Are you living in fear?

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10

In light of recent events in Orlando this week, I have come to realize something. We have a whole community of people living in fear. The LGBT community is now afraid that someone will just decide to kill them because of how they live.

Also, parents are afraid to have their children around animals as of late because bad things keep happening with them. 

Some people live in fear, period. These types of things bother them too, but they are already living in fear of other stuff. 

I hope to say this as lovingly as possible, but living in fear means you aren't fully trusting God. And I've done it too. Please don't get me wrong. I have allowed fear to paralyze me at times... but I haven't lived like that for long.

My biggest example is the book I wrote. I put the blog posts together, paid to print it out, and gave it to my dad to read. He is a fast reader. He had it ready quickly, but fear got me, and I wouldn't go pick it up. He lives like a mile down the road from me. Then, after weeks, when I did get it, I let it sit on the shelf. I wouldn't read it because I was afraid of the corrections he might have made.

This went on for months. Then, I emailed the first page to a fellow writer friend I admire. She's a great writer and teacher. It was very scary for me to send her my work. I feel like she's more seasoned than I am. Ya know?

Anyway, her feedback was awesome! She really helped me see some things I needed to do, while giving me one of the biggest compliments I've had to date! What was I so afraid of??

I don't know.

You see, God is everything we need. On my prayer desk, I keep an index card with some of God's names on it:

Jehovah Tsidhenu - The Lord our Righteousness

Jehovah Jireh - The Lord our Provider

Jehovah Rapha - The Lord our Healer

Jehovah Raah - The Lord our Shepherd

Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our Peace

Fear can be crippling. It can literally stop us in life. But if we remember these names of God, what they mean and how He is here for us, it can get us through anything.

God doesn't want us to live in fear. Did you know that "Do not fear" or "Don't be afraid" is written 365 in the Bible? That's one for every day of the year. So that should tell us something.

Every day, when we get up, we should tell fear to go away. Because, you see, Jesus said that He came that we might have life to the full! He wants us to enjoy life and follow Him without fear.

What areas of your life do you struggle with fear in? Sometimes, mine is of the future. I am afraid of something happening to my children... but it only pops up every once in awhile. And let me tell you, if I say something around my friends, they quickly remind me that I do not need to be worrying about that. LOL

If you need prayer to get rid of fear, please contact me. I'd love to pray for you. I hope you will decide to trust God in all areas of your life. He's always there, ready to protect you. Oh, and one thing I do for my children that helps me, is read Psalm 91 out loud every morning and say their names afterward. It's a very protective Scripture. 

If you look, there are many Scriptures you can pray and read over yourself and your family that help kick the fear to the curb. 

I hope this helps someone today. I really felt like God wanted me to write it.

God bless you today and always.