By Angela Anagnost Repke
According to good ole Merriam-Webster, to be brave means “having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty.” Therefore, when one exhibits bravery, it is often thought-out—a calculated decision. He or she knows what they’re up against, what’s at stake, and the pain that the decision could cause.
Jen Hatmaker is an Evangelical writer and leader. She does not showcase her bravery with a spear in her hand; she prefers a pen or her Twitter account.
When my kids were one and three, I read Hatmaker’s “Out of the Spin Cycle.” She scribed devotions to “lighten the mother load.” This book helped me stumble through the haze and monotony of raising two small children as a stay-at-home-mother. As a young mother, my daily blunders hindered me and Hatmaker gave me grace. Her words from that book, and others she’s penned, have encouraged mothers everywhere. And although she is a Christian author, I have yet to feel “preached at.” Instead, she gives mothers grace through her honest stories, wit, and humor.
But even Christian leaders must put their faith to the test.
In 2016, Hatmaker made the decision to denounce Trump. And later, in an interview with Religious News, she proclaimed her support for the LGBT community. This act is not seen as news for the everyday person of fame, but when you are known as an Evangelical leader, the conservatives will come thundering down on you. With that pen in her hand, she remained brave. She knew what she was getting into—she was aware of the backlash that could follow. She knew that she would lose fans. Instead of cowering in the corner, she put her war paint on and fought the battle. Her belief in what she thought was right stood more important than her fame. She was willing to trade it in.
Some fans stayed, but others were relentless—forgetting Hatmaker was an actual person, a mother. According to her interview with Politico, she began receiving death threats sent to her house. Her husband and children were harassed by Hatmaker’s decision, too. And when she opened her mailbox, she found her books sent back directly to her.
She kept on.
Whether someone is a republican, democrat, or independent, you have to appreciate Hatmaker’s bravery. She didn’t trade in her fame for her beliefs. Yes, she and her family endured the brunt of her decision to voice them. It was a lot harder than she imagined. There were days that her war paint faded. According to Politico, she said, “I didn’t have a whole lot left besides my faith and my closest people. This anchor that I profess—it holds.” Her faith allowed her to wear that brave face and continue to wear it today.
Not everyone has this specific faith in a Christian God. Some put their conviction in Buddha, Muhammad, or another higher being—in others, passion in their own beliefs are enough. And sometimes a strong sense of siding with a specific party can blur what one truly believes in their heart. Their own values fade and they trust what the party says to be moral or just. But it’s vital to listen to that gut of yours and do what you believe to be true despite what your associated “party” claims to be right or wrong. Yes, Hatmaker could have lost all of her hardcore Republican Christian followers—but she couldn’t ignore that feeling in her gut any longer. She placed her pen of bravery in her hand and put confidence in God that He could write the rest of the story.
It’s not about what party you side with. It’s about putting your faith in something other than yourself. Showing that you can be brave enough to do anything.
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About the Author
Angela Anagnost Repke lives with her family of four in Michigan. She is a flawed mother who turns to writing to help in both her daily blunders and rediscovering herself outside of being a mother. Angela is a contributor at POPSUGAR and has also been published in Scary Mommy, The Good Men Project, MSN Lifestyle, BLUNTMoms, Parent.co, Sammiches and Psych Meds, Mothers Always Write and has a forthcoming essay in an anthology by Belt Publishing. She is passionate about the comradery of motherhood and is an advocate of moms’ night out that involves too many cocktails. She is at work on a memoir. Follow Angela on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.