The great South African leader, Nelson Mandela, once said,

that he learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the faith to triumph over it.

I came to appreciate these words when I faced difficult circumstances that caused me to question if I would ever make it through to the other side. Today, I am going to share with you my story about
courage, the presence of fear, and having the faith to triumph over it.

My journey began after the flood during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. I was called on to be released from my past career as a college professor and supervisor, having completed 25 years of educating students both locally and internationally. I also had the privilege to serve as a Director in the Student Services Department, using my skills to lead a team of women who helped me build one of the largest departments in student affairs, excelling the department to be number 1 in the entire district. However, despite having such amazing accomplishments I did not feel fulfilled in this role.

When I was first approached to serve in the director’s position, I was reluctant to accept the role, not knowing that one day this role would lead to a journey of favor and purposeful opportunities in the future. Every day, before beginning my day at work, there were 2 scriptures God had put on my heart to speak. One was Habakkuk 2:2—which says to write the vision and make it plain, and the other was Amos 1:13—which asks God to expand my territory and to increase my influence to make an impact in the world. Little did I know that my prayer would be answered 15 years later.

It would be 15 years later when Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane, would hit Houston, leaving many people stranded without food, water, nonperishable goods, homes, careers, and loss of family members. Right then, I knew for sure–without a doubt—that a higher power was calling me to expand my territory, leave my career, and help restore and rebuild many communities needing economic and social stability transformation, especially my own.

After leaving everything behind on that fateful day, my life changed forever. It changed in ways that allowed me to witness the inner strength of something powerful. Despite having a bit of fear, my inner core released an inner peace of physical and mental capabilities and a strong intersection of momentum that gave me courage to move forward.

It was at that time that another scripture came to mind: Psalm 23:4, ‘even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil, God you are with me.’ Many times, in the multitude of my life experiences, God gave me the strength to discern wisdom and the ability to be strong and courageous for what was about to come.

When the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey ensued, I continued to be tested. Yet, I also experienced a time when resilience and curiosity were equally yoked. (Being curious leads you to an inner voice that guides you to a place of faithfulness and fearlessness in the most daunting and unforeseen circumstances). There were times when I was guided to interact with people who did not look like me—people who would get a kick out of mispronouncing my name and becoming rude when I corrected them. Being bullied later in life allowed me to see how much I had grown because I could see I was passing God’s tests by not reacting to such indignities as I would have in times past. I found myself in places where some of the top 1% of the wealthy lodged, people who thought their intelligence was the only way of resolving humanity’s problems. Many were infused with jealousy and envy of those with great integrity. I also found myself among some of the poorest in the city. In the places where some of the poorest people lived, their outlook on life caused them to lash out because of their conditions. There were women who were victims of sex trafficking and many others who were without jobs. Still, there were others with low self-esteem who complained about their circumstances. I would be tested when I opened my mouth to simply say, ‘Hello, how are you doing today?’ to women who had lost hope in their relationships but were too afraid to leave. I endured the tests of being gossiped and talked about when I observed too much.

Exodus 20:20 tells us not to be afraid about being tested by God. When God places us in unfamiliar territories, this is the time to exercise faith over fear. Through these tests, I realized that the love of God was always there pushing me forward through the trials and obstacles of what was to come as he continued to test my faith. One thing about God is He nudges me to keep going. Having the faith to triumph over fear on my journey is what has helped me to make the right choices in all my dealings and in all of my experiences. You see, an internal force deep down inside of me has remained forever present. The choice to do right or wrong along the way was up to me.

God gives us all an intentional purpose to pursue in life. He gives us all a journey to embrace and embark upon. By being our authentic selves, he protects us and gives us peace, along with a spirit of resilience and strength that is desired during the most uncomfortable circumstances. During times of fear, He gives us the ability to be faithful.

Job is a great example of this in the Book of Job. Job’s story should teach all of us about true perseverance. I suggest that you consider reading Job’s story and see how his life began and the journey he endured. I certainly did, and it taught me how to persevere, to stay the course, and to seek wisdom by fearing God and avoiding evil. When I walk in nature, I witness God’s presence. I touch and feel the beautiful trees, flowers…. the birds. I feel the light crisp rain that falls from the sky and marvel at the beautiful rainbows of many colors. The sunny blue sky and even the worst of storms is simply a reminder of God’s presence. He is the Sovereign over the entire world and creates great leaders. He has helped me to rightfully comprehend and recognize His infinite power. Understanding the constraints of our human abilities comes by trusting in God. I never gave up on myself or my faith in God.

In summary, we all have a journey from the beginning of time—even before we are born. God knows our journey and our destiny. But when we are tested and fear arises, we must remember our faith so we can live in alignment with and fulfillment of our purpose as we manifest our goals and dreams. God will grant us wisdom, peace, knowledge, courage, and tremendous faith to help us triumph if we allow ourselves to be guided by his grace and love.