isibindi: courage at the doorway to abundance

This fall, Kristen’s daughter Emma stepped into kindergarten. Like so many little ones beginning school, her first days were a swirl of excitement and hesitation. Each morning she gripped her mom’s hand a little tighter, weighing whether she could let go and cross the threshold into her classroom.

During her first week of school, Emma was placed in the House of Isibindi. Her teachers explained that this was a special house name, drawn from the Zulu word meaning courage. At her school (and in schools across the country that have adopted the Ron Clark Academy house system) Isibindi represents boldness, resilience, and the strength to move forward even when fear whispers otherwise.

For Emma, isibindi looked like loosening her grip on her mom’s hand and walking into her classroom. For us, her story becomes a living parable of the kind of courage God calls us into every day.

the deeper meaning of isibindi

In Zulu culture, isibindi has always meant more than mere bravery. It carries the weight of community. It is the courage not only to act for yourself but to rise for others: to protect, to endure, to sustain. Historically, Zulu warriors embodied isibindi as they defended their people. But in everyday life, isibindi is about perseverance in hardship, standing firm in truth, and showing strength when others need you to.

Emma’s small act of courage echoes that truth. Her decision to take one step into her classroom built courage not only in her own heart, but also in her classmates and family who were watching. Her courage became communal.

courage as the root of abundance

In our Abundance mission, we remind leaders that fullness of life doesn’t come through striving or scarcity: it comes through alignment with God’s presence and promises. But stepping into that abundance always requires courage.

• Courage to say no to hustle and yes to rest.

• Courage to believe God’s provision is enough.

• Courage to trust His presence when we can’t see the whole path.

  
  

This echoes the call we hear in Scripture:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Abundance is never a passive gift: it is always discovered by stepping forward with courage into God’s enough-ness.

connecting to into the deep meditations

Emma’s story resonates with the Into the Deep meditations we’ve shared in Abundance. In the Abraham reflections, we are reminded that God’s promises rest not on our “I can” but on His “I will.” Abraham didn’t know the full map: he simply had the courage to step into the unknown, trusting God’s provision along the way.

Emma’s kindergarten courage mirrors that. She didn’t need the whole plan...just the next step, one doorway at a time. That’s the heart of abundance: courage to surrender outcomes and believe that God’s promise is enough.

The Garden meditations speak of shifting from striving into resting, from fear into trust. That’s exactly what Emma lived in her tiny moment of letting go. Courage was not about eliminating fear but about resting in an unseen presence that was already with her. Her courage becomes a model of holy surrender: stepping forward while leaning wholly on God’s nearness.

thresholds of courage

Thresholds come in many forms: a classroom door, a difficult conversation, a new season of leadership, or a moment of choosing rest over productivity. Each one requires isibindi. Each one calls us to trust that God’s presence is enough on the other side.

When we talk about abundance, we often imagine overflowing harvests and peaceful rhythms. But the doorway to that life is courage. Without courage, we retreat to scarcity, fear, and striving. With courage, we step into God’s fullness.

Emma’s story is a reminder that abundance is never abstract. It is discovered in everyday thresholds—the places where our hearts tremble, and yet we trust.

closing reflection

May Emma’s courage at the kindergarten door remind us all that abundance begins not with having everything, but with trusting God enough to take the next brave step. Whether your threshold is a classroom, a workplace, a hospital room, or a quiet decision no one else sees, remember this: abundance is waiting on the other side of isibindi.