Be Brave in the Scared: How I Learned to Trust God During the Most Difficult Days of My Life

As a parent, do you struggle with trusting God's will for your life and for those you love? Are you tired and afraid?

In Be Brave in the Scared, Catholic writer Mary Lenaburg shares how the overwhelming demands of caring for her severely disabled daughter ultimately taught her--and can teach you--that trusting in God and accepting his will can lead to profound joy, no matter what challenges you face.

Be Brave in the Scared is an uplifting account of human frailty (and stubbornness) surrendered to faith. Lenaburg tells the heart-rending story of how caring for her severely disabled daughter affected her self-image, marriage, family life, and faith.

Although she initially struggled to accept God's will and her own limitations, Lenaburg ultimately learned how to trust God. She found in that trust inexplicable joy, even during the most difficult days of her life. She writes boldly and authentically about challenges we all encounter, such as trials with control, blame, exhaustion, fear, and acceptance.

Each chapter concludes with an invitation to write and a place for readers to express their thoughts and feelings. Lenaburg's extraordinary story affirms that God's redeeming love never fails and that he is there to help us through all of the challenges we encounter.

Mary Lenaburg is a full-time author and Catholic speaker who has given keynotes at conferences across the country, including The Edel Gathering, the Diocese of Grand Rapids Women’s Conference, Mary’s Mantle Breakfast, and at the Northwest Catholic Women’s Conference in Oregon. A writer with Take Up & Read, her work has appeared in five meditation books. She also has contributed to two other books.

She has appeared on Catholic radio and podcasts, including The Jennifer Fulwiler Show, The Hallie Lord Show, Fountains of Carrots, and Girlfriends. Lenaburg serves her home parish in many roles, including catechist, sacristan, and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.

She and her husband, Jerry, live in Fairfax, Virginia, with their son, Jonathan. Their daughter, Courtney, passed away in 2014.