What is the most courageous thing you've ever done?

That was the question on the radio program I was listening to this morning and I am interested in your responses....

For me, it was getting on an airplane at age 18. I had never been away from my family before. I had turned 18 the day before. I was 6 months pregnant with my oldest dd and I was going away to marry my dh. My dad did not like my dh; he thought I was making a huge mistake.

I was scared stiff, but I knew that that was what I wanted to do and I was going to marry my dh with or without the support of my family. It took courage because I'd always been my daddy's "good little girl " (at least when he was around ) and I am a people pleaser. For the first time I was directly going against what he wanted me to do.

It's been 13 years now and we are still married. I can't say it's always been easy, but getting on that plane was the best thing I ever did

 

Sorta similar. At 18 (after I graduated from highschool) I moved out. The summer after school DH's dad was getting married and I was going to it with DH (then boyfriend of 2 years). My parents and younger brother were on holidays and I got to not go. I was supposed to stay at an aunt's house for the wedding not with dh. Well....while my parents were away we moved ALL of my stuff out of the house. I moved in with dh, and 2 other friends. When my parents called to confirm that I would be staying at my aunt's I said "I am not staying there I will be staying with dh, oh and I wont be coming home either". It basically spilled right out. I knew it was now or never. I was terrified after. lol. My dad was the rational one and wanted to make sure we knew what we would do financially....my mom was hysterical.
My mom especially was extremely over protective, as I got older my curfew got earlier (and I was a very good kid). They wouldn't allow me to go away to university I had to go to the local one etc.
Well here we are 19 years later DH and I are super happy and have tales going back to 1989 when we first started dating, and married in 93. So I made the right decision.
I even had a friend's mom thank me...lol. After what I did she had a talk with her daughter as she was worried she would do the same....and they build a stronger relationship. I was the first of the cousins etc who moved in with their bf/gf before marriage.

 

Interesting timing:
Pastor started a series yesterday about courage.

I honestly don't think I've ever done anything especially courageous.

 

I left behind my culture and religion of almost 30 years knowing that I would then be considered an outsider by my own family, by friends, and by almost all the people I had known in my life and knowing that it would deeply hurt people I loved.

Sometimes following God hurts. Sometimes there are no happy endings, but I have no regrets.

 

I met and married my Dh in less than a week. ....but a week later, without telling anyone, I closed out my savings account and we took off to Montana to live. I had always been a "good girl". First born, valedictorian, over achiever, join-every-sport-and-club-and-still-work-20hrs-a-week kinda girl. It was very difficult, but I knew I had to make my break in a big way to "leave and cleave". We came back a few weeks later, but it was a necessary thing for both of us to exercise our independence.

 

I notice a common 'theme' with most answers. Let me add mine to it. Without giving the whole long, horrible story, I'll just say that the most courageous thing I ever did was to move to NC with my DH. I was 19 when I packed up all my stuff and loaded it into a u-haul and headed on the long trip south. I knew that day there would be no turning back, my mother would never forgive me, I would never again be welcome in her home, and that most of my family would forget I exist. I did it anyway and I don't regret it. My DH is sweet, loving, caring, and a great husband and father! It was a giant step for me, because even when I went to college I was only 45 minutes from home, I lived in the dorms to have that experience but I went home every weekend. This was the first time I was truly away from home, and I knew that once I pulled out of the driveway it would be the last time I ever saw 'home' again. I was right, but more importantly I made the right choice.

 

do ya'll think it alot of courage to defy/disappoint/let down your parents?

I do.

 

I'm not a brave person, at all. Although, others think I am! LOL FOOLED THEM!!!

I would say the most courageous thing I ever did was move to AZ, sight unseen, with my husband and two young children when my husband changed jobs. Yes, it disappointed my parents - but only because they weren't going to get to see us as much...they totally understand the having to move for work thing.

I would say the 2nd most courageous thing I ever did was moving back 4 years later.

 

The most courageous thing I've done is leave my abusive home at 16 because I knew I deserved better, and then later delt with DHS to get my sister out too. It really sucked at the time, but after our family went through lots of counseling we were still able to have a relatively decent relationship.

 

The most courageous thing I have ever done is two parts. Part one is back in Jan. 2004 DH and I quit our 6 figure jobs and moved from the life I had always know to OKC to go to Bible College and I became a SAHM. (This really hurt my family). Part two, exactly 4 yrs later we moved to VT for DH to pastor a church. (DF will never forgive me for this.) But the Lord has been with us all the way.

 

This is going to sound strange, but one of the most courageous things I have ever done was to tell my son he had to get out of our home. It hurt so bad and nearly broke my heart to do it, but now we both agree it was the right thing to do. He was finally forced to face his problems and start making a future for himself. He is 21 now and in the Army and getting married in December. If I hadn't told him to leave he would have destroyed his relationship with our other kids. As it was he damaged the way they felt about him and it took over a year for them to even like him again. Now things are going great and I am so proud of him. Parenting isn't for wimps!

 

when I was 18 I shot my stalker as he tried to break into my home. Not something I'm proud of, but it helped shape the woman I've become. Sorry if that's TMI.

 

I once stood up to a man who came into our home with a knife. He was young and had dated one of our foster daughters for a while. The day he came here he was high on pills and had a hunting knife that he was waving around in my face saying it was the sword of Jesus. He claimed he "had" to take our 17 year old foster daughter and my twin daughters who were 4 at the time and they were all supposed to leave and go to little house on a hill. He claimed there was music playing (there was not) and he could not understand why I didn't hear it. He was so messed up! I was not scared at all for some reason and outwitted him finally and he let me make a phone call. I called our pastor who lived on our street. He came right out and it all ended peacefully enough after we managed to get the knife away from him and some of his family showed up to try to get him to come home. After it was all over, my knees were so weak I could not stand up, but there was no way on God's green earth this young man was taking my girls out of my home without killing me first. No way at all.

 

I admire you in a whole new way, Beth. And everyone else on here. It's amazing the strength we have when we need it. Thank you, Jesus!!!!

 

The most courage thing I have ever done....become a parent. I think just being a parent takes courage every day!

 

Not TMI. I'm sure it was hard at the time. But what a courageous thing to do. And thankfully, for the time being, we live in a country where you were able to defend yourself.

(((HUGS)))

 

I'm a survivor of rape and sexual assault. Enough said.

 

Joining this forum?

 

The bravest thing I ever did? When I was 20 years old, I had a job at a temp service where I was one of the people who placed people in the temp jobs. I had a wonderful co-worker and boss. But one day when the co-worker was at lunch my boss told me that a hospital called and they wanted a worker but they wanted to make sure the worker wasn't Black. So, the boss asked me to do this placement because my co-worker was Black. Then the boss went back to her office and I sat there tormented. How could I do that? It was wrong on so many levels? But I was just a 20 year old newbie to the working world. I finally screwed up my nerve and went to the boss's office and told her I just couldn't do that. My boss immediately agreed and said she didn't feel right about it either and she would call the hospital to tell them. It's not huge, but I felt very brave at the time.

 

Amethyst, What you did was huge and took great courage and I am so proud of you. Beth