When you hear the word “undaunted” then what images flood your mind? What key words do you associate with the word “undaunted”? Oxford Dictionary defines “undaunted” as:
“not intimidated or discouraged by difficulty, danger, or disappointment.”
I think the main thought that came to mind for me was someone who was undaunted was someone who perseveres regardless of what he/she is facing. I don’t remember how I came across Christine Cain’s name for the first time, but I do remember what I heard about her. I read that she was involved in a ministry to rescue girls from sex trafficking and that she also had aftercare programs for those girls who had suffered so much trauma. I was immediately curious about her after I learned what she was doing for those girls who so desperately needed help. How did she get involved with this? What was her life like? I already believed in her heart and her mission before I knew anything about the details of her life. The sex trafficking industry is horrendous. I wanted to know her story.
When I located her book Undaunted then I became even more excited to learn her story. Clearly, this woman who was involved in rescuing and caring for girls in the sex trafficking industry was undaunted. She just had to be. As I read through her book, I was so thankful for her authenticity which is a trait in others that I value more than I know how to express. I strive to be authentic in my own life and story. I have tried to be real even when it has upset others or separated me from some people in my life. Yes, those times have been hurtful, but I still believe in sharing our story and bringing others along on our journey. I was delighted throughout Christine’s book to find that she was telling her story in the same way. She was honest and real about her experiences, her struggles, her pain, and her joy.
Christine shared her own hurt and pain of finding out that she was adopted as an adult. As I read her words as she processed her feelings on being given up as a baby, then I was taken back to precious kids that I had met through the years that had struggled with the same questions. They battled with rejection and worth because of a decision that their biological parents made that had nothing to do with their worth. Yet, it was a battle they had to work through. I wanted those precious souls to know that they were “chosen” by their adopted families. A beautiful quote that she shared in her book regarding her own adoption was this:
“Even though I only just found out that I was adopted, God has always known, and He has always loved me. And since that has never changed, therefore nothing has essentially changed. I may not be who I thought I was, but I still am who He says I am. I am more. I am loved. I am His.”
It was a truly beautiful process to watch how she worked through her feelings and thoughts. She was so real in her writing about how finding out that she was adopted affected her. She shared the pain that the abandonment brought her and how thankful she was for her adopted family who chose her. She also gives us glimpses into the abuse that she went through as she grew up. She shares her fears and effects from the trauma that she endured. Even though she has had fears and shares about them throughout her story she stands in her faith and marches on in the midst of tremendous opposition and discouragement. She is living undaunted. I loved when she shared…
“God deliberately chooses imperfect vessels-those who have been wounded, those with physical or emotional limitations. Then He prepares them to serve and sends them out with their weakness still in evidence, so that His strength can be made perfect in that weakness.”
It was beyond moving to hear how her heart became burdened for these imprisoned girls trapped in sex trafficking. It was inspiring to witness her fight to rescue each girl that she was able to. I loved her story. I was thankful for her realness. I was in awe of her passion and commitment. As she shared about her burden of rescuing those girls she said:
“It is one thing to be awakened to injustice and quite another to be willing to be inconvenienced and interrupted to do something about it.”
As she continued to share her heart and passion for those in need she challenged us all to action for those in need as she declared:
“When someone is trapped in a burning building, you don’t try to work out what caused the fire and then decide whether the people inside get your sympathy. When people are in danger of burning up, you rush to save them. Especially if you remember how much it hurts to be burned.”
Throughout her book, she encourages us to make a difference in the lives of others and to answer the calling that is on each of our individual lives. I felt so encouraged and challenged as I read her book. As I continued reading, I loved the wonderful examples she provided of what lessons she has learned that were crucial in making a difference in the lives of so many girls.
Recently, I discovered her 30-minute television shows on the Hillsong channel where she teaches lessons from The Bible and from her life of faith. Christine is an inspiring woman who I thank God for. I thank Him for equipping her, strengthening her, and using her in such powerful ways.
Her words are so encouraging as she shares some of her own personal disappointments. She encourages us not to let those disappointments in our own lives, regardless of what they are, keep us from moving forward and pressing on even in the midst of pain and heartache.
It is definitely one of my goals for my two daughters and I to be able to live in a way where we keep walking forward even in the midst of much hurt and pain. After my husband died from a work related accident in August 2011 and my only 18 year old son was instantly killed in a car accident in June of 2013, then I definitely have had moments and seasons where I felt so consumed by pain that I did not know how I was going to keep moving forward in my life. I know that my determination to give my daughters my best regardless of how I was feeling was truly heaven sent. This determination has been truly a priceless gift from The loving heart of God.
Christine also openly shares the heartbreak that she and her husband went through after the loss of their baby. She shares the importance of community and how her church family surrounded her and her husband in love. She openly shares her experiences of being in church with the praise songs and how she felt empty and broken as she tried to lift her voice to praise The Lord. I absolutely loved her section on the appointments in our disappointments. She shares how the word appointments comes out of the word disappointments and how important it is that we keep these appointments even when we are in the midst of so much pain and hurt.
She shares “undaunted faith didn’t mean I was denying the reality of my fears or my circumstances. But it did mean that I was determined to keep moving one step at a time despite the anxiety and fear that kept knocking at my heart’s door.”
Christine declared “something powerful is transferred from one person to another when fear is not allowed to rule their heart.”
I want to live undaunted. I want to live a life of courage and resolution. This is how I want to live, do you? Do you want to stand up to the fear and anxiety that may have previously paralyzed you or kept you from doing your best or living your life to the fullest?
Christine said, “God is able to take the mess of our past and turn it into a message. He takes the trials and tests and turns them into a testimony.”
I remember after my son died and how I would feel paralyzed in fear anytime my two daughters were in a vehicle or were driving. I knew that I could not live my life like this. I did not want my daughters to have my fear and anxiety affect them or to limit them. After all, they already had their own fears and anxieties to work through. My oldest daughter Kylee thought she was going to be next in our family to die and did not feel hopeful for her future. My baby girl MiKayla often felt paralyzed by her own fears that she was being plagued by. Thankfully, I can honestly share with all of you today that we have made tremendous progress. Christine shared that these fears still did sometimes surface their ugly heads or try to capture us in their vice-like grip. However, as we continue to place our hope and trust in God and to choose to capture that fear and those anxious thoughts then we can continue to do our best to live undaunted. The girls and I do not want fear and anxiety to rule our lives. God’s grace is continuing to strengthen us in this. Instead, we can spend our lives serving others in love and compassion. Thankfully, we can have hope and joy in our hearts even as we continue to miss our guys that we lost.
“Rebuffed, but always persevering; self-reproached, but ever regaining faith; undaunted, tenacious, the heart of man labors toward immeasurably distant goals.” Helen Keller
“I believe success is achieved by ordinary people with extraordinary determination.” Zig Ziglar
It is our prayer that whatever may be causing you fear, anxiety, discouragement, or other issues that you would be able to keep moving forward in your own life. We pray that no matter what difficulty, pain, danger, or disappointment that you may be facing that you will be able to live your own life UNDAUNTED just as we hope to. May we NOT be discouraged or disappointed by whatever we are facing. May we press on in service and compassion for others. We are praying and cheering you on as you join us!! Thank you for journeying with the girls and I! We love and appreciate each one of you!!
#noexcusesnoregrets
#ourjourneycontinues
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