I’ve been thinking a lot about the word fear. It’s an interesting word with multiple meanings. Profound reverence The noun definitions for fear describe human emotions like danger or anxiety. One definition describes a different emotion: an intense respect toward God. Not respect in an undefined deity, or the concept of some cosmic force. Not even in a human leader. Profound Reverence It refers to a “profound reverence, especially toward God.” Profound Reverance In fact, this definition of fear even … Continue reading →
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Family Camp, an idyllic location in the middle of the piney woods of East Texas where families unplug from the world and spend a week with the Lord and each other. We made plans almost a year ago to come to Family Camp. We sat on the waiting list until a few months ago, but now we are here! My family of four bursts at the seams with excitement looking at all the activities in store for us. The view … Continue reading →
How do we learn to fear? Is it ingrained in us by our parents or is there a fear gene? Maybe we get burned and become overly cautious. We can all admit fear isn’t always bad. It protects us from danger. “That lion looks hungry…” “That ledge looks narrow.” “Run, Daphne! I see a clown!” Fear insulates us from the world around us and keeps us moving when situations look grim, but it also restricts us. Maybe you’re like … Continue reading →
The dreaded F word, FEAR. It rears its ugly head often in my life even though God says, “Do not fear.” Plagued by fear of not being good enough, I have struggled with this issue due to abuse in my early childhood and young adulthood, leaving me to feel like not even God could use me. In reality, this fear manipulated me into believing Satan’s words instead of God’s. I struggled to believe God really loved me. Yes, He sent … Continue reading →
I have become a collector of hearts, but I do not collect just any hearts. They are gifts from my daughter, Danielle. Each is like a time capsule, capturing a memory from her youth. One is a foil heart. She added two colors of ink to make it extra pretty. Yet another is a heart-shaped rock she found in the garden. I still remember her squeal of delight with this discovery. She skipped to me, carrying her little rock. … Continue reading →
Read Part One here if you haven’t had a chance: Amy continues her story of God’s grace through the unburdening of a deeply guarded secret… Part One may be found here! That night, as I stood behind the couch facing my biggest fear and the single most hurtful thing I had done to my husband and my marriage, I felt the presence of the Lord. Habakkuk 3:19 NIV “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet … Continue reading →
A Baby Step of Faith
Crunching numbers has never been my strong suit. As a word person, and not a math person, I avoid it when possible. When I reflect on it, however, I realize how important numbers have been on my personal journey to faith beyond fear. Eleven years ago, I gave birth to my first daughter. When she was three, I left her overnight for the first time. It wasn’t easy being away, but it was necessary, seeing how I was at the … Continue reading →
Expected Visitor: A Devotional of Faith Beyond Fear
Expected Visitor Jenny expected a visitor, so as moonbeams danced through the curtains, she welcomed the day. She sipped cocoa, rocked in her easy chair, and thanked God for His Word. Her Bible was to her the best love-letter ever; each promise masterfully written for her. She thought about the Bible Study she attended two days ago, and how the group asked God to enable them to reach someone trapped in a cult religion. The leader prayed, “Lord Jesus, grant … Continue reading →
Prison of Shame
Prison of Shame Y’all. We all struggle with it. Most of us have been motivated by it a time or two, and if we’re honest, we’ve used it to motivate others too. It’s a silent, dark prison many of us struggle to break free from. I’m talking about shame. From its earliest appearance in the Garden of Eden, shame has been a manipulator to keep us from a relationship with God. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, their … Continue reading →
When I Run from My Fears
Runners know the inherent dangers of the sport. While we all face the possibility of injury, individual runners also grapple with location-based hazards. I’m a Florida-based runner, which means every so often, I run past signs like this one: As a friend of mine likes to point out, that sign is obviously meant for out-of-towners, because no self-respecting Floridian would willingly swim in that lake. We know while alligators do leave the water to travel, they’re not well-equipped to capture … Continue reading →
