Fearless Graffiti: Marking Your Territory in High Places

There are a few things you can only truly understand if you grew up breathing that New York City air. The subways, the hustle, the gypsy cabs, the bodegas, and the undeniable audacity of the graffiti artists. I’m talking about the ones whose work you’d see driving down the Grand Central or the Jackie Robison (the parkway with the hard turn exit we all lost a hub cap or cracked a rim on - iykyk); their tags spray-painted across water towers, bridges, or the very top ledges of project buildings.

You’d look up and wonder: How did they even get up there? These artists climbed into the weirdest, most dangerous, highest places, risking everything just to put their name where it couldn't be ignored. That image always stuck with me, and it wasn’t just about the art and creative expression; it was about the fearlessness.

For years, that graffiti symbolized the kind of boldness I craved in my career structure and professional life. The high places, the executive suites, the boardrooms, the leadership roles, feel just as precarious and dangerous as a narrow ledge 15 stories up. And my desire wasn't just to be in the room; it was to mark my name on the wall, permanently.

But marking your territory in high places requires you to confront fear head-on. The fear of failure, the fear of exposure, and the ever-present anxiety that comes with doing things that no one in your immediate circle has done before. I realized that my corporate climb, my entrepreneurial leaps, and my desire to fulfill what God has called me to do are all just spiritual acts of "fearless graffiti."

My struggle has always been getting out of the "safe zone" and trusting the ascent. Fear will tell you the height is too great, the risk is too high, and the fall will be too painful. That’s why those graffiti artists are such a powerful spiritual metaphor: they had to believe their vision was worth the climb, and they had to trust their grip.

In this season of Chapter 40+, I'm learning to stop letting fear paralyze me at the base of the wall. When I look up at the high places God has promised me, whether it’s in ministry, writing, or in love, I am reminded that boldness is a necessary precursor to blessing.

This is the promise that cancels the fear of falling: God doesn't just promise to protect us; He commands protection for us in all our ways, including the high, scary ones. My job isn't to worry about the fall; it's to have the audacity to make the climb.

Gems, where is your fear keeping you grounded? What high place, that dream job, that business launch, that new book, that new ministry, are you refusing to climb because you're worried about the stability of the ledge?

The "fearless graffiti" mindset is this: You have a God-given name and message that needs to be put in a place of influence. Don't worry about who is watching you climb, or who might try to paint over your work later. Focus on the mark. Have the audacity to risk it all for the vision God gave you, and put your name where it can inspire everyone looking up.

Continue to write your story, one healing page at a time... QP