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You Can't Be Brave Until You're Scared: A Call for Courageous Women to Face Fear, Fight Anxiety, and Awaken Holy Awe
You don't have to be fearless to be brave
Fear is no longer a quiet undercurrent in women's lives--it's a crisis. Nearly one in three women in the United States will experience an anxiety disorder in her lifetime, with numbers rising fastest among younger women. Culturally, the message makes it if you're not scared, you're not paying attention. But many of us have absorbed an equally crushing message from the that fear itself is a failure of faith. Both are lies. And Scripture tells a different story.
God doesn't call us to follow Him fear-free. He calls us to be strong and courageous because He knows we're scared--not in spite of it.
In You Can't Be Brave Until You're Scared, Jess Connolly invites you into an honest reckoning with fear and a better understanding of how it works in your mind, body, and soul. Whether you're afraid of God's expectations, the world's uncertainties, other people's opinions, or your own weaknesses, this book will help
● Trace your fear to its source--understanding how anxiety affects your mind, body, and soul so you can stop fighting symptoms and start addressing what's underneath
● Discover why the biblical fear of the Lord is not a threat but a rescue--a holy awe that reorients the anxious heart toward the One who is actually in charge
● Transform fear into steady, grounded reverence--the kind that doesn't eliminate your feelings but changes what they lead you toward
● Stop obeying fear and start living as the brave woman God already sees--not by becoming fearless, but by learning what to do with the fear you have
At the heart of this book is a truth that most Christians have never been when you learn to fear the Lord rightly, every other fear begins to lose its grip.
Fear is no longer a quiet undercurrent in women's lives--it's a crisis. Nearly one in three women in the United States will experience an anxiety disorder in her lifetime, with numbers rising fastest among younger women. Culturally, the message makes it if you're not scared, you're not paying attention. But many of us have absorbed an equally crushing message from the that fear itself is a failure of faith. Both are lies. And Scripture tells a different story.
God doesn't call us to follow Him fear-free. He calls us to be strong and courageous because He knows we're scared--not in spite of it.
In You Can't Be Brave Until You're Scared, Jess Connolly invites you into an honest reckoning with fear and a better understanding of how it works in your mind, body, and soul. Whether you're afraid of God's expectations, the world's uncertainties, other people's opinions, or your own weaknesses, this book will help
● Trace your fear to its source--understanding how anxiety affects your mind, body, and soul so you can stop fighting symptoms and start addressing what's underneath
● Discover why the biblical fear of the Lord is not a threat but a rescue--a holy awe that reorients the anxious heart toward the One who is actually in charge
● Transform fear into steady, grounded reverence--the kind that doesn't eliminate your feelings but changes what they lead you toward
● Stop obeying fear and start living as the brave woman God already sees--not by becoming fearless, but by learning what to do with the fear you have
At the heart of this book is a truth that most Christians have never been when you learn to fear the Lord rightly, every other fear begins to lose its grip.
- GenresFaithNonfiction
224 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2026
About the author
Jess Connolly
39 books353 followersJess Connolly is a gal who is in the thick of it herself. She is the founder of the Naptime Diaries print shop, co-founder of the Influence Conference + Network, and she is passionate about using her words to point women to Jesus through writing and speaking. She and her husband planted a church in Charleston, South Carolina, where they live with their four children. Blog: www.jessconnolly.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everyone has fears. For some it's paralyzing, for others, a constant in their lives, and for the lucky few, an occasional, polite visitor. Jess Connolly addresses this shadow that follows us throughout life, giving biblical applications and techniques to help us manage our fears, overcome them where possible, and most importantly, bring them all to God. Jess is gentle and encouraging in her approach, but I must warn you: she calls readers to face their fears head on, no longer ignoring or brushing them under the bed. That said, "This book isn't an assignment or list of things to fix, it's an invitation to rest in God." While giving countless examples, the Biblical approach to fear is always the same, addressed below, and the only effective "therapy" known to mankind.
This book would be an amazing Bible study book for small groups! There are prompts to confess sin and fears to one another, hold another accountable, and most importantly, use Truth as our guilding light. Sometimes, in the darkness of our fears and anxieties, having a friend come alongside us, reminding us of Truth and giving us hope, helps us to find and rest in peace faster than "going it alone".
A basis outline is as follows, but I implore you to read (or listen!) to the book yourself and her examples and chapters are so full of life and loving guidance!
Step 1) Name the fear(s).
- Identify it. Write it down.
- "We cannot change what we cannot name... We leave it fastering."
Step 2) What do you believe?
- Do you have strong, biblical faith? Anything less will not stand.
- Practice Awe. Reverance. Are we deeply in love with God or fearful? Distant? Irrelevant? What we believe about God and how we act upon those beliefs directly correlate to what we fear.
Step 3) What do we do with evil when it does show up?
- "Acknowledge the darkness as evil"
- People can be awful, but they are not awful. They, too are made in the image of God, fallen in sin, just as we are.
- It takes SO MUCH maturity to have biblical unity.
- "A literal list was produced." 💔😭 Oh, Jess. Thank you for sharing this as I fear we all have that moment of heartbreak and "shame".
Step 4) Am I afraid of being alone with myself?
- Bring those anxieties and concerns to God in prayer.
- Read Scripture to learn what God says and thinks about us.
- Bring sins into the light by telling close friends and asking them for accountability. Tell them about your fears as well!
Step 5) What fears are magnified from reality?
- Look up facts, but stay off WebMD.
- What do we believe about God - is He good? Does he love me?
- Write down what your responsibility is in the fear? What is God's? Can you let Him take responsibility for what you cannot and should not control?
- Instead of focusing on what can go wrong (catastrophizing), start to think more and more about what can go right. It's not "manifesting", but "believing the best" in hope and faith about a God who loves us.
Step 6) The Power of Prayer
- Literal spiritual warfare
- We are not God and there is freedom to drop that pressure from our to-do list
*This section was SO powerful and I pray for this kind of testimony in my own life!*
Step 7) Let your peace return to you
- Shalom is wholeness, enoughness, flourishing. God's best plan.
- Jesus is our peace, completion, our future- He was always meant to be and without Him, we will feel that missing loss.
- Peace is when we don't try to take God's work as our own. Amen.
I love what she said about the "little faith" phrase oft used by Jesus to "awaken" the person to whom he spoke to deeper faith. I, too, had considered it a reproof, not the encouragement Jess points to. Brilliant! It's "an invitation to have more courage and a little more faith this side of Heaven." AMEN 💖
This book would be an amazing Bible study book for small groups! There are prompts to confess sin and fears to one another, hold another accountable, and most importantly, use Truth as our guilding light. Sometimes, in the darkness of our fears and anxieties, having a friend come alongside us, reminding us of Truth and giving us hope, helps us to find and rest in peace faster than "going it alone".
A basis outline is as follows, but I implore you to read (or listen!) to the book yourself and her examples and chapters are so full of life and loving guidance!
Step 1) Name the fear(s).
- Identify it. Write it down.
- "We cannot change what we cannot name... We leave it fastering."
Step 2) What do you believe?
- Do you have strong, biblical faith? Anything less will not stand.
- Practice Awe. Reverance. Are we deeply in love with God or fearful? Distant? Irrelevant? What we believe about God and how we act upon those beliefs directly correlate to what we fear.
Step 3) What do we do with evil when it does show up?
- "Acknowledge the darkness as evil"
- People can be awful, but they are not awful. They, too are made in the image of God, fallen in sin, just as we are.
- It takes SO MUCH maturity to have biblical unity.
- "A literal list was produced." 💔😭 Oh, Jess. Thank you for sharing this as I fear we all have that moment of heartbreak and "shame".
Step 4) Am I afraid of being alone with myself?
- Bring those anxieties and concerns to God in prayer.
- Read Scripture to learn what God says and thinks about us.
- Bring sins into the light by telling close friends and asking them for accountability. Tell them about your fears as well!
Step 5) What fears are magnified from reality?
- Look up facts, but stay off WebMD.
- What do we believe about God - is He good? Does he love me?
- Write down what your responsibility is in the fear? What is God's? Can you let Him take responsibility for what you cannot and should not control?
- Instead of focusing on what can go wrong (catastrophizing), start to think more and more about what can go right. It's not "manifesting", but "believing the best" in hope and faith about a God who loves us.
Step 6) The Power of Prayer
- Literal spiritual warfare
- We are not God and there is freedom to drop that pressure from our to-do list
*This section was SO powerful and I pray for this kind of testimony in my own life!*
Step 7) Let your peace return to you
- Shalom is wholeness, enoughness, flourishing. God's best plan.
- Jesus is our peace, completion, our future- He was always meant to be and without Him, we will feel that missing loss.
- Peace is when we don't try to take God's work as our own. Amen.
I love what she said about the "little faith" phrase oft used by Jesus to "awaken" the person to whom he spoke to deeper faith. I, too, had considered it a reproof, not the encouragement Jess points to. Brilliant! It's "an invitation to have more courage and a little more faith this side of Heaven." AMEN 💖
October 17, 2026
From the opening paragraphs you know it’s time to get real about the fears that are holding you back from living courageously…
As Jess writes “We make a soft bed for our anxiety and we baptize our control” Whew, sis… but for me and I’m sure other women, it’s true.
That’s why “You Can’t Be Brave, Until You’re Scared” is the book we need…a practical guide to live with our fear and walk courageously, all rooted in biblical wisdom. Jess is phenomenal at bridging the every day moments with the God of eternity caring about them. Because he does!
I was definitely confronted with fears I never had sat with and really pondered before. With 1 in 3 women dealing with anxiety episodes at some point in her life, this book helps walk alongside that…pointing us all the while back to Jesus, our savior.
Highly recommend!!
As Jess writes “We make a soft bed for our anxiety and we baptize our control” Whew, sis… but for me and I’m sure other women, it’s true.
That’s why “You Can’t Be Brave, Until You’re Scared” is the book we need…a practical guide to live with our fear and walk courageously, all rooted in biblical wisdom. Jess is phenomenal at bridging the every day moments with the God of eternity caring about them. Because he does!
I was definitely confronted with fears I never had sat with and really pondered before. With 1 in 3 women dealing with anxiety episodes at some point in her life, this book helps walk alongside that…pointing us all the while back to Jesus, our savior.
Highly recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
As someone who has personally regularly describes herself as “anxiously becoming courageous” for the past 5+ years, reading “You Can’t Be Brave Until You’re Scared” was the best book I’ve found on this topic yet! It’s so real & relatable yet challenging & practical. Like a coaching in book form, Jess walks you through embracing the fact that you literally cannot become brave until you admit you are scared & face it head on anyway! I could not recommend this book enough. It’s one I think everyone should read at least once & keep as a resource to come back to regularly. I know I will!
October 15, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
Wow. I was blown away by this book, not because the topic of fear is new in Christian culture, but because of how well Jess writes from both expertise and experience. We’ve heard for a long time that fear and faith cannot coexist, but an examination of Scripture and even the life of Jesus says otherwise. So what do we do when we’re trusting God but still feel afraid? This book is a brilliant look at what exactly fear is, how it shows up in our faith, our minds, and our bodies, and how to face it courageously with Jesus.
Wow. I was blown away by this book, not because the topic of fear is new in Christian culture, but because of how well Jess writes from both expertise and experience. We’ve heard for a long time that fear and faith cannot coexist, but an examination of Scripture and even the life of Jesus says otherwise. So what do we do when we’re trusting God but still feel afraid? This book is a brilliant look at what exactly fear is, how it shows up in our faith, our minds, and our bodies, and how to face it courageously with Jesus.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You’ve probably heard “faith over fear,” “fear is just ‘false evidence appearing real,’” or “no fear.” Jess isn’t sorry to break it to you that maybe the thing you should actually fear is what you believe about fear. As she examines fear sociologically, biologically, and scripturally, you’ll quickly realize the way we talk about fear has been largely misguided, reinforcing—you guessed it—more fear. But what if God working in your fear is actually what makes you brave?
Without going into too much detail (because I can’t—yet!) when I started reading this book, I was suddenly confronted with a fear I’d never even considered before because, until then, I didn’t know the thing I was afraid of was even possible. I already had this book in my queue (thanks publishing schedule), so I thought- “God, that’s really cute how well you timed this, but uhhh—I don’t think this book is going to help me emotionally manage this unfathomable problem.”
What did this book help me accomplish? Identifying other fears I didn’t even know I had 🙃
All that to say- by the end of this book, Jess’ research, scriptural insight, and heart, won me over to the understanding that fear doesn’t have to be obeyed but can actually become the place where courage is practiced. Read this book to walk through the steps of how.
Thank you @readbakerbooks @recordedbook for the advanced copies!
The audiobook is narrated by Jess herself, and I loved getting to hear her passion in the couple chapters I listened to.
Perfect for you if you like:
Conversational non-fiction
Jennie Allen’s GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD
Practical reframing, not vague encouragement
Similar:
Get our of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeshel
Live No Lies by John Mark Comer
Without going into too much detail (because I can’t—yet!) when I started reading this book, I was suddenly confronted with a fear I’d never even considered before because, until then, I didn’t know the thing I was afraid of was even possible. I already had this book in my queue (thanks publishing schedule), so I thought- “God, that’s really cute how well you timed this, but uhhh—I don’t think this book is going to help me emotionally manage this unfathomable problem.”
What did this book help me accomplish? Identifying other fears I didn’t even know I had 🙃
All that to say- by the end of this book, Jess’ research, scriptural insight, and heart, won me over to the understanding that fear doesn’t have to be obeyed but can actually become the place where courage is practiced. Read this book to walk through the steps of how.
Thank you @readbakerbooks @recordedbook for the advanced copies!
The audiobook is narrated by Jess herself, and I loved getting to hear her passion in the couple chapters I listened to.
Perfect for you if you like:
Conversational non-fiction
Jennie Allen’s GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD
Practical reframing, not vague encouragement
Similar:
Get our of Your Head by Jennie Allen
Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeshel
Live No Lies by John Mark Comer
October 13, 2026
“We were never promised a fearless life, but we were promised a faithful God.”
That line from You Can’t Be Brave Until You’re Scared has stayed with me since I finished it, and it sums up why this book is worth your time. Jess Connolly doesn’t ask you to pretend your fears away or treat them as proof that your faith is weak. She invites you to face them honestly, understand where they come from, and bring them before God.
What I appreciated most was her honesty. She writes as someone who knows fear firsthand, which made her encouragement not to ignore our fears feel genuine rather than preachy. Her scriptural insights were a highlight for me. She roots the conversation in what the Bible actually says about fear, including the often-misunderstood “fear of the Lord,” and shows how a right reverence for God can loosen the grip of every other fear.
The biggest surprise was how many fears this book helped me recognize that I didn’t even know I was carrying. It isn’t a quick, feel-good read so much as an invitation to dig in and do some honest heart work.
I first heard Jess talk about this book on Annie F. Downs’ That Sounds Fun podcast, and that interview is what led me to pick it up. This was my first book by her, and it won’t be my last.
I’d recommend it to any Christian who is eager to go deeper with God and willing to take an honest look at what they’re afraid of. It would also be a great pick for a women’s Bible study or small group.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
That line from You Can’t Be Brave Until You’re Scared has stayed with me since I finished it, and it sums up why this book is worth your time. Jess Connolly doesn’t ask you to pretend your fears away or treat them as proof that your faith is weak. She invites you to face them honestly, understand where they come from, and bring them before God.
What I appreciated most was her honesty. She writes as someone who knows fear firsthand, which made her encouragement not to ignore our fears feel genuine rather than preachy. Her scriptural insights were a highlight for me. She roots the conversation in what the Bible actually says about fear, including the often-misunderstood “fear of the Lord,” and shows how a right reverence for God can loosen the grip of every other fear.
The biggest surprise was how many fears this book helped me recognize that I didn’t even know I was carrying. It isn’t a quick, feel-good read so much as an invitation to dig in and do some honest heart work.
I first heard Jess talk about this book on Annie F. Downs’ That Sounds Fun podcast, and that interview is what led me to pick it up. This was my first book by her, and it won’t be my last.
I’d recommend it to any Christian who is eager to go deeper with God and willing to take an honest look at what they’re afraid of. It would also be a great pick for a women’s Bible study or small group.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 21, 2026
You Can’t Be Brave Until You’re Scared by Jess Connolly was such a timely reminder that being brave doesn’t mean we have to be fearless. I loved the way Jess challenges the idea that feeling afraid means we’re failing to trust God. Sometimes faith means taking the next step even when we feel uncertain, inadequate or scared of getting it wrong.
As someone who is learning to step out in faith with my own writing and the things God has placed on my heart, I found this message particularly meaningful. It’s easy to let fear of failure, other people’s opinions or our own insecurities hold us back. This book reminded me that I don’t have to wait until I feel confident to be obedient. I can move forward with God even when I’m still working through my fears.
I’d recommend this book to any woman who has felt held back by fear or wondered whether she’s brave enough to do what God is calling her to do. Jess’s honest, faith-filled encouragement is a reminder that courage isn’t about having no fear; it’s about learning to trust God in the middle of it.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jess Connolly herself.
As someone who is learning to step out in faith with my own writing and the things God has placed on my heart, I found this message particularly meaningful. It’s easy to let fear of failure, other people’s opinions or our own insecurities hold us back. This book reminded me that I don’t have to wait until I feel confident to be obedient. I can move forward with God even when I’m still working through my fears.
I’d recommend this book to any woman who has felt held back by fear or wondered whether she’s brave enough to do what God is calling her to do. Jess’s honest, faith-filled encouragement is a reminder that courage isn’t about having no fear; it’s about learning to trust God in the middle of it.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jess Connolly herself.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and author for an advance copy of this audiobook!
Narrated by Jess herself, it felt like having coffee with my best friend!
A powerful, biblical look at fear and bringing it all to God. Jess gently encourages us to stop avoiding our fears, bring them into the light, and stand firm in Truth.
I especially loved her perspective on Jesus’ words about “little faith.” Rather than a reproof, she explains it as an invitation to deeper faith and greater courage. I LOVE that!
This would make an AMAZING small group Bible study!
A beautiful reminder that peace comes when we stop trying to do God's work for Him.
Narrated by Jess herself, it felt like having coffee with my best friend!
A powerful, biblical look at fear and bringing it all to God. Jess gently encourages us to stop avoiding our fears, bring them into the light, and stand firm in Truth.
I especially loved her perspective on Jesus’ words about “little faith.” Rather than a reproof, she explains it as an invitation to deeper faith and greater courage. I LOVE that!
This would make an AMAZING small group Bible study!
A beautiful reminder that peace comes when we stop trying to do God's work for Him.
October 15, 2026
Jess’s book is exactly what all kingdom minded women need to hear. It’s the perfect blend of practical advice and spiritual truth, and both are so meaningful and relatable. I love the theological perspective that often is missed. Jess put a lot of time, thought, and research into this amazing book. I’m so blessed that my small group is going through this and the study because everyone needs to read this. Definitely a book that makes you think, reflect, and look at things differently. (and makes you step up and out of your comfort zone) There is so much truth and wisdom packed into these pages, and I truly believe it has the potential to be life-changing for many women.
October 12, 2026
Reading this book is like taking a deep breath. Filled with Biblical truths, it shows us what true bravery is and shatters misconceptions that we need to conjure up bravery all on our own. It’s clear that Jess poured her whole heart into this book. It’s such a fresh encouragement and definitely a book I would re-read again and again.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews