When Fear is No Longer the Boss of You... A Birthday Post.

I will be 45 this week.

This means that I may have already lived approximately half of my life. 

I mean, you know, not to sound dark or lamenting or anything...

That is not how it is.
It's not how I feel.

Age has never meant much to me. It's most often held me back. I rejoiced at thirty. ("Finally, I'm a grown up!")

But God has been whispering things like, "Second Act" and "Launching Season" and my, how He has us stepping up and stepping out and living into the beginning of Dreams Come True lately. I find strength in the sense of excitement that is bubbling over. I find hope in promises and prophecies yet unfulfilled - oh, but how they are unfolding!

It feels like (finally) "Next" is happening all around us...



We can attempt to live a safe life and it will keep us small and --really, there are no guarantees.  You can do all the things right, but life still comes at you.

I lived for nearly half of my days, thinking that I could live small and quiet... simple and free of heartache if I was just careful/good/smart (fill in your own blank) enough.  

I know... (Well, I know now!)

What I was was delusional.  I tried to stay small and blend in and fade out... to not attract attention or cause (too much) of a stir... 

Those Good Girl Days are over and more than Safe and Sound, I want Big and Loud!

I am quiet by nature and I suspect that won't change, but I want to find brave rising up more often!

I want to stay present in these moments and bring all of me to every day and this is the gift that I am giving myself this year: To be me, wherever I go!

When I allow myself to fully show up and to stay present, I am able to make the moment last... it slows just a little, weighted down with an authentic life lived out in the open.

It will mean a little less talking and more listening and hearing.

In real life, it will require less screen time and more eye to eye, heart to heart connecting.

It will take practice and intention and a bit of forgiving myself when I blow it! But I will get up and move on and keep trying, because

It is worth it! 

For when I remain aware and all in, I am able to taste and see... to savor the life that He has given me.

It enables me to offer my best self to the others in my life...
to share and live and celebrate... to weep and mourn and comfort...

I want to Live Big and Laugh Loud, to Rejoice and Lament, to find Quiet in the Stillness and in the Midst of a Crowd.

He whispered of the importance of learning to maintain our Quiet and Peace in all of our circumstances... for when we hold on to that, we lean in to living a peace-filled louder life!

I have two friends heading to South Africa in a few months. One is local, and one is an online friend.  I feel only excitement for them.

Only excitement.
This is new.

It's amazing how three little words can change their meaning, depending on the spirit behind them!

"Anything can happen!" said in fear can open you up to all kinds of thoughts of what could go wrong... catastrophic possibilities abound.

But "Anything can happen!" when dripping in anticipation and adventure opens you up to all kinds of (better) expectations!

One keeps you Small,
the other makes way for Big!

We were made to Live Loud.. to Go Big!

I'm not saying that we are all called to cross land and sea,
--no, some of us are called to stay right here.

There is Holy both in the going and in the staying.

But let's agree to not play it safe quite so often this year, alrighty?

I'm not losing my mind. I've got no plans to jump out of an airplane or bungee jump off of a bridge... (not that there's anything wrong with that!)

(No, just breathe easy, Mama! It's fine!)

But what I AM saying is that when fear is no longer the boss of you, the world opens up and is less scary, more inviting, and you just may find Him leading you on a road less traveled... and that, --well, as Robert Frost said it, that just may make all the difference!

So, on this, the beginning of my forty fifth year, I have purposed in my heart to simply follow His lead, wherever that may go, and I will do it joyfully, loudly, wearing a bit of brave, walking right on in to this Second Act!

Join me, won't you?



Click to Tweet:
"...when fear is no longer the boss of you, the world opens up and is less scary, more inviting..." @KarrileeA #Fear #TellHisStory

"This is the gift that I am giving myself this year: To be me, wherever I go!" from When Fear is No Longer the Boss of You by @KarrileeA

I am linking up with these lovely ladies this week:

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

Holley Gerth for #CoffeeforYourHeart

Karen Deschenes Courcy for #TuesdayatTen