Don't miss out because you're scared
can you live wondering what if?
I have a theory that Another Cinderella Story with Hilary Duff and Michael C. Murray is the best one. Not because of the great soundtrack or that slow dance in the gazebo to “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain—just so dramatic, especially for a high school romance. And not because of her locker room speech at the end, saying I won’t wait for you in this desert no more.
I never knew why that scene marked me until now.
She likes directness and intentionality—so do I.
But more than that, I think the line that made that movie kick all the others to the curb is: “Don’t let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.”
The thing is, I don’t even understand baseball, but somehow that part still hit home. Because sometimes we’re so wrapped up in our own fears—of being rejected, of failing, of being misunderstood—that we miss the chance right in front of us. And the real question is:
Could you live knowing you had a chance… and then missed it?
Can you really live with the “what if” hanging over the rest of your life?
Yes, we can be scared to do the hard thing—or obey what God has called us to do. But He never said, “Go and do this alone.” What did He tell Moses? Joshua?
He simply said: “I will be with you.”
And that promise stretches across everything—your calling, relationships, work, emotions. I will be with you. I will help you process this, if you let Me do it with you.
I’ve come to learn that obedience is something God wants to walk with us. We’ll never get to a point where life gets easy, but the Holy Spirit will empower us to do the uncomfortable when our flesh is scared, nervous, and stuck in a hesitation loop.
Like last year, I lived that reality. I used to believe that all communication had to be face-to-face. I had been postponing a conversation with a family member for months. Every time I tried doing it in person, I’d zone out and never get the words out. Or I’d start walking toward her and make a U-turn halfway there—and nothing would ever get said.
Maybe that was me self-sabotaging, disguised as “principle.”
So I finally accepted that communication can also happen through a text or a voice note. That one little step broke fear for me. Eventually, we reached a place where talking face-to-face became easy. Because those tiny acts of courage really do add up.
You don’t wake up one day suddenly brave—unfazed by rejection or misunderstanding.
But God did say, “I will be with you.”
We can surrender many areas to God, but there’s always that one thing we avoid because we’re scared. And we wait months before doing anything, forgetting that maybe the breakthrough is on the other side. Maybe the “yes” is too.
But we’ll never know if we never fully try.
And maybe that’s the whole point. Maybe we become less scared through those tiny steps—the voice note, the text, the moment where you choose not to U-turn. Maybe it’s learning to let God walk with you through that one conversation.
It really is step by step… and these are lessons I’m still learning, honestly.
Because at the end of the day, the line from the movie still stands:
“Don’t let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.”
Heart Call:
As I was with Moses, so I will be with you;
I will not leave you nor forsake you. — Joshua 1:5
“I will be with you” is a promise you can take with you too. It wasn’t just for Moses, Joshua, or the Israelites.
Where in your life have you been delaying/waiting for next time
because you’re scared?
How could you take a small step this week
knowing that God is on your side
even if you’re scared?
TIPS
If you’re having a hard time talking to someone you care about, here are a few things I've learned in 2025 and my hope is that sharing it helps you.
Pray first.
Ask God to give you the right words and the right posture.
Write down your thoughts.
What do you actually want to say? What’s your heart behind it?
Rehearse it out loud.
Yes, really. People may think you’re crazy talking to yourself, but practice help you remember. So when you get nervous, you already know what you want to say.
Record it.
Play it back and hear your tone to adjust your delivery.
Would you feel loved, seen, or respected if someone said this to you?Do it.
Whether it’s a text, a voice note, or an in-person conversation—take the step.
People are far more open and loving than we assume.
Photo Credits: Diliara Garifullina.