Fear, Terror and Doubt

Fear. Doubt. Unknown. These three feelings can tear down and remove truth. The things I *know* to be true. I find myself entering theaters, stores, etc. looking for escape routes, imaging how I would react in a life or death situation. But you see, preparing is not the problem, fixating on it *is*. When I look too long at the "what ifs", I've allowed myself to look away from "what IS".

JESUS.

He goes before us. Each and every one of us will leave this earth one day. The how, when and why should never be our fixation. As the world grows darker, evil all around, our eyes should continually be looking to The LORD, seeking to do all HE'S called us to do in the short amount of time we're here, leading lost, hurting and broken souls to CHRIST. My main focus should *always* be to walk out steps of Faith in Love. Praying...looking to be HIS Hands and Feet to all I meet. No matter what! Never shrinking back, trusting daily in where HE is leading. And if I'm called home under tragic circumstances, I will be at rest in the Presence of my LORD and SAVIOR. 

My heart aches for all the family members of those lost in the San Bernardino shooting. Having experienced the loss of loved ones under different, yet tragic circumstances, I can relate to the pain and heartache. I continually pray for them. I lay them at The LORD'S feet daily and ask HIM to flood them with Comfort. 

Join me in Praying. Join me in choosing to be fearless in showing/sharing *The Love of CHRIST* over all else. The *Knowledge of Truth* over anything and everything that comes our way! 

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"~John 1:29

Do You Fall Prey To Crashing Emotions?

It was hard to swallow. Something wasn't right. I felt achy, tired and couldn't breathe. I knew my body was trying to fight off an impending attack. I began to load up on extra vitamins...trying to offer a counterattack to boost the unseen battle raging within. 

But what of the unseen daily battles of emotional attacks? Worry. Fear. Stress. Anxiety. Doubt. Depression. Pain. 

Why am I slow in defending against these often debilitating emotions?

I know immediately when I get that sinking feeling...when something's just not right. Why do I not run as quickly to what I know will offer a counterattack? I know what's lacking. 

Life has a way of throwing unexpected trials at me. Too often I let the emotions fester. They begin to overtake and the issue/problem becomes larger than I can bear. I fall prey to my crashing emotions.

The cure is swifter than any vitamins I may take for a physical illness. The affect of The LORD'S truth over my emotions is miraculous; all encompassing, unending in it's healing power.

So why do I wait to call to Him?

To Pray?

To read the Bible?

Why do I choose to sit alone and wallow in it?

Lord, today please help me to look to YOU First; spending time alone in YOUR Presence as YOU reveal truth to my soul...my heart...my emotions. Draw me close to YOU as YOU guide my way. Let my heart be filled with the knowledge of YOUR Truth & Light. Do not let me sit in the lies of crashing emotions. "YOUR rod and YOUR staff they comfort me." I say these things, in the name of my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, Amen. 

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
Psalm 23:4

"For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” 
Jeremiah 31:25

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"
Jeremiah 32:27

"Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth."
Jeremiah 33:6

Is Life's Bokeh Stealing Your Attention?

Lord, open my eyes to see You more clearly. To see the blessings. To see the love. To see You in the midst of trials, weariness, worry, anxiety...always to see You first. Let all other things fade, become less clear, like the bokeh on my new camera lens. Bokeh: a word mentioned often in photography. Something to strive to achieve in pictures. Bokeh, "the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the image; the out of focus areas in an image around the subject."

When I look to You Lord, You are teaching me to achieve the aesthetic quality of life. To blur out all struggles and strife around me and focus on You. First. Always first. Then and only then can I see the truth of Your life giving, life guiding, life saving love. I can be sure that You are taking care of the blurry areas of my life by focusing on Your clear image of love for me. Thank You Lord, in Jesus' name, Amen.

"Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!" Psalm 105:4

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:25-26 & 33

My Fear and Doubt

I often doubt myself, question whether I'm capable, good enough, and strong enough to do all that the Lord is prompting me to do. I question my abilities. In the areas I'm lacking, I feel the enemy constantly attacking me. One moment I feel confident and capable, knowing that if God is for me, who can be against me. "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31 (NIV) His strength and power is able to overcome my weaknesses. And then on other days, the enemy seems to be working overtime in the areas God is trying to free me up in.

I know that doubt, worry, anxiety and fear are not of the Lord. I know that when these feelings are overtaking me, I need to run to the Lord, open up His Word and fill up with truth to overcome the emotional manipulation of my human nature and the enemy. The Lord has a plan for each one of us. He does not expect us to feel 100% confident when He calls us, He just asks us to be available; available to allow Him to work in us and through us. We need to remember, even Moses felt inadequate when the Lord called him, "Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue. The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”  But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Exodus 4:10-13 (NIV). He didn't speak well and yet the Lord was asking him to speak not only to the Pharaoh but the entire people of Israel. The Lord knew his worry, fear and doubt in his inadequacies and short comings. He still required Moses to lead, trust and rely on God because in his own abilities, he fell short in every way.

God often uses weak and unqualified people because of their humbleness. God knows that when His Glory shines through, people will get a glimpse of HIS great power, faithfulness and love. He works in and through open and willing vessels (people). If you're going through a season in life where change can feel overwhelming, remember that God is bigger than anything you face. He is attempting to do a work in your life. Do not shrink back. Move forward in HIM. He is wanting to show and shine His love and greatness in you. Trust in His ability to move the mountains, to calm the sea, to give you His words and wisdom. Stand in faith and watch Him work, letting go of fear and doubt. Let God work!

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

A DEVASTATING LESSON

 Daul Kim-Swarovski Campaign by Sofia and Mauro

On November 19th, 2009 I awoke to something devastating. It began a year prior, when I started following Daul, a famous Korean Fashion Model's Blog. She was not only beautiful, but very intelligent, honest, witty, sarcastic & artistic. All the qualities that make for an interesting read, not to mention, I loved her catch phrase, "Say hi to..." As time went by, her posts took a darker turn. She talked about depression and insomnia. I often left upbeat comments and felt a "tug at my heart" to 'talk' to her about the Lord, but I didn't want to seem too "preachy."

On November 18, 2009, I clicked on her post, "Say hi to...Forever." It was a You Tube techno video of her favorite band. I started to leave a comment, but then erased it...I wasn't sure what to say. The next day I saw a news post, she was found dead in her Paris apartment. I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. I cried. In her anguish & despair she'd taken her life at only 20 years old.

I vowed never again to waste an opportunity to share the healing power of my Savior's love with someone. To never let the fear of rejection or the opinion of others stand in the way of sharing Christ's life saving, life changing, gift. The Lord put it on my heart & I'd ignored the prompting. It was a heart wrenching lesson for me.

Several months later, a young girl from Malaysia began following my Blog via...Daul's Blog. When I clicked on her site, the title read, "I often think of suicide." I couldn't believe I was getting another chance to share! Her posts talked of her deep depression. I began to pray for the Lord's words and not mine before responding to her. I added her to our church prayer list. Over the past year we have become very close & she calls me her, "American Mama." Through Heavenly Father's Restorative Love, she no longer talks about suicide, and is able to see purpose in her life. Her Blog title now reads, "A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose, a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve." 

Don't waste an opportunity that Heavenly Father puts before you due to fear or rejection. Trust in the Lord. Ask for His words & guidance in the situation. Be willing to allow Him to use you!

"And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though the briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you son of man, listen to what I say to you. do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."

Ezekiel 2:6-8

And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." For this is what the high and lofty One says-he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."

Isaiah 57:14-15

But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 
"Now, I have put my words in your mouth." 
Jeremiah 1:7-9


"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them."
Jeremiah 1:17

The Worry Table

In my daily "God's Little Devotional Journal" which I LOVE, I read this the other day and thought, "This is perfect for not just me, but everyone." So take a moment to see if you can relate.

The Worry Table

A military chaplain once drew up a worry table based upon the problems men and women had brought to him through his years of service. He found their worries fit into the following categories:

~ Worries about things that never happened-
40 percent.

~ Worries about past, unchangeable decisions-
30 percent.

~ Worries about illness that never happened-
12 percent.

~ Worries about adult children and friends (who were able to take care of themselves)-
10 percent.

~Worries about real problems-
8 percent.

According to his chart, 92 percent of all our worries are about things we can't control - things that are better left to God. The truths is, anxiety is rooted in a failure to trust God.

We simply don't believe He is big enough, or cares enough, to help with our problems, give us the desires of our hearts, and give us complete peace.

Once we know God's character, we can easily see how we worry for nothing most of the time. God is more than big enough and cares more than enough to help us, bless us, and protect us. Give your worries to Him, and He will replace them with His peace.

Note: I've suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Why Worry?

By: Lisa Petrarca

Recently I was thinking back on all the times in my life that I've worried. So many things that I've spent hours, weeks, months, and even years thinking about. Trying to figure out how I might fix each and every situation. I even thought of ways that I could get out of problems that I might face in the future. It was overwhelming to my senses, putting my feelings and emotions on high alert. The worry consumed my day, each nerve exposed, living on the surface, exploding time and time again throughout my daily activities. It wouldn't take much to send me into a frenzy. If I wasn't worrying about my life, then I worried about other people.

Worry became a Badge of Honor. I was strategizing and preparing for whatever was thrown at me so I would never be caught off guard. Worrying about others made me feel like a caring and good friend. I was trapped behind this false pretense.

Worry is a trap, a trick of the enemy. It keeps our minds so busy and overwhelmed that we can see nothing but the problems. We forget to pray and turn EVERYTHING over to the Lord and let Him handle it. We forget to trust and have faith that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He has given us a promise, all we have to do is LET GO. It is scary, but you've tried handling things yourself and you continue to feel stress, anxiety, disappointment and fear. LET GO, turn every single care and worry over to the Lord. You will find peace in every area of your life, no matter how difficult the situation. He is waiting and asking, "Why worry, I'm here to help you, let Me carry your burdens."

Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7

A Child Like Faith

by: Lisa Petrarca

Remember when you were young? The days were filled with laughter and joy. The cares of yesterday and tomorrow never seemed to matter. We lived in the moment...finding satisfaction in the small simple things of life. God wants us to live with the same child like faith of our youth. He wants us to stop worrying about things we cannot change. This only brings stress and anxiety, which eventually leads to illness, sadness, anger and frustration. But it NEVER changes a thing. When you feel overwhelmed take it to your Father in Heaven and ask Him to fill your heart with His peace. He wants you to find the joy of your youth...this will free you up mentally to follow Christ's example.

JOY IN THE SIMPLE THINGS- (photos by Lisa Petrarca)

There are several examples of complete Faith in the Bible:

Abraham-Had faith that God would give him a child at the age of 101 even though his body was as good as dead and his wife Sarah's womb was dead. (Roman's 4:20-22 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness.")

The Bleeding Woman- Had faith that she would be healed if she only touched Jesus' cloak. (Matthew 9:19-22 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.)

Noah-Built the Ark even though everyone thought he was crazy...he had faith in God's word and followed through.

Moses- Had faith to guide the Israelites out of slavery and captivity, parting the Red Sea...he trusted God.

David- Had faith that he could defeat Goliath with his slingshot because he trusted the Lord.

The Bible is filled with story's of Faith. If you need some encouragement to let go and start living with child like faith and joy, pray and ask for HIS help. Let Him speak to you through His written word. TRUST YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN!