Being Bold ... by Emily Atkinson as published under @wow_god on Instagram

Bold.

In society today, especially among teenagers, it seems that “standing out” and being bold in your faith can make you an “outcast.” It can be hard to proclaim the Gospel with your life because it seems as though we are all afraid of judgement. We fear that being different because of our faith will lower our status on social media or will cause people to think of us differently. 

Personally, I struggle with this every single day. I struggle because I fear that people don’t like me or that people talk about me because I’m so open about my Catholic faith and because I’m not like every other girl. I fear that people are always judging me for my insecurities and that people think I’m too “weird” because I try to always be myself and because I love Christ so much. As I walk further with Jesus, Satan tries to hit my weaknesses, telling me that I’m not good enough, that I’m ugly or that I’m worthless. As I become more Bold in my faith, Satan tries to whisper in my ear telling me to stop and that I could never be Holy. 

The other day I was talking with my friend about these struggles I’m having, and she said “Emily, you ARE weird. But literally that’s one of the most amazing parts of your personality, other than your faithful, loving heart. I love you for it...you have no reason to change.” In that simple yet impactful text, she reminded me that my boldness in faith is what makes me who I am and it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. She also reminded me that Satan is a liar. 

Brothers and sisters, don’t be afraid to be Bold in your faith. Remember, the material things of this world (social status and following the best trends) are fleeting. But faith, my brothers and sisters, is an inexhaustible source of perpetual joy and love. 

Boldness in faith has pushed me to be my best self. I’m not perfect. Trust me. I get down on myself, I stress, I mess up, I sometimes doubt God. I breakdown and cry. But the beauty of it all is that God is right there with us when we fall, whispering the truth into our hearts, “Be Bold in your love for Me, for a life lived in Me is a life of abundance. Trust me. I am here. I love you. You are not alone.”

---