Fear & The New Year

The group seems to be off to a great start this semester! We have some new faces in addition to some returning members and this gives us a wide range of life stages, i.e. experience, to enjoy & benefit from.

We're spending the 1st few weeks getting to know each other and deciding on a study to proceed with. During our most recent discussion, one mom expressed a concern that I believe many single moms deal with. The fear of crime and becoming a victim of violent crime.

While Amarillo is a relatively safe community, there are still news stories of murders, break-ins, robberies, rapes, etc. And while these things are typical in dangerous surroundings - bars/nightclubs, dark alleys, etc. - it's especially disturbing when we hear of it happening in a person's OWN HOME.

So, let's review the basics - Pray, keep your doors locked, & pray some more. But is it really just that simple? At Sue's reminding, I went to God's Word - the Bible, and quickly became overwhelmed at the number of verses related to FEAR. So I looked up AFRAID instead. A more manageable number. I have included a list of my Top 10 at the end of this blog, but please look up others as well.

The main theme - God commands us to not be afraid. Easier said than done, right? Especially when you have an overactive imagination like mine. However, for a big-city girl like me, I'm less afraid of some doped-up loser looking for cash & jewelry to pawn than I am of......well, we'll get to that later.

How does Webster define fear?
"1 a : an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
b (1) : an instance of this emotion
(2) : a state marked by this emotion 2 : anxious concern : solicitude
(3) : profound reverence and awe especially toward God
(4) : reason for alarm : danger"

I found #3 incrediably interesting! I mean, why would we use the same word for something that paralyzes us, that holds us hostage within ourselves, for "profound reverence & awe...toward GOD." Say it with me - Wow.

Isn't that really healthy when you think about it? Doesn't fear sometimes drive us right to His arms for comfort & protection? I know that I have been so afraid for my children's well-being that I was driven to my knees. How else was my daughter not going to spiral into drugs and my son return safely from Afghanistan? By being so afraid that I had to have a "profound reverence & awe....toward GOD." I had to have complete & total faith & trust in Him because there was nothing else I could do for my kids. I could not make Lara's choices for her, and I could not shield Raymond from harm during war. So maybe fear is not something to be afraid of...........

So, how to practically apply God's word? One way is the common sense stuff - the lock your doors & be aware of your surroundings to start with stuff, but there's so much more. Therefore, I'm inviting in a member of the Amarillo Police Dept to give a presentation because sometimes we overlook the most obvious things & obsess over things that aren't going to help us at all.

Please post your comments here and share how you combat fear. Maybe it's through song, or reading, or watching a funny movie! Speaking of.....let me share with you my ultimate fear:
So, being the big-city girl that I am, I can pretty much hold my own against some lunatic that breaks into my house. But those weird bumps in the night sounds? I'm sure it's zombies. Oh, not the brain-eating movie zombies, but biological mutation zombies that want food & medicine & water because everyone is diseased & dying & for some reason, I'm immune & they're coming for me!
Too much information? Right. Well, ok then.
We're all afraid of something & that's my fear, regardless of how odd & far-fetched, unfortunately.......now, where's my bible.........

My Top 10 Do-Not-Be-Afraid verses:
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
Deuteronomy 20:3
Psalm 27:1-3
Psalm 56:3-4
Proverbs 3:24
Jeremiah 1:8
Matthew 8:26
Mark 5:36 (sums it all up)
John 14:27
Hebrews 13:6