fear no more

Okay, so I'm not going to look all of these up to confirm the number, but I have spent enough time in the Bible to know that He covers fear in there. The reason I know is because I lived a great deal of my life in fear in my younger years.

In my elementary years, I spent a lot of my time being anxious, nervous, and shy. I had stomach aches constantly. My parents were very caring and prayed for me often, but I was a fearful kid. I didn't have a lot of friends. My brothers were quite a bit older than me so I really didn't have a sibling to get close to either. 

In my high school and college years, my fear turned into an anxiety disorder. It was debilitating, to say the least. It discouraged me from trying new things. I always had to have an escape route, no matter where I was. I wouldn't go to anything if I didn't have a friend with me. The fear of an attack consumed my life. Honestly, for a while there, I only drove in the slow lane of the freeway: easy escape. 

Since I couldn't figure it out on my own, God decided to teach me how to live my life with less fear. He gave me kids. When you become a parent, you no longer get to think solely of yourself. You have other beings to care for. You have to do things for them even when you don't want to or don't think you can! 

He also taught me a lot when my Dad died. I was scared of so many things, including death. But after being in the room with my Dad as he passed on to heaven, I'm not scared - heaven is going to be incredible!  And He changed my perspective on why I am here: not for myself, but for His purpose. How can I accomplish his purpose if I am being ruled by fear?

I might still have a few fears that tend to control me either out of habit or because I carry some baggage, but I am definitely a different person who no longer lets fear run her life. I follow promptings, no longer ignoring Him. I take more chances and enjoy more things in this life because I am not dominated by fear anymore. It's very freeing. 

"Do not be afraid"  - there's a lot to be afraid of these days, but the fact of the matter is God's still got it under control. He's bigger than the fear I hold onto - He's God!! 

KC