FEAR

I'll tell you what, if there's something I have to check myself on everyday it's this four letter word- FEAR!  I hate it and I think it's in every human's make-up to hate it.  It will cut you off from faith and it will cut you off from fulfilling your God-led destiny. 

Fear is

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real...

I'm not sure who came up with this acronym but our pastor's have shared this quite a few times when they've preached on fear.  It really helps me bring into perspective what I'm fearing and why I'm fearing it.  I like to think my husband is an excellent student in this area.  He rides bulls for a living and if you have fear in your mind when you're getting on an animal of that size and temperament let's just say you will NOT be successful.  He looks at it as a challenge and he takes fear on as a sparring partner or more correctly perceived, as his enemy. 

A few areas that I've been trying to take fear head on is:

Fear of rejection from people- this is a big one for me.  I know it's stuff that may have been passed on to me by my parent's.  But it's going to stop with me.  I don't want this to be instilled into my girls because it really is debilitating.  It can make you scared to reach out to others, to develop life changing friendships and ultimately it can really screw up your walk with God.  Why is it that I'd rather keep quiet than say hello to another person?  It's fear that they might not say "hi" back.  So what?  I'm determined now that I want everyone that I come in contact with to leave feeling better than before they met me.  Be the light, right?

Fear of failure- we may only reach tens of people with this blog, haha! But if God can minister to those ten people through our little blog then we call that a success!  I don't want to wake up each day fearing failure, it will keep me in such bondage and that's not a good life.  God promises abundant life if we trust Him.

Fear of the unknown- it's so stupid how the human mind will fear something that hasn't' even happened yet.  A few of the Navy Seals books I've read talk about this fear being the sole reason guys drop out of  BUDS training.  Because they're fearful of what they'll have to do in the next day or hour or minute.  The successful guys talk about just taking each minute as it comes and completing the task at hand and not dwelling on what's coming next.  I know as a mom this spoke volumes to me.  I want to enjoy my girls and teach them and fill them up with God as much as I can NOW because living in this moment is what is good for their little hearts.  I know they're growing up in a world that will want to change them and weaken them, but I can't fear that, I have to empower them now and the only way I know how to do that is teach them God's Word.

One scripture that has been speaking volumes to me right now is Isaiah 54:14.  I actually have this hanging on a piece of paper on my fridge, so when I go to fill up my water I read it each time. It reads "In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you."  I like to change all of the "you's" into "I's" to make it more personal, but what a good message!  Fear is oppressive, but getting rid of it is freedom.  Meditate on these words.  2 Timothy 1:7 reads, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."  It's good to know that God didn't place fear in us, that means that He's given us the tools to fight it.  His Word!  Get into God's Word if you want to combat fear.  I can't recall the number of times the Bible says something along the lines of "do not fear" but I know it's in the hundreds. 

Another great resource in dealing with fear, is Danny Silk's book, "Keep Your Love On."  The book is really all about dealing with fear in life and your relationships. And I want to post this video of Bethel's song "No Longer Slaves."  It's so powerful and I'm sure you can't help but get rocked by it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8TkUMJtK5k

I pray this speaks to you.  I'm just being real and this is what really is going on in my life now.

Love you all!

Cooped Up Cowboy's Wife- Candace