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Sacred Courage: Thinking Biblically About Fear and Anxiety
Prepare your heart for fearless obedience to God’s call
*Bronze Winner – 2025 Illumination Book Awards (Self-Help Category)
As our world and society are increasingly unstable and Christians encounter unprecedented challenges, fear finds a way into every heart and can shape our lives in unexpected ways. In Sacred Courage, Betsy Kirk helps Christians fight against fear with faith in God. The author’s own battle against fear—from childhood to motherhood, from Minnesota to Indonesia—is woven throughout the book. Each chapter also draws upon Christian wisdom from the ages and offers fresh meditations on biblical passages to develop a response to fear that is theologically informed. Chapters conclude with discussion questions, challenging readers to examine their own hearts as they are given practical help to live a courageous and dread-free life.
This book will find a wide audience among those seeking relief from fear and anxiety. If you long for a faith that is bigger than your fears or need a reminder that you are not alone in the battle, Sacred Courage offers hope.
*Bronze Winner – 2025 Illumination Book Awards (Self-Help Category)
As our world and society are increasingly unstable and Christians encounter unprecedented challenges, fear finds a way into every heart and can shape our lives in unexpected ways. In Sacred Courage, Betsy Kirk helps Christians fight against fear with faith in God. The author’s own battle against fear—from childhood to motherhood, from Minnesota to Indonesia—is woven throughout the book. Each chapter also draws upon Christian wisdom from the ages and offers fresh meditations on biblical passages to develop a response to fear that is theologically informed. Chapters conclude with discussion questions, challenging readers to examine their own hearts as they are given practical help to live a courageous and dread-free life.
This book will find a wide audience among those seeking relief from fear and anxiety. If you long for a faith that is bigger than your fears or need a reminder that you are not alone in the battle, Sacred Courage offers hope.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 6, 2026
Best book, hands down, I’ve ever read on the subject. I’ll be over here re-reading, taking notes and highlighting. So well done!
January 6, 2026
Loved reading a book written by someone connected to my church, and this was exceptional. Deeply insightful, biblically rich and brilliantly applied.
April 7, 2026
Pretty good. Read for mentor moms spring 2026
Some good take aways:
-Even Jesus didn't want to die.
-It is not a sin to be fearful but it can be based on how we respond to the fear
-Rest in the knowledge that God is your refuge, personally loves you, and is totally sovereign and knows what He's doing.
-We fall to the level of our training. Train by reading Bible and praying daily.
-We are meant to be in community together (give us this day our daily bread not give me this day my daily bread). Our brother and sisters joys should be our joys and sorrows should be our sorrows...no jealousy or comparison.
-It is best to speak truth to others through love for comfort and encouragement when they are anxious. Not even just biblical truth. Even a truth as simple as "you can do this".
-It's best to comfort "what ifs" with "even so" rather than saying the what if is unlikely to happen. Even if it does, God is with you, etc.
-A call for Christian courage
Some good take aways:
-Even Jesus didn't want to die.
-It is not a sin to be fearful but it can be based on how we respond to the fear
-Rest in the knowledge that God is your refuge, personally loves you, and is totally sovereign and knows what He's doing.
-We fall to the level of our training. Train by reading Bible and praying daily.
-We are meant to be in community together (give us this day our daily bread not give me this day my daily bread). Our brother and sisters joys should be our joys and sorrows should be our sorrows...no jealousy or comparison.
-It is best to speak truth to others through love for comfort and encouragement when they are anxious. Not even just biblical truth. Even a truth as simple as "you can do this".
-It's best to comfort "what ifs" with "even so" rather than saying the what if is unlikely to happen. Even if it does, God is with you, etc.
-A call for Christian courage
February 20, 2026
Straightforward Counsel for the Fearful
The author starts out confessing she doesn’t have professional training to be dispensing wisdom, but she does have experience. I appreciate her honesty, especially as it set my expectations, which she exceeded. Her personal story is engaging and lets the reader know the author has indeed walked some fear worthy paths. I found her writing to be clear and engaging, and enjoyed her judicious use of quotes. She is, as far as I can tell, biblically sound. For myself, though it seems a small thing, one of my biggest takeaways will be saying to myself when confronted with difficulty “even so.” Own ebook.
The author starts out confessing she doesn’t have professional training to be dispensing wisdom, but she does have experience. I appreciate her honesty, especially as it set my expectations, which she exceeded. Her personal story is engaging and lets the reader know the author has indeed walked some fear worthy paths. I found her writing to be clear and engaging, and enjoyed her judicious use of quotes. She is, as far as I can tell, biblically sound. For myself, though it seems a small thing, one of my biggest takeaways will be saying to myself when confronted with difficulty “even so.” Own ebook.
February 20, 2026
excellent
I am a harsh reviewer.. except the last two chapters the book is solid. I would recommend it to my church and already did. The first half of the book is superb. A real perspective from a real mission perspective. I would rather take advice from someone who has gone through the sort of things she has gone through. The writer is a thinking person. The last two chapters displayed laziness and filler material….
I am a harsh reviewer.. except the last two chapters the book is solid. I would recommend it to my church and already did. The first half of the book is superb. A real perspective from a real mission perspective. I would rather take advice from someone who has gone through the sort of things she has gone through. The writer is a thinking person. The last two chapters displayed laziness and filler material….
December 29, 2025
This book is a fantastic read for any believer looking for a treatment of fear and anxiety that is both deeply biblical and refreshingly personal. It walks the fine line between understanding how we as creatures are so prone to anxiety and encouraging us how to not be ruled by it. I will come back to this one again and again!
February 12, 2026
Me acerqué a este libro buscando herramientas prácticas y una perspectiva bíblica sobre el manejo de la depresión, pero me encontré con algo distinto. Si bien el autor aborda el tema con mucha sensibilidad, el contenido se inclina mucho más hacia una teología del sufrimiento en general que hacia soluciones o consuelo específico para la depresión que yo quiero usar para aconsejar.
March 17, 2025
This is an excellent book, well written and challenging, even for someone who was not aware of having much fear and anxiety. I love that she incorporates so much insight from other great authors, along with the Bible's teachings and her own very real and honest story.
May 7, 2025
Engaging, encouraging, and transparent. I ended the book with my heart more whole then before.
August 4, 2025
5 stars and will reread on occasion
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews