Fear...

Fear is something that will grip my heart at times and torture me into a panic attack!  It has been that way since I was a younger child.  I always worried (yes the same as fear) the my grandma would die.  She was never well and every time we would go to visit I hated to leave.  I just knew I would never see her again. But I did, over and over again.  Fear is something that will destroy you, if you let it.  It can be a daily battle unless you stay on top of it.  

When I had my daughter, I worried over every little thing.  Were my hands clean?  Was she hungry?  Was she hurting?  What had I done, bringing this precious life into this cruel nasty world!?  And on and on. Then came my son, and it was the same all over again.  They both have survived my worries and fears.  Then my mom found out she had cancer.  I remember praying and begging God not to take her so many times.  Every little thing she endured, I worried.  I feared what could be.  But the days turned into months and a few years.  We were blessed with almost another 10 years of her in our lives.  The one thing my mom always said was, worry and fear borrows from tomorrow.  And you don't know what tomorrow may bring. So why worry.  

So now here we are in this day and age, where we hear of all the horrible things going on in our country today.  Once again, it brings the fear into my heart.  Fear of what tomorrow will bring. Fear of what may happen to us.  Fear!  I hate fear!  And I have learned down through the years, that when fear raises its ugly head, I have to remind it who is in control and that IT will not control me.  And just that, brings peace to my heart.  Knowing, that God is in control.  Nothing will happen unless he lets it.  And I've read the last chapter so I know how this all works out.  I know where I am going!  I know where my future is.  

I want to share this from Joel Osteen.  I love Joel.  He always lifts me up with his teachings.  Not taking anything away from my pastors, but just an added touch into my life.  :)  

I am blessed beyond measure.  I have no reason to fear, for God is in control...

"Fear always presents itself much bigger than it really is. It’s always the worst-case scenario. It always tries to get you worried, anxious, uptight and panicked. Fear’s goal is to separate you from God by trying to get you to doubt His Word. But when the spirit of fear comes, recognize that it has no power unless you give it power. Don’t give it power by speaking what fear speaks. Don’t give it power by meditating on it. Instead, let the power of the Word of God rise up within you. Declare what God says; declare that God has given you all authority in heaven and earth. Declare that no weapon formed against you shall prosper.  Remember, no matter how big fear presents itself, it’s no match for the power of Almighty God. When you yield yourself to Him, you tap into His power. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. God is bigger than your problems and bigger than fear. Let faith rise up in your heart because faith is the victory that overcomes the world."