“Mommy, smoke!” my five-year-old hollered on a frigid January night.
I quickly looked to where he pointed. Pouring down the staircase of our 150-year-old farmhouse was gray, hazy smoke. I tore up the stairs and was met by a paralyzing smell. With a pathetic attempt to clear the air, I turned on the bathroom fan and bounded down the stairs, calling for my husband. We herded the kids and dog into the car, turned on the heat as we backed down the driveway, and stared at flames flickering in the windows.
At last, fire trucks roared into the driveway and struggled to contain the flames with icy hoses. It was a long night as hot spots flared from room to room. Our lovely home became a soggy, smoky nightmare filled with frozen waterfalls.
A house fire creates a huge mess. It damages everything familiar and interrupts daily life. It steals our homes and makes us anxious. It created an inner panic button in me. I was fearful of the slightest mishap. After a few days, I found my precious water-soaked Living Bible. I read from the Psalms to quiet my soul.
One morning, this verse caught my attention: He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. Tears ran down my cheeks. Could I trust Jehovah to care for me? For my family? I copied the verse on an index card. In the days ahead, this precious verse anchored in my memory bank.
If you have been through a trial and can’t bear to look at the present—or if fear controls your thoughts—help is available. Believe that Jehovah will care for you when something presses your panic button.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay and PublicDomainPictures.)
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Roxy Wiley retired from teaching elementary school after twenty-five years and then served as the director of women’s ministry at her church. Throughout both careers, she designed and wrote many newsletters, handbooks, manuals, and articles. A proud and loving grandma of five grandchildren, she’s passionate about her family’s yearly Camp Grandma and coaching other grandparents to launch their own brand of family fun. Roxy and her husband live near Indianapolis, IN, and love to travel in their motor home.