Do It Scared

Do it scared. – I John 4:18

Marie was a risk taker, not because she was reckless, but because she loved so deeply. Loving people – “really” loving them – is very messy work, and it takes courage, creativity, and compassion. Marie wasn’t afraid to leave her comfort zone to help people, even if it meant she was criticized for being “too much”. Because Marie was “Unapologetically Me” long before Angel Reese was born (Go Lady Tigers!), and she would have absolutely loved Angel Reese! She also would have delighted in Angel’s response to the judgers, the haters and the ignorantly misinformed. But Marie did feel hurt by those people sometimes (you know—“the labelers”), and sometimes their words made her feel like she was stupid or that she was a loser (she was neither of those things). Marie actually was quite adept at forgiving people. Firstly, because it’s the right thing to do and secondly, because as a Christian she knew forgiveness was essential for the forgiver, the forgivee, and for her relationship with God to be unhindered. She knew all too well that “hurt people, hurt people”. And in spite of all that, and in the midst of her own personal pain, she set an example of forgiveness and unconditional love for all of us to follow.