Last week my sister called to tell me that she’d gotten an urgent call from the school nurse. The bad news- Her son had gotten choked on a piece of apple. The great news- the nurse was able to successfully do the Heimlich maneuver and he was going to be fine.
I must admit, instantly when I heard the word “choked” my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don’t end with, “and he’s going to be fine.”
When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened.
Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the what if questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time.
Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.
So, I pray. I read God’s truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.
The minute those fears start to creep in and haunt my heart, I repeat this cycle. Does it mean that nothing bad will ever happen to my children? No. Does it mean that my heart can finally find peace past the fears that could consume me. Yes.
The next time you find yourself being pulled into fear, try these steps:
Pray-
Pray honestly to God telling Him what you are afraid of and ask Him to help you not live in this fear. Ask Him for his protection over whatever you fear. But also ask God to fill your heart with the rich blessing of His perspectives so that no matter what, you will be reassured.
Read God’s Truths-
On the same day my nephew had that choking incident in school, I had read an amazing verse that I tucked in my heart. Who knew I would need it that very day? God did. Here’s the verse: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:10).
Do my children really have guardian angels? I was always hesitant to think this because it seemed mystical and new age-ish. But here it is in God’s Word! Not only do my children have a guardian angel that has direct access to God but because I am a child of God, I must have one as well! Think about this for a minute. God has assigned an angel to guard over our children and us every minute of every day. And there is never a second where God does not know what is going on with us. Knowing this, we are ready for what we must do next.
Verbalize My Trust in Him-Isaiah 54:10 reminds us, “ ‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”
God’s love is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. Pause for a minute and let’s state that profound truth again. God’s love for me, my children, my husband, my family, and my friends is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. If I really believed this with all my heart, I could completely trust God.
That’s how we can process the fact that bad things sometimes do happen and still trust. I think we struggle at not fully trusting God because we know the realities of this world. Parents trust God and children still go missing, choke, get cancer, and die in car accidents. This is hard to reconcile apart from understanding God’s love.
God’s love is complete and able to transcend the here and now. God sees an eternal picture that we’ll never understand on this side of eternity. God is all-knowing and fully compassionate. Therefore, we can trust that even when the outcome seems tragic to us, it is still in the best interest of the one He loves. I’m convinced He allows one thing, to save that person from that which is so much worse. Oh Lord, may I never forget that your love is too consuming not to have my best interest in mind.
Knowing this, I can say out loud, “God I trust You are bigger than my fears. And no matter what I will continue to trust You and your perfect plan. Therefore I make the choice to reject the paralyzing feeling of fear so I can walk confidently in the truth of Your assurance.
Walk in Assurance- Go ahead and face your greatest fears. Write them out and ask yourself the tough question of “what if this fear came true?” For my list, I faced the tragedy of each fearful situation and then made the choice to also see how God could bring good out of each and every one.
When I look back on the horrors that I faced in my childhood, I can now so easily trace God’s goodness through each one. And amazingly it is well with my soul. The abandonment, the sexual abuse, the loss of my sister, the shame and sting of rejection, the abortion--- it is all well with my soul. For whatever it took to bring me to the sweet intimacy I now have with Jesus, I would not want it to be different. Thought the circumstances of my childhood were rotten, God’s plan throughout my childhood was good and perfect. I see that now and my trust in Him grows stronger still.
I am now Thank-FULL which helps me live Fear-LESS.
Post a comment below about your fears and any verses that have been particularly helpful to you.
By the way--- Two things I want to let you all know about-
First- Thanksgiving weekend I will be speaking at all 4 services on the topic of Thank-FULL, Fear-LESS at my church, Southbrook Community Church. I'd love for you to come if you'll be in the Charlotte area. Click on my pastor's blog or my church's website for more information.
Second- I'm leaving today to speak on the Christian Women's Cruise! LeAnn Rice, Marybeth Whalen, Sharon Glasgow, Renee Swope and I will try to post pictures and commentary of our adventures. So, stay tuned!
I must admit, instantly when I heard the word “choked” my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don’t end with, “and he’s going to be fine.”
When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened.
Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the what if questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time.
Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.
So, I pray. I read God’s truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.
The minute those fears start to creep in and haunt my heart, I repeat this cycle. Does it mean that nothing bad will ever happen to my children? No. Does it mean that my heart can finally find peace past the fears that could consume me. Yes.
The next time you find yourself being pulled into fear, try these steps:
Pray-
Pray honestly to God telling Him what you are afraid of and ask Him to help you not live in this fear. Ask Him for his protection over whatever you fear. But also ask God to fill your heart with the rich blessing of His perspectives so that no matter what, you will be reassured.
Read God’s Truths-
On the same day my nephew had that choking incident in school, I had read an amazing verse that I tucked in my heart. Who knew I would need it that very day? God did. Here’s the verse: "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven (Matthew 18:10).
Do my children really have guardian angels? I was always hesitant to think this because it seemed mystical and new age-ish. But here it is in God’s Word! Not only do my children have a guardian angel that has direct access to God but because I am a child of God, I must have one as well! Think about this for a minute. God has assigned an angel to guard over our children and us every minute of every day. And there is never a second where God does not know what is going on with us. Knowing this, we are ready for what we must do next.
Verbalize My Trust in Him-Isaiah 54:10 reminds us, “ ‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”
God’s love is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. Pause for a minute and let’s state that profound truth again. God’s love for me, my children, my husband, my family, and my friends is too consuming not to have our best interest in mind. If I really believed this with all my heart, I could completely trust God.
That’s how we can process the fact that bad things sometimes do happen and still trust. I think we struggle at not fully trusting God because we know the realities of this world. Parents trust God and children still go missing, choke, get cancer, and die in car accidents. This is hard to reconcile apart from understanding God’s love.
God’s love is complete and able to transcend the here and now. God sees an eternal picture that we’ll never understand on this side of eternity. God is all-knowing and fully compassionate. Therefore, we can trust that even when the outcome seems tragic to us, it is still in the best interest of the one He loves. I’m convinced He allows one thing, to save that person from that which is so much worse. Oh Lord, may I never forget that your love is too consuming not to have my best interest in mind.
Knowing this, I can say out loud, “God I trust You are bigger than my fears. And no matter what I will continue to trust You and your perfect plan. Therefore I make the choice to reject the paralyzing feeling of fear so I can walk confidently in the truth of Your assurance.
Walk in Assurance- Go ahead and face your greatest fears. Write them out and ask yourself the tough question of “what if this fear came true?” For my list, I faced the tragedy of each fearful situation and then made the choice to also see how God could bring good out of each and every one.
When I look back on the horrors that I faced in my childhood, I can now so easily trace God’s goodness through each one. And amazingly it is well with my soul. The abandonment, the sexual abuse, the loss of my sister, the shame and sting of rejection, the abortion--- it is all well with my soul. For whatever it took to bring me to the sweet intimacy I now have with Jesus, I would not want it to be different. Thought the circumstances of my childhood were rotten, God’s plan throughout my childhood was good and perfect. I see that now and my trust in Him grows stronger still.
I am now Thank-FULL which helps me live Fear-LESS.
Post a comment below about your fears and any verses that have been particularly helpful to you.
By the way--- Two things I want to let you all know about-
First- Thanksgiving weekend I will be speaking at all 4 services on the topic of Thank-FULL, Fear-LESS at my church, Southbrook Community Church. I'd love for you to come if you'll be in the Charlotte area. Click on my pastor's blog or my church's website for more information.
Second- I'm leaving today to speak on the Christian Women's Cruise! LeAnn Rice, Marybeth Whalen, Sharon Glasgow, Renee Swope and I will try to post pictures and commentary of our adventures. So, stay tuned!
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