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.