forth, willing to step out and walk, though the way may be unknown, the path might be hard and our fears seek to get the better of us, especially when we feel weak or inadequate to do any of those things.
It depends on trust. Are we listening to our feelings more than we are to God? Maybe giving the enemy’s lies credence they don’t deserve?
We can dismiss ourselves as not being warrior material, giving little regard for the fact that it can take holy courage just to get out of bed in the morning sometimes and face another day of struggle, challenge and pain.
May I reassure you, my friend. You matter. Your whispered, seem-to-hit-the-ceiling prayers matter. Your continuing despite the odds is noted by God. You and I have courage born of living by faith, strengthened and upheld by God’s continual grace.
Let’s seek to be bold because Jesus Himself lives inside of us, providing for our every need and granting us the means to live lives of more significance than we can ever know.
Let us unleash our art, serve others in love and share our God-given gifts and talents with the world, knowing He will do immeasurably more with them than we can ever know. 🎨 🖼 🖥
Venturing
we ether venture
or we vegetate, stagnate
lose faith, run or hide
God gives us a gift
our one wild life is pure grace
ready to be spent
as we yield our lives
in the sweet service of Christ
it grows like a rose
there will be sharp thorns
midst the lively foliage
pricking at our pride
while we examine
our hearts for signs of his love
being shared daily
and tilt our hard souls
toward compassion and care
poured out freely
©joylenton
What has venturing in faith looked like for you?
How has God rewarded your surrendered obedience?
Words of Joy 
Dear Joy,
I love your pretty new theme! Everything pops with vivid brightness here. Including your words. This stanza especially is hitting home today:
“there will be sharp thorns
midst the lively foliage
pricking at our pride”
Sometimes I think that when I hit a thorn, it means I should just stop everything–that somehow my gift was not meant to be. But that isn’t the way God sees it! How good He is, to keep encouraging growth, to use the thorns to prick away our pride, to let the lovely gifts become even more precious. Thank you for this beautiful offering. I am so glad that you took the risk and stepped out in faith for all of us to be blessed by the words God has given you! Love and Hugs! xoxo
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Dear Bettie, I’m so pleased you like the theme update, and delighted to hear it “pops with vivid brightness” for you! This new theme doesn’t allow for a banner style header, so I had to rethink how I wanted it to look. Simple seemed best. 🙂 I can relate to thinking that thorns in our pathway can feel like full stops. But God uses them to remind us of the ones that pierced our Saviour’s brow and how He bore it all, every painful thing we face and need to go through. They’re all part of our growth in greater Christ-likeness, much as we want to avoid them. And yes, it definitely serves to make “the lovely gifts become even more precious.”Amen! Thank you for spilling roses here, my friend. I always appreciate your thoughtful comments! Love and hugs to you. xoxo
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I love this, Joy. I can identify so much with being introverted and feeling inadequate. God gives us the grace to step forward in faith even though we are afraid, doesn’t He? Yes, “our one wild life is pure grace!” It’s even grace that the thorns prick away our pride. He knows exactly what we need, doesn’t He? Not always easy, but He will keep giving us “holy courage.” Love and hugs to you!
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Let introverts unite! Our shy sensitivity can be a handicap at times, can’t it? As a fellow “feeling inadequate” soul, I do hope and pray you gain a growing awareness of just how talented, beloved and precious you are. Your soul is tender, caring and compassionate, and that’s a great ‘more than enough’ gift from God, never mind the beautiful creative spirit you also have. I love how you see grace in how “the thorns prick away our pride” and trust in God’s goodness during life’s numerous tests and trials. May “holy courage” define your days, as you bloom rather than shrink away. You have so much to offer, dear friend. Love and hugs to you, too, Trudy! xo ❤
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This was wonderful to read, Joy. I was just writing earlier to a friend about the journey of being comfortable in one’s own skin. I know that has been challenging for me. There are so many ways to run from the way God has made us and the gifts that have been given to us to share with others. Your poem, “Venturing” is lovely and full of grace. Thank you! Love and hugs to you, sweet soul!
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Hello Nelda, it’s wonderful to see you here, my friend! Thank you for making the transition from the page to the blog. You are very welcome to make yourself at home here and catch up on posts you might have missed. I’ve also found “the journey of being comfortable in one’s own skin” a challenging one. It seems that no sooner have we grown comfortable with how we feel, act and look, or the circumstances we are in, then things begin to shift and change. Time itself can wreak havoc with our bodies, never mind the sensitivities we keep hidden within. Being able to fully and graciously accept who we are: broken, fallen, weak and crushed, yet very much God’s Beloved ones, is one of the hardest things to do. Thankfully, we have Holy Spirit’s help and God’s Word to assist in redeeming our flawed thoughts, and refresh our memories when we forget just how precious we are in His sight. Thank you so much for being here, my friend, and for leaving such a lovely, grace filled comment. Hope to see you here again. Love and hugs to you too!
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Oh Joy, I have struggled so much with all of this and still do. I find myself putting things on the back burner that are designed to “prick my pride” and press me more deeply into Christ’s strength and grace. This is something I still struggle with: ” A kind of self-preoccupied, introverted pride, I guess.” I am noticing growth as the Holy Spirit nudges me gently out of my shell. Thank you so much for your encouragement here. Your poem is beautiful- such vivid imagery.
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Anna, you have put your finger on the Holy purpose at work in us with these words: “things…that are designed to “prick my pride” and press me more deeply into Christ’s strength and grace.” Amen! I’m glad you are able to notice growth in yourself. That’s often hard for us to perceive, being too close to it all as we are. Holy Spirit has certainly worked through your surrender and obedience, particularly over the last year or so. I see you not only nudged out of your shell but also making a really positive impact for Christ in the lives of others, especially your family, friends and blog readers. Thank you for your kind encouragement. I am not always the best judge of my own work. Posts and poems that I think are good can often fall flat with readers, and vise versa, of course! Thankfully, God knows just who needs to be drawn to our words, and He ensures it happens despite the imperfections of the human messenger. Thank you so much for being here and laying your own thoughts bare. I appreciate your presence and openness, my friend. Blessings, love and hugs! xo ❤
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Hi Joy,
Beautiful, beautiful post! I love how you said it was never about you at all on this journey God has drawn you into — yes, oh how true that is! We discover it’s about HIM and others and on that pathway we uncover what’s hidden and find what our souls are seeking in God. I can relate to not wanting to put words out there, introvert that I am, too, and wanting to curl up with 10 books, but when God leads us forward, we take the risk and open our hearts to what’s ahead. Sending love to you, friend! xoxo
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Hi Valerie, it’s so good to see you here again, my friend! I’m glad this post spoke to you and I love what you say here: “on that pathway we uncover what’s hidden and find what our souls are seeking in God.” Oh yes, how true that is! Dear fellow introvert, I’m so thankful you have found courage enough to share your words with the world. Your blog is a beautiful place to visit and your journey speaks to many. I hope to stop by again soon, health permitting. Sadly, I am trying and failing to keep up with my friends’ blogs. Sending love and hugs right back at you! xoxo
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