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 →
Tag Archives: Scripture on fear
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 →
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 →
When We Give Our Fears to God: A Mother’s Journey
There are few sounds like that of a mother crying over her child. A heart-broken mother, a terrified mother, a lost, angry, confused and wounded mother holds nothing back but weeps out grief in anguished sobs that come from deep within her DNA. Where is God? How could this be His plan? The pain can so overwhelm and consume us that for an instant we feel we have lost the presence of God. Perhaps it is a shadow of how … Continue reading →
Diving into Faith: Letting Go of Fear
“Dawn, let go and jump! I’ll catch you!” I could barely hear my coach’s encouraging words above the ringing in my ears. All I could make out was the muffled sound of “Wah, wah, wah,” as he pleaded with me to take the plunge into the pool of water below. My teammates also tried coercing me, although they were not quite as patient or understanding. It was hot, and they were anxious to take a dive into the cool refreshment … Continue reading →
From Faith to Fear And Back Again
When it all falls apart “What did he say?” I turned from the newscast to the man next to me. “Crashed.” It was early fall of 2008, and I sat in Bangui, the capital city of the Central African Republic, watching the news in French. As my college French professor will attest, there is no more pointless undertaking than me doing anything in French. But the graph behind the newscaster told me all I needed to know: the US economy … Continue reading →
My Run-Out Faith
What sweet words I find in Isaiah 43. Words to remember as I travel through life. Or at least until life sweeps me off my feet. What do I do with these promises? When life is upside down and flames set every dream ablaze, are these words true? No Words Would Come Four miles from my home, I dragged myself into a hotel and reserved their last room. The sweet African American gentleman behind the desk asked if I … 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 →
