Fear...

What is FEAR?

the dictionary says:
noun

1.a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
2.a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling: an abnormal fear of heights.
3.concern or anxiety; solicitude: a fear for someone's safety.
4.reverential awe, esp. toward God.
5.that which causes a feeling of being afraid; that of which a person is afraid: Cancer is a common fear.

Fear can be a good thing... like being fearful of God... being in awe of your Maker is a good thing.
 
But all too often fear is a bad thing because we tend to allow it to run our lives. To determine our decisions in life... some people will allow fear to overwhelm them so much that they have panic attacks... Thank God I have never had the problem. But I know people that have. It rules their lives and how they live daily. No fun. 
 
I'm not talking about the extreme fear of panic attacks, I'm talking about the fear of living your life "safe"...
to never step outside the box... to never risk anything for fear that it won't work and you'll fail. Like failure would be the worst thing to happen to you. That kind of fear.
 
Facing your fear is like showing your faith in God. If God is your center and you are living your life for Him and you fully trust God with your life and know that NOTHING is TOO big for your God, then facing your fear of failure becomes so much easier because you know that you are not alone and that God has your back.
 
I recently had a friend tell me that they think I am a Lion Chaser,  because I face my fears and go full speed ahead with life. I have the courage that it takes to do things that a lot of others sit back and think is crazy. Like divorcing the husband and leaving the nice house and the security of his income to become a single mom of four children having to provide for them on my own. I hadn't thought of doing such a move in life as courageous, but... others do. I thought of it as my only option in making my children's lives happier and to set the best example to my children. Staying in that unloving relationship was not an option for my children's sake. And all good parents want to do what's best for their children, so do I. So, I left.  Not that I didn't have some fears about providing for my children, but... I never allowed those fears to keep me from doing what I knew I wanted to do. I guess there are people out there that would prefer to take the safe path... and stay. I just know I can't do that. So, if that makes me a Lion Chaser, then... I guess that's what I am. :) 
 
I don't know any other way to live... it's just how God wired me... not to be fearful and my Daddy always told me that I can do anything I put my mind to! My Daddy was a quiet man, he didn't talk about feelings or anything like that... not until his older years... 70 or so. But I always knew my Daddy believed in me because he did tell me that. "A little elbow grease" he'd say and you can do it! "Don't listen to them" he'd say "You can do it".  Those few quiet words of believing in me made a world of difference in my life.
 
I'd be lying if I told you I don't have fears... but I don't let the fears keep me from doing great things in my life. I don't allow the fears to rule my decisions. Because I put my full faith and trust in God...and with my great big God on my side... how can I go wrong?!
 
I can do whatever I set my mind to doing!...I can because I believe in myself because my Daddy believed in me... and my Heavenly Father believes in me.
 
Reading the book a friend gave me to read... In the Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day. It's an interesting book so far. I agree with what the author has to say. I'm on Chapter 4. I'll write more on the book as I go along.
Pick up a copy and read along with me :)


I finished reading the book last week... sorry, didn't take long... an easy read which you should enjoy. I liked what the author had to say and agreed with his thoughts.

God is my refuge...

Psalm 46

1God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.

2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.

3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.

5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.

6 The nations are in chaos,
and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
and the earth melts!

7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.

9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.


IF your world seems to be crashing down around you,... if all you can do is sit back and watch as everything you have ever known is taken away... if you feel helpless in being able to control anything in your life...
You need to give it all to God and KNOW that God will protect you, that God will never leave you, God doesn't always intervene and make your world 'right', He allows life to happen, but that doesn't mean He has left you. Have faith in God and KNOW that He's watching over you and standing with you despite how your life may look. God can take the worst of situations and make them to glorify Him.
May you find comfort in knowing this truth.

Writing in the sky...

An airplane writing in the sky... that would be a great way to hear from God and have no doubts of what you are hearing... God could just answer our questions and point us in the right direction by spelling it out in the sky... life would be simple... no doubts... no questions left unanswered... no acts of faith... no need to trust... because life would be all spelled out without a doubt.... BUT... then,... how fun would that be?!  Where would the adventure in life be if all our questions were always answered, having nothing left open to think and contemplate and figure out on our own?  BORING!.... We'd be puppets. We wouldn't have minds of our own because we wouldn't need to work on using it to figure out any problems... they'd all be answered.

Now, I'm not saying that there have not been multiple times in my life that I have wanted God to give me the answers, to spell out for me what I am supposed to do, what direction I am supposed to go....but then, that wouldn't show God that I trust Him with my life totally. That wouldn't be any fun...because there is fun,  in not knowing what the future holds.   Life is an adventure!  Having the unknown in front of us is what makes it fun! 

Today, I was talking to a good friend about some decisions about my future that I need to make. One of which I had to make today. This decision wasn't a small decision, it was a life altering decision and not just my life, but my children's as well. I literally had one day to make this decision. Take the leap of faith and go with my gut or allow my left brain to step in and cause doubt?... Hum.... I did much prayer and praise and waited for God to give me the peace in my heart with the decision I was making... I took the plunge!... Because life is an adventure! Taking the 'safe' way... isn't me. Taking the adventure route, the life altering route... sign me up! Life is short and without any adventure what's the point?

So, I'd been chatting with my friend a couple times throughout the day and on the final phone call, I am home and look into the clear blue sky to see three airplanes leaving white lines behind them... and I laughed!... God could have written the answer in the sky... but instead... I took a leap of faith and put my trust in God for my future! Life is an adventure afterall!