Faith Acting in the Face of Fear Pastoral Messages by Matriarch Elnette Edwards Beloved children, Courage is not the absence of fear—it's obedience in the presence of fear. It's doing what God calls you to do even when your knees are shaking and your heart is pounding. It's stepping forward when everything in you wants to step back. It's saying yes to God even when you can't see how it will work out. Every significant step of faith in my life has required courage. When God called me into ministry, I was terrified. Who was I to preach? What if I failed? What if people rejected me? When God called me to start a new work, I was afraid of financial instability and the responsibility. When God called me to confront sin in our community, I was afraid of backlash and misunderstanding. But each time, I learned that God doesn't call the equipped—He equips the called. The Bible is filled with examples of courageous faith. Think of Esther, who risked her life to approach...