Fear is defined in the dictionary as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.”  Some synonyms of fear are alarm, panic, distress, fright or dread.  None of which we were ever to carry.  I learn a lot about God’s love for us by my love for my children.  The other day God blessed us with an opportunity to get away for a few days to the beach.  I love the beach because it reminds me of the vastness of God and how his love never ends.  As you look over the horizon at the sea it seems to go on forever.  I love to get in the water and feel the waves move you and just enjoy God’s great creation.  While at the beach I called my children to get in the water with my husband and I. As they came my oldest son stopped and said he wasn’t coming in.  After telling him to come to me several times he began to panic and tell me he is not coming because he is scared.  I told him again to come to me and I will hold him up and nothing would harm him. That wasn’t good enough.  He was too focused on the waves, the fact he can’t swim and the thought he had that the waves would carry him out to sea never to come back again.  So he screamed and screamed.  I was trying to calm him down while his mind had taken him out to sea in the rushing waves while he was only standing on the shore with his life jacket on. 

 

Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me.  He said this is how you are when trouble comes.  You panic, become fearful.  Your focus is wrong.  When trouble comes we focus on the problem.  We see the waves coming one after another, non-stop and we think oh God this trouble is going to pull me under.  It is going to take me out, way out to sea where no one can get me.  You remember the definition of fear?  There is a huge part no one notices, the word “belief.”  Meaning all our fear is in our mind.  So in my son’s mind he had already ended what hadn’t even began yet.  As I was trying to convince him he wasn’t even focused on me. His eyes were out at sea looking in terror at the waves and repeating, mommy please don’t take me out there I am scared.  Just like we do, screaming to God please don’t take me out there I am scared.  In the mean time God is saying trust me. Look I even gave you a life jacket and most importantly you are coming out here with me.  

 

In this experience God showed me a few things.  First, fear is in our minds.  He never even left the shore before he started freaking out about what was to come.  Don’t we do that? Next, I learned what God means when he says we were never to carry the weight of the stress.  As sat and looked at my son, all I could think about was to calm him down or his little body is going to have a heart attack.  His heart was racing in fear.  It was unnatural.  God said for us to be still.  Be at peace in him because he can calm the sea.  Last, I saw God’s love again as I pressed in determined to calm my son not stopping until he was calm.  I never left him.  Just as God never leaves us.  He never stops trying to calm us and show us that he has it under his control.  Isn’t God great! And for those of you that were curious how it ended, he got in the water with me.  He enjoyed riding through the waves on my back and he conquered his fear and I taught him about all the Holy Spirit taught me.  Then my son taught me one last lesson.  He is very observant and he noticed the waves were bringing us back to shore as they rolled in.  So I laughed as the Holy Spirit said, see God brings you out to free you so he can move you back to shore.  All with a new freedom in him.  Now that out to make you want to shout! God is so good to us. 

 

 

Scripture References:  2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 46:10, Exodus 14:14, Psalm 107:29

As I sat in my quiet time today God showed me how he is truly my daddy.  As I was praying and seeking Him for the things we need, my time got interrupted.  I kept hearing my children calling me. At first I was trying to ignore them really because a lot of times when they call it is for not for what I think is important. But they kept calling, so I got up, opened the door and answered.  Sure enough it was as expected, another one of those “he’s hitting me, she yelled at me…etc.” situations. Definitely not worthy of the interruption of my quiet time with God. When I was getting up I felt the spirit leading me to go and check. So I did. When I went back to pray I started by telling the Lord I was sorry for that interruption. Then I was reminded how he already knew it was coming. So I told God, “well I guess you knew I was going to get up anyway because that is not the kind of parent you made me. If my children call you know I have to get up and answer their call. I can’t just ignore them.” 

 

 

Just as I said that God said, Exactly! I am your father and when you call me I cannot just sit and not answer your call. I have heard you calling my name and I have come to your rescue. I have come to answer you. All I could do was cry and give Him praise. What I thought was a bother or an inconvenience to get up and see what my babies were up to, was a lesson for me. It was for God to show me that He has not forgotten me. He heard my cry and he is answering me.

 

What are you crying out to God for today? What are you asking Him for? What do you need Him to move for you today? Rest assured He has heard your cry. He is such an awesome father that He does not delay. He comes just as we call. Our father loves us and He is waiting to give us our hearts desire. He wants to meet our need. Call Him today and He will answer.

 

 

The Bible says in 1 John 3:1, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” He loves you and He loves me. He says, “[He] will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ” (Philippians 4:19). He says to, “delight yourself in [Him], and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).  Desires that he placed there.  Ask Him. Cry out to our father, our daddy. Know that he WILL hear your cry.

A few weeks ago we had a huge storm. The storm was so strong and violent that when the thunder and lightening hit it shook house. The windows rattled and the siding shook. I was sure by morning I would find pieces of siding on the ground around the house. As I looked out the window the rain was falling in a crazy zig zag pattern and the wind was bending the trees with its force.  As I sat and watched it all I felt a calm. I was in amazement at the wonder of the power of God. I felt at peace because he was in control. 

 

I got up and walked around the house to check on the kids.  Just as I got in the boys’ room I heard a loud clap of thunder and then saw the bright strike of lightening.  Right then the power went off.  I sat on my son’s bed just in time to catch him as he jumped up in fright.  I was able to put my hand on him and pat him calm and tell him it was ok I was right there.  As he felt my presence with him he quietly went back to sleep.

 

I left their room and went back in my room and sat in the chair.  As I sat in the chair I felt God’s presence.  He reminded me that in the middle of the storm, He is there.  He will protect me from all harm and danger.  He said much like how I sat in my house in peace even though the storm rages outside; that is how my soul must be at peace when the mess of life tries to pull me down.  He reminded me of the tree I saw outside and told me that I will bend like that tree but just as the tree didn’t break. Neither will I.  I can stand up during my trials because I am rooted in Him; in His word, in His presence and they run deep.  

 

 

Just as I was getting up from the chair to return to bed the lights came back on.  God spoke one more time and said just as the lights were off for a moment, the darkness of my struggles are only for a moment.  All of a sudden the light will just come on and I will see again.  

 

I don’t know what suddenly you are waiting on, but don’t give up hope.  Never stop believing.  God says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you” (NLT).  Whatever he has spoken over your life He has already made a way.  So don’t focus on the how and the when, but keep your eyes on the WHO.  He is able! Let your soul be at peace and rest in the calm of His presence.