The Word That Comforts

On Monday, my back was a little sore, yesterday it really hurt. After not being able to get comfortable while laying down, and getting little sleep because of it, my back is aching today. I am only in my mid 40’s, but am feeling much older today…at least my lower back is. I have no idea what I did to cause this. I am spending my time puttering around the house today, doing a little of this and a little of that. It feels better to stand than to sit, so I will stay at least moderately busy.

Sitting here at the kitchen table, while typing, is starting to hurt….so, instead of spending my normal amount of time blogging, today I leave you one of my former posts. The words are comforting in a world that is ever changing.

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God Is Already There

 

 

 

We live in uncertain times. There are plenty of anxious

moments to go around. Fear of the unknown runs rampant.

The questions of daily life can loom large, leaving us wondering what tomorrow will hold?

Most of us, unless you are the daredevil, fly by the seat of your pants type, like some security.

We like to know there is some stability in this ever changing world we live in…

When desperation drives us to our knees…

When the hurting parts of life seem to painful to bear…

We want to not fear what tomorrow holds.

And The Word is strong and true…it leaps, alive, off the page.

Fear can be replaced with courage. Anxiousness can be replaced with calm assurance.

Not to worry about the future…

God is already there.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leaveyou nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?  Psalm 56:3-4NIV

Cold Fear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are things in this life that scare me.

Terrify me.

The kind of fear that grips the heart and won’t let go.

I’m not talking about being scared of the dark, closed in places, or spiders.

Real fear. Things that are out of my control and that I can’t do anything to change.

Understanding God’s sovereignty, but….

spending time begging God for His mercy.

Tears. On my knees. Broken by what may be…

I struggle with keeping the fear pushed back, pushed down. Maybe if I ignore it…it will not happen.

It might go away.

Or not. It really might not. My emotion chokes me with the realization.

What if one day I am forced to come face to face with my worst fear?

I stand helpless and petrified with even the thought of it.

My heart beats faster, tears well up…. Oh, God!

God is here now. If it happens, God will be there then. God knows, oh how He knows.

When I buckle under, He will lift me up.

It is He that understands, when I can’t even put my thoughts and fears into words.

When I cry out, He hears.

He wipes my tears and stands before me.

I do not face this fear alone. He is with me.

 

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? …..Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?……Romans 8:31. 35 ESV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:37-39 ESV

 

Learning To Be Fearless

I watch the movies. I see the TV shows. The bad guys are caught. The monsters are slayed. No one has to live in fear because the story line is usually wrapped up within the hour. If only life were that easy. If only the things that we fear, could be locked away…

Life isn’t that simple, is it?

Some fears aren’t founded in reality.

Spiders aren’t really out to get me. They will not suck my blood when I fall asleep.

Mice are a dirty nuisance, but they will not kill me.

Nothing is going to jump out at me in the dark, if I’m standing in my front yard after the sun sets.

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But, some fears are real.

A friend who is losing her young husband to early onset Alzheimers, and living each day with the insidious way the disease robs him of his life. Fearing what the future will hold.

The phone call saying that you’ve been terminated…your position isn’t necessary anymore…and you have bills to pay. Fearing you will lose it all.

The decisions that need to be made. Moving to a new house? A new area? New friends? Fearing making the wrong choice.

The car crash. Mangled metal and a phone call from the police.Your heart pounding, fearing the worst.

The abuse from one who claimed to love you.The words ring hollow when the hand comes down. Fearing that it will never get any better…..

The one who talked behind your back with words that sliced through your soul like a knife. Fearing that you are unlovable.

The young man who fears what his future will hold when he watches the nightly news.

Fear is that feeling in the pit of one’s stomach. The knot that won’t go away. The frenzied feeling of being trapped. The questioning. The anger. The hopelessness.

As a mother, my biggest fear is that something would happen to my children. Something that I couldn’t fix, or heal, or mend. Helpless.

Sometimes fearful thoughts run over me like the icy coldness of a river in early Spring. The water is so cold it stings…and then I go numb.

And I know that this world, this life, is filled to the brim with the icy flow of fear.

The white knuckled grip of fear and the involuntary squeezing shut of the eyes….if it’s not seen…maybe it doesn’t exist.

And the breaths are long and ragged and we shove our head above the turbulent waves, yelling for someone to help. To help us not be scared.

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Jesus told us there would be trouble. He never said life would be easy. In this broken world we are forced to deal with the unpleasant and the unrelenting.

I wonder how Jesus felt when he stood in the garden of Gethsemane….praying….waiting….knowing. Knowing that the soldiers would be there soon, to take him away. In the moments before His arrest, He could have run away. I’m sure the human part of Him had some fear for what lay ahead. His friends were half asleep, even at this important time, when He needed them. He knew He’d go alone.

The sham of a trial with the verdict of execution. “Crucify him! Crucify him!” ringing in His ears.

The ripping of His flesh, from a whip that showed no mercy. I believe fear found its way into His heart as He took the pain.

Nailed to wood. Bones crunching. Tendons tearing. Shallow breathing.

All the sin of the world on Him. Covered in our fear, our hate, our selfishness. Vile, dark, and ominous.

He suffered. Make no mistake about it. It wasn’t clean, it wasn’t pretty. It was horrible.

And yet, Jesus died. Him, perfect. Blameless. That cross built a bridge to The Father. For you. For me. Forever.

Three days later, Jesus came back. Fear could not hold him.  Death could not conquer Him.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

Fear is real….no doubt about it.

Anyone who has lived for any amount of time, knows the feeling.

And yet, those of us who know the Lord can fight fear.

We can be fearless before the things of this world, because we know the One who has gone ahead of us, who has overcome. He fought the battle and He won.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  Psalm 118:6 NIV

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

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God Is Already There

We live in uncertain times. There are plenty of anxious moments to go around. Fear of the unknown runs rampant.

The questions of daily life can loom large, leaving us wondering what tomorrow will hold?

Most of us, unless you are the daredevil, fly by the seat of your pants type, like some security.

We like to know there is some stability in this ever changing world we live in…

When desperation drives us to our knees…

When the hurting parts of life seem to painful to bear…

We want to not fear what tomorrow holds.

And The Word is strong and true…it leaps, alive, off the page.

Fear can be replaced with courage. Anxiousness can be replaced with calm assurance.

Not to worry about the future…

God is already there.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?  Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

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Giving thanks today, for:

* another Monday

* having property in the country

* long drives

* ice cream

* snuggling with my husband while we watch a movie

* goodnight hugs

* teaching

* reading about chickens (we will be getting some)

* 50 degree weather in February

* sparkly earrings

* knowing that my future is in God’s hands

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Facing The Fear

The day starts as any other.

The routine is comfortable.

I know what to expect.

Knowing what to expect…that is important to me.

I cannot control everything. I try. I fail.

And it scares me.

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I stood in the living room, vacuuming the carpet….back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

My husband was dying. He wasn’t going to live to be an old man.

My son’s father would not be there to see him grow up.

My soul gripped tight. Knuckles white with the fear of it.

Control slipped through my fingers like water through a sieve.

I was exhausted.

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I hung up the phone after hearing the words….

“Your father is dead.”

The details didn’t matter.

My heart was heavy.

As much as I wanted control, it wasn’t mine to have.

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Fear and Faith.

I am not too proud to admit that I struggle. Even still…

I long for security and control. Sometimes I try and grip it too tightly…until it hurts.

Even though I continue on with my life, there is that dark thought that tries to live within me.

The question, “What if?” What if something happens to my now husband?  What if something happens to my children? What if my family members are hurt?

Living in that question… always brings fear.

When the dark fear of  loss wells up in me, when I’m unable to voice what sometimes grips my heart…

I am reminded of the One, the only one, who can calm my soul, and bind the fear when it threatens to overwhelm.

Faith takes the place of fear.

Faith in Him who casts out all fear.

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For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7  NIV

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. (Psalm 145: 18-19)

These words are a balm to a tired spirit. He gives rest to me…

and His grip on me is far stronger than any fear I might have.

Thank you, Jesus.

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Stamped With The Words…Fear Not

Image via Wikipedia

The ring is silver. I wear it on the middle finger of my right hand.

It is stamped with the words…

FEAR NOT

I’ve had this ring for quite awhile, and to be honest I don’t even remember when or where I actually got it.

I look down at my ring often…  reading the words imprinted on it…learning to imprint those same words

on my heart.

A reminder.

A proclamation.

Hope.

“Fear not, for I am with you;
      Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
      I will strengthen you,
      Yes, I will help you,
      I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10  NKJV

On days when fear threatens to overwhelm me… when I’m not sure how it’s all going to work out.

When doubt creeps in and moments can seem overwhelming…I am reminded.

To fear not!

My hope is in the One who has already overcome the world.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”             John 16:33  NIV

He has overcome fear, to bring me hope.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

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How do you practice hope?

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For A Season

Ecclesiastes 3

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens

. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

I became comfortable in my life. There was a certain predictability, that brought not boredom to me, but security. I grasped hard. I wanted to hold on to what is…scared of what might be.

Fear does horrible things to a human heart.

It paralyzes. It cowers. It handicaps.

The grip of fear made me timid. It limited me.

Instead of stepping out into God’s plan, in confidence, I stayed back in the shadows. Unsure.

I needed to loosen my grip…and let it go.

My husband lost his job of nearly 23 years. It was no fault of his own. That is what made the news so much more difficult. I hated the economy. I hated the company’s decision, handed down my executives that didn’t even know us. I hated the change that swept over us like a dark wave of the ocean…we were drowning.

My grip tightened. My knuckles were white from the death grip I had placed on my life.

NO, God! NO!

I resorted to begging. Crying. Pleading.

Fear, it is a terrible thing. It preyed on me, like a wild animal. It wanted to devour me, to destroy me…..and I was letting it.

I’m not exactly sure when the change happened. I’m sure it was months into the unemployment, my working part time substitute teaching, with the help of family and friends. Never once did we miss a bill. We finished building the house we were right in the middle of constructing, when my husband lost his job.

I realized that things did work out for us. Life was not what it had been, but we were (and are) okay.

It might not have.

God spoke to my heart. No, not in an audible voice. And no, I was not having a break down. His Word echoed over the waves of the ocean, that were crashing all around me.

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

God did not want me to have fear of the unknown…He wanted me to trust. Trust Him. Trust Him and let it go. Let go of the fear.

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

My security never came from things. Never from a steady paycheck. Never from money in the bank. Never from paying bills. Or being able to go out to eat on a whim. Never from knowing what each day held on the calendar.

My security was, and is, always in HIM. I had known this….but, it took a job loss…the strain…..the not knowing…..to be reminded.

Phil 4:19………”And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Mt 6:8…………”your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Ps 34:10……….”…those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.”

I continue to stumble, but I am learning to let go…..

 

This week we are discussing “Letting Go” over at, A Holy Experience. Click on the WALK WITH HIM WEDNESDAY graphic on my right side bar, to read more!

 

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Living Life, Fully In The Moment

Image by doug88888 via Flickr

We all struggle in this life.

I, along with you, want to live life fully…but, I confess I don’t know how on most days. I am a failed perfectionist. I like my life to be ordered and understandable. How many opportunities have I missed because they didn’t fit in my schedule? I hadn’t penned them in my Daytimer? I was too busy to slow down, and with that I missed some of God‘s most extraordinary moments for me. Although my life here on earth will never be perfect, and even though I mess up on a daily basis, God remains gracious. He gives me more opportunities to slow down and communicate with Him. More than I deserve.

Sometimes the day to day living gets in my way. My eyes are too eagerly set on my plans for tomorrow, to stop and enjoy the exquisiteness of today. I often times forget that I am but a pilgrim on this journey. This place is not my home. I was created for something so much more. God knows this. He reminds me of it, if I will only take the time to stop and really see…… to see His moments.

As much as I enjoy the beauty of this world, I am aware that this world is just a shadow of what is to come. In my quieter times, this thought crosses my mind. My breath catches in my throat and my eyes tear up as I contemplate what that truly means.

How many of us dare to live fully? I’m not talking about risk taking, or defying rules. I’m talking about slowing down enough to savor the wonderful gifts that God chooses to give us. To fully appreciate the joy of each day, regardless of the weather, how much money is in the bank, or whether or not  everything is checked off on the to do list. When was it that we fell asleep at the wheel?

Do you understand that life is really not about those  lists of things? Do you really? If you are like me, you say you do, but so many times I know I don’t truly comprehend the depth of it. So many times I rush head long into the day, never looking back, and then before I know it, it is time to go to bed. Where was the enjoyment? The abundance? The moments?  Oh, they were there. I was just blind to them.

When I think about that….it makes me cry. How many years have I wasted in my rush to the finish line? How much of  what God  offers, have I chosen to ignore?

Ann Voskamp, author of ONE THOUSAND GIFTS: A DARE TO LIVE FULLY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, says this:

Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

Open your eyes to ordinary amazing grace. Life is sometimes dark, gritty, and tough, so how in the world do you find joy? How do you live really, fully alive? How do you see what God is providing right here? How do you find God?

 

The In Courage group is starting a book club. I think I’m going to join because I need the challenge. The dare. To live a full life. Will you join me?

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