Tag Archives: fear

Up, Up, and God’s Way – Gail Cartee
avatar

Posted on by
Change of plans

Change of plans

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 KJV

I never wanted to fly.

Scripture says, Lo, I am with you always. So, low is where I always wanted to be. Then our daughter decided to get married at Glacier National Park. This wasn’t the church wedding with 300 family and friends I had always dreamed for her and for me.

I couldn’t take off work to drive across the country, attend the wedding, and drive back. Flying was the only alternative. I tried to talk her out of a long-distance wedding, but to no avail. She’d put a monkey wrench in my plans and dreams, or so I thought.

My daughter helped us obtain airline tickets and even came home to fly with us. When the plane took off, I couldn’t look. I am afraid of heights. I can’t look over the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway without getting dizzy. But once we were off the ground, my husband pointed out the window. “Look, Gail, how beautiful.” So I did. It was like watching a slow-motion movie. And it was fun.

A few years later our church sponsored its first mission trip. My husband and I jumped at the chance. It was the experience of a lifetime: building a church, witnessing in the community, feeding the people, and conducting VBS for the children. We went back again the next year and we will probably do mission trips in the future. It is doubtful we would have gone had we never been forced out of our comfortably grounded nest. Who actually changed my plans? Our daughter or our God?

God knows best. His plans are secure and He works from before our birth to insure everything works perfectly to His purpose. It’s comforting to know He is always in control even when I get dizzy.

Close your eyes and take the flight. You will be amazed how God will use your insecurities for His glory.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and nokhoog_buchachon.

Gail CarteeGail Cartee is a writer and teacher of hands-on family devotions. Gail has written Sunday school lessons for children since 1984. She has taught in both private and public schools. Gail often gets inspiration for her devotions while working in her organic garden. Visit Gail at http://thisismyfathersworlddotorg.wordpress.com/ or email her at gcartee8645@windstream.net.

Read Gail’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

QR Code

Dreaming Fear – Taylor Palmer
avatar

Posted on by
Fear not


Fear not

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)

Every inch of my body was afraid. I struggled to lift my legs after every solid jolt to the ground, but I kept running. My cry, silent. I’d lost too much air along the way to waste even on a small sigh. Every little breath I had left was needed. Fallen branches and sticks snagged the skin of my legs, but I kept moving. My heart pushed through my chest; at least I was still alive. I had already lost too much of me. I was cold and my strength yielding.

I felt him catching up; with every step I took, he leaped closer. As he reached for me, I woke up. Every night the same nightmare, and every night I seemed a little closer to dying in my own sleep. The nightmares seemed real. Even in my sleep, I knew I was asleep but couldn’t wake up. I was always restless, and would wake up with nose bleeds and migraines. Doctors told me to be mindful of what I ate or watched on television before bed. I took careful note but the evil still came at night.

I fell upon a scripture: Fear thou not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed; for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee … Could these words of promise be the answer? That same night the dreams returned but this time I remembered the scripture. It came to me as clear as when I was awake. I fought to call His name until it spewed from me. “Jesus!”

It’s hard to find strength in a God we cannot physically touch or see. It’s harder yet, to release fear into the hands of this invisible being. But God is not invisible. He is not intangible. He is in everything we see, in every breath we take. The power to overcome fear lies in the simplicity of letting go and trusting. This God who breathed life into us, will strengthen us. He promised and God is a God of His word.

The nightmares have since stopped and that promise is glued to my heart. Remember, Jesus is in every situation that haunts us. He waits for us to call on His name with everything we have left inside of us.

Call on Him.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Ambro.

Taylor Palmer photoTaylor Palmer is a student of Oral Roberts University. In her senior year, she is studying Convergence Journalism to become a news caster and future author. Eventually, she plans to travel back to her hometown in Temple Hills, Maryland to give back to her own community church and school by starting a journalism program to prepare their young future writers for this particular field of study. As Taylor always says, “Writing is a passion, not a job.” She knows that writing is a gift from God, and Taylor cherishes every word He gives.

Read Taylor’s devotions.

 

 

 

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

 

QR Code

I Can’t Breathe – Scott McCausey
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

There is healing in Him

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke 2: 8-9

“I can’t breathe, Dad.” In the middle of the night, the faint whisper sent a chill through me. I shrugged, as if in the middle of a dream. A pint-sized hand slapped across my chest and forced open my eyelids.

“Dad, I can’t breathe.”

Tears dampened Josh’s deep red face and panic gripped my wife. “He’s already had a treatment. We need to get him to the hospital. Our baby can’t breathe.”

I grabbed a pair of sweats and the closest shirt I could find. Slamming my way through the dark house, I fumbled for the truck keys. Renee brought our youngest to me, wrapped up like a deflated present. Realization struck: my son was going to die.

The shepherds were afraid for a different reason. They were on high alert, protecting their precious sheep, yet these wilderness trained professionals never heard the angel coming. And like a dream where a tense situation forces a reaction, the shepherds found themselves frozen and filled with fear — great fear.

My shaking hand turned the key and the truck roared to life. The air was cold and damp and I buckled my youngest child, swaddling him into his car seat.

“I’ll be okay, Dad.” His whisper was all I needed.
After three hours and a shot in the butt that caused more tears than his lack of air, Josh’s breathing improved. As I re-wrapped my son in his blanket for the trip home, the nurse reminded me what day it was: “Oh, Merry Christmas.”

I was scared beyond measure on that Christmas morning, but I’d received the greatest gift — trust. The Father is in control, although we may not realize it in the heat of the moment. When we trust in Him, fear is replaced with faith. When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

The shepherds were led courageously to Christ; so shall all those He leads through faith. Trust in Him. All things are possible through Christ . . . just look at the baby in the manger and see.

Scott McCausey lives smack dab in the middle of the Michigan mitten. He has been married to Renee for eighteen years and they home educate their five children. He has worked as a laboratory manager for over twenty years and enjoys his new role as host of the famous blog talk radio show, Christian Devotions Speak UP!

Read Scott’s devotions.

 


Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

 

 

QR Code

Peaceful Slumber – Toni Campbell
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy of microsoft.com free image gallery

Oh my achin' back.

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, oh Lord make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 NIV

Fear. I was gripped with it each evening as I tried to fall asleep.

For the first eighteen years of my life I lived under my father’s roof. Then I got married and lived with my husband for the next twenty-seven. Until I was separated, I had never been alone and “unprotected.”

That’s when the fear hit.

For six months, I slept on the couch. It was silly, but I felt if I was in my bedroom, I might not hear an intruder. Not that it would give me any real advantage to be roused from my sleep as someone tried to break in the front door just a few feet away.

My back ached, I was exhausted from tossing and turning on a piece of furniture never meant for providing a good night’s sleep. Then one evening as I read my Bible, I discovered Psalm 4:8.

I prayed for peace and safety, and saw in my mind’s eye, a picture of huge, bright, ten-feet-tall angels, dressed in brilliant white and brandishing swords. Sent by God, they stood around the perimeter of my home, guarding against evil.

David was often pursued by enemies. Many of the Psalms are cries to God for deliverance from those who sought his life. He was king, and yet the position and power that came with the title were not enough to protect him. He knew real safety was found only in the Living God.

Today, we install locks and alarm systems, buy a dog, or have emergency numbers on speed dial. But none of these precautions give us true peace and safety. Only God can provide that. The Psalm says, You hem me in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. You can’t get any more watched over than that.

Does fear and worry keep you from a good night’s sleep? Trust in the only one who can make you dwell in safety. Only then can you sleep in the confidence of His peace.

Toni Campbell is a copywriter and voiceover talent whose true passion is writing and blogging about community outreach and lessons learned through God’s creation at her favorite lake. She is grateful for a God who restores broken lives and supplies beauty for ashes. In her church, she heads up the community outreach ministry, sings on the praise team, and leads a monthly women’s prayer group. Toni has two grown children, a son-in-law on the way, and resides in New Jersey. You can read her blog at www.lakesidelessons.blogspot.com.

Read Toni’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

QR Code

Graduation – Venita McCart
avatar

Posted on by
courtesy of microsoft.com free image gallery

Lost in the Tropic of Cancer

I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on. Philippians 3:14 NLT

Our five-year-old granddaughter Madi proudly clutched her Pre-K diploma. Her bright red grad cap sat atop her head, threatening to slip off, and her happy eyes glowed.

In contrast to her accomplishment the previous year, Madi’s first day of big school proved difficult. She refused to move to the next level of her education. If it was up to her, learning would stop right there on the sidewalk. After her parents dried her tears, Madi gathered her courage to walk through the big doors and into first grade.

The apostle Paul was serious about his focus. He encouraged the Philippians (and us) to leave the past behind, press on with determination and set our sights on the heavenly prize at the end of the race.

I remembered this and Madi’s first grade test when I faced a tough challenge. I was thrust into the fearful experience of cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. I pleaded, bargained, and resisted until I realized facing my greatest fear became reality sooner than I expected. After my initial reaction, an amazing dynamic took place. When faced with the threat of death, I found life renewed with peace and hope.

Through kindergarten and other harrowing experiences, we all need to understand we’re preparing for God’s divine graduation. Keeping the grad cap straight doesn’t really matter. Life does.

Getting through cancer with hope simply meant choosing to learn from Jesus, the Master Teacher. He not only walked with me through the doors I faced, but also guided me.

Cancer fears are difficult but they won’t last forever. Search the promises in scripture. Christ will help you. Focus on Him and tell others about what He’s doing for you—both now and forever.

Photo courtesy of microsoft.com free image gallery

Venita McCart, founder of Faith Force Cancer Support Ministries has, with her group, ministered to hundreds of patients since 2005 through group meetings, personal contacts, writing, and speaking. A cancer survivor herself, Venita is currently working on materials to comfort and encourage cancer patients and their loved ones, and to help others create support ministries for the same. She and her husband live in central Illinois. Venita may be reached at venitamccart@yahoo.com.

Read Venita’s devotions.

 

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

Go Ride a Bike – Delton de Armas
avatar

Posted on by
courtesy of microsoft.com free image gallery

Ride with Determination

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10 NIV

I have a deep passion for cycling. Recently, I did something I’d never done before. I rode my bike to work. Commuting on a bicycle is peppered with hazards—automobiles, potholes, broken glass, gravel, unyielding pedestrians, uncompromising dogs, and the Florida sun.

For me, there’s so much more to gain than to fear. In addition to the health benefits and pure enjoyment of riding, I also experienced a route to work I’d never seen. In an effort to avoid traffic, I plotted a route on roads far less traveled and, at 15 to 20 miles an hour, I noticed details I’d never have seen at a higher speed.

I saw ivy twining delicately on an old, unhinged gate. I smelled the fragrance of fresh cut grass on a breeze. I observed horses walking lazily by a fence and could actually hear their neighboring cows chewing cud.

I also noticed cigarette butts and empty bottles breaking up the beauty. I looked with great pity at a neglected yard and house; seemingly empty of care and love. I also saw vehicles driving intently, almost angrily, but not really going anywhere.

I wondered if I noticed all these details while on my bike, how much more would I have perceived if I’d been walking? I stopped my bike, got off, and leaned against a board fence. I quietly held my ground and snapped mental pictures in every direction. Even today, I think I could take you back to the very spot where I stopped. I can still see it that clearly.

I wish I could do that with my life. I wish I could slow to a walk and, instead of speeding through life, slow down. I’d like to take in every detail of my life. If asked, I could take you back and live it again. I’d be encouraged by some events, reliving the joy and delight. I might be cautioned by others, remembering to take care in times of trouble.

God is present everywhere. He’s in the grandest scenes and the smallest details. He lives the most wondrous epochs in the darkest of days. Sometimes, we fail to notice Him, perhaps because of our speed. Maybe, if we try, if we’re deliberate, we can slow down. We can stop, and know that He is God.

It’s really not that hard. In fact, it’s just like riding a bike.

Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

Delton de Armas was born in Orlando, Florida. He moved with his family to Carrollton, Texas in 2010 to attend Dallas Theological Seminary where he is pursuing a Master of Arts in Media and Communication (M.A./MC). He married his high school sweetheart Pam, and has three children: Amber, Alden, and Abram. Delton loves cycling, snowboarding, reading, and writing.
Read Delton’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

Carry Me – Janet Morris Grimes
avatar

Posted on by
Photo courtesy of Microsoft.com free image gallery

He lifts me up!

For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Luke 4:10 – 11

I was deathly afraid of escalators, though no one knew it at the time. That changed, one particular Saturday morning at Harvey’s Department Store.

Harvey’s, known for its golden-saddled carousel horses hanging above the front entrance, was the largest store I’d ever stepped into as a four-year-old shopper. Colorful displays of bedspreads, dishes, and dresses enticed us from every corner. Clasping my mother’s hand, I stepped into what was sure to be an exciting adventure.

But then came the escalator; a moving black mountain that stretched all the way up to Heaven. Flat steps rolled out in front of us, and the black handrail squealed underneath my hand, as I tried to slow it down.

Mom tiptoed onto their steps with ease, but my feet locked into place. She turned toward me but her hand slipped out of mine. “Mooooooommmmmmyyyyyyyy!”

Her eyes widened as she mouthed words I could not hear. Her face reddened as each step opened in front of me, separating us further.

“Mooooommmmmmmmyyyyyyyy!” My cries grew louder.

A crowd gathered behind me, my legs spread, blocking the entrance. I screamed even louder. Mommy paced back and forth. The solution, the down escalator, would take her completely out of my sight; a terrifying idea for both of us.

Suddenly, a man scooped me up from behind, silencing my cries with an even bigger jolt of fear.

“It’s ok,” he spoke; his voice, so deep, it vibrated inside my body.

Conquering the slippery steps, two-at-a-time, he placed me into my mother’s arms. Her voice cracked as she thanked him. I buried my head into her neck, wiping my tears on her clothes. By the time I looked up, he was gone. My unseen hero remained unseen.

After that day, all I knew was it felt great to be carried, especially in the scariest of situations.

This is just what I need from God. Every day. Every slippery step of the way.

To be carried is effortless. The carrier does all the work. To be carried is to rest, trust, and wait, and the sooner we surrender, the sooner He can deliver us to safety. Let Him carry you.

Photo courtesy of Microsoft.com free image gallery

Janet is the author of the book, The Parent’s Guide to Uncluttering Your Home, released in May of 2011. She currently writes on such topics as faith, family, writing, teen issues, and of course, the process of uncluttering. Janet launched Abbandoned Ministries late in 2010, which leads others through speaking and writing to seek God as Abba during times of abandonment. For additional information, visit her websites at http://www.abbandoned.com or http://janetmorrisgrimes.com.

Read Janet’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

The First Step—Accept – Carole Tschumper
avatar

Posted on by

Up in Flames

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8 NKJV

The shrill sound of the smoke alarm jolted us out of bed. At four a.m. my husband and I were sent running down the hallway. An eerie glow lit up a living room window. Keith yanked the drapes aside to see my car engulfed in flames—and parked dangerously close to the house.

I felt the scorching heat on my face as we stood on the front lawn and watched the fire roar upwards of twenty feet. Thoughts blared in my head too. Things like, “This can’t be happening to us.” “Did I do something wrong?” “Why, God?”

I’ve stumbled through too many perplexing situations not to have learned if I don’t accept my circumstances and look for God in them, the confusion only gets worse. By faith I mustered, Lord, I don’t understand but I know You’re in this somewhere. Help me to trust You.

Even though I had accepted the ordeal in my heart, a psychological alarm went off in my head every morning around four a.m. I’d get up and look out all the windows. Fearful at night and tired during the day, I prayed about it earnestly and put it in God’s hands.

Early the next morning I awoke on cue, got out of bed, and took a step towards the window when the Lord interrupted the darkness. “Don’t look out; go back to bed.”

Reluctantly, I went back to bed — but not to sleep.

For the next several nights I lay there repeating verses I’d written down during the day. As God stretched my faith, His words slipped from my head to my heart. Then one morning I woke up after sleeping all night long.

That was one lesson, but there were more.

When we accept our circumstances and look for God in them, the trial that seems so dreadful becomes a blessing. God uses it to increase our faith, deepen our understanding, and change our hearts.

By the way, we inadvertently left the living room window open a couple inches on that cool October night, just enough for the smoke to drift through the window and trip the alarm.

Is there something in your life you need to accept? Tell God you trust Him even if you don’t understand. That’s what faith is. He will honor that, and in time you will see Him. He’s waiting….

Photo courtesy microsoft.com free image gallery

Carole Tschumper lives with her husband of fifty years, Keith, in Wisconsin. She is blessed with two children and three grandchildren. She is a writer, a retired floral designer, the leader of a “young” senior fellowship group, and Sunday school teacher.

Read Carole’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

Just Handle It – Janet Morris Grimes
avatar

Posted on by

Barbie dolls

Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered. Psalm 60:5

My Barbie dolls were spread across the back porch, perched atop their shiny pink suitcase that also served as the stage for their latest fashion show. All of us were filthy, barefoot, and enjoying every moment of my fifth summer.

“Your sister and I are running across the street to visit the neighbor,” Mommy said, poking her head out the door. “Do you want to come with us?”

“No. My Barbies want me to finish my story.” I giggled to myself, watching Mommy cross the street.

“I’m thirsty. I’ll be right back.”

Just as the sun slid behind the trees for the evening, I returned to my waiting audience; their perfect faces eager with anticipation. Before my feet reached the porch, my heart stopped at the sight of the biggest black bug I had ever seen. A hundred legs carried it’s huge, black body closer to my Barbies. I screamed, jumping back inside to lock the door behind me.

For one brief moment, I considered escaping through the front door.

But what if he can see me? Or what if there is a whole family of Barbie-eating bugs waiting in the front yard?

Panic froze me in my tracks and I imagined the worst, crying until I could no longer breathe.

Then I remembered to call for help. The neighbor’s phone number was scrawled in big letters, attached to the refrigerator door. I dialed it, using undecipherable words to convey the highest level of emergency at our home.

Mommy crossed the street and I let out a sigh of relief when she made it safely through the front yard.

I watched as she gathered the creature of death into a paper towel. “Oh, it’s just a beetle,” she said, as if giving it a name might help. And with a flush of the toilet, she proved she was the bravest woman I’d ever met.

Why is it, when faced with unforeseen obstacles, we call for help as a last resort? Our concerns should go to God first…allowing Him to handle it long before the panic sets in.

No matter what troubles us, God is waiting for us to sit back and let Him handle it. Turn your fears and worries over to the One who manages much better than us.

Janet is the author of the book, The Parent’s Guide to Uncluttering Your Home, released in May of 2011. She currently writes on such topics as faith, family, writing, teen issues, and of course, the process of uncluttering. Janet launched Abbandoned Ministries late in 2010, which leads others through speaking and writing to seek God as Abba during times of abandonment. For additional information, visit her websites at http://www.abbandoned.com or  http://janetmorrisgrimes.com.

Read Janet’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code

He is in the Hard Times – Karen Jones
avatar

Posted on by

He Hides Us from the Storm

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe…I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living…be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:5, 13-14

“Sorry, honey,” Steve apologized. “I have to go back.”

“No, you can’t,” I cried. “It’s too dangerous.”

My husband’s two-day Kentucky trip turned into five days and counting. He was half the way home from a seven-hour trip when his boss called him back. Tornado warnings swirled around him. Storms blew especially heavy in western Kentucky, his return direction. Additional weather updates came in by the minute. The news report said three people were already dead.

Upset, frustrated, and fighting fear, I quickly sent emails to prayer partners and began to pray. “Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for hearing my prayers. In Jesus’ name, I speak peace to the storms that surround Steve. I ask You, Father to send Your mighty angels to protect him.”

I continued until peace came.

Later in the evening, Steve called. He’d found a concrete hotel which backed up to a mountain thirty minutes from his work destination. He stood on the porch and watched hail and high winds as the tornadoes passed just south of his hotel.

“Praise God and thank You, Jesus,” I prayed when Steve told me he was safe. I cried unto the Lord and He heard that cry. That’s how God is. He keeps us safe in our day of trouble. His actions are not always in the way we expect but He kneads us into His will of care, tucking us tight under His wings.

When trouble stares you in the face, cry out to Him then trust. Be strong and wait for His hand covers you.

Karen Jones is an author of children’s books, magazine and newspaper articles, and teaches weekly Bible studies. She holds a BM in Music Education, MS in Music Education, and is an Educational Specialist in Mathematics with certifications for public school and community college. Karen has worked as an educator in private and public schools as well as in community colleges. Following her ordination into the ministry of fourteen years, she has worked as a Minister of children, music, worship, youth, and education. Presently, she is the Minister of Music and Worship at Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. Visit Karen at cudder@bellsouth.net.

Read Karen’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

 

 

QR Code