Faith & Fear

I have some fears about this move to Kentucky. Just a few. Pages. LOL They come and go- sometimes I'm full of faith, other moments full of fear. This morning at church, I was deeply challenged & encouraged to replace my fear with faith- once and for all.

Its so simplistic, really- a lot of these 'issues' we face in life, stem from just a few root causes. Dan spoke about them yesterday at the leadership meeting, just yesterday. Fear, Anger, Lust & Pride were the big 4 mentioned, inferring that most issues can find their origin in these root issues. I agree!

So this morning, a woman shared in the worship time the following Scripture (Isaiah 43:1-3)

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Of course, I was in tears- confident that the simple word was meant for me. ;-) Many times the fear of something is actually worse than the something. Dan cited his battle with cancer as a prime example, yet also said how that he was conflicted- he trusted, yet he feared (my paraphrase). But fear is this intangible, horrible, paralyzing thing. It keeps us from really living, so many times.

There was a sweet spirit in the place. I was so aware of the prescence of God- so available, so ready to rush in to my heart and those places of fear that I was clinging to, yet I just could not lay it down without REALLY laying it down. Do you know what I mean? I'm not one to tape a bandaid on a wound that needs stitches, simply to say it was 'dealt with'. I don't like emotional experiences unless they mean something. I didn't want to leave that place w/ a temporary fix, rather I wanted it to be 'the day' that I decided to no longer be afraid- come what may.

After all, "how deep, how wide- how incredibly great, is His love for me"? Neither height, nor depth, nor principality, nor power, nor angels, nor demons- NOTHING can separate me from the love of God. Not even loneliness, homesickness, newness, doubt (did we do the right thing), the realities of a new place, full time with the family business and ALL that it entails (which is my primary set of fear)..... No matter how 'bad' it may get in our new land of KY, God will be there- right there, every instant, every moment, every morning.

After all, He's here