FEAR Part 2

Yesterday we talked about how God commands us 365 different times in the Bible that we are not to be afraid.

What do you fear?

I find that most of my fears revolve around my own feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. I fear failing. I fear not being "good" enough...whatever that means. I fear being rejected. I fear not being able to realize my dreams because I am too afraid to step out and move forward.

God and I have been dealing with these issues for sometime now.

I have always known that we are not saved by our "works" but by God's grace. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) There are many things in my past for which I have had to ask for forgiveness, and I have done so and accepted that God has forgiven me.

However, I think I have believed there was some sort of standard for being a Christian woman, wife, and mother to which I have never been able to reach.

Recently, during a morning quiet time, God spoke to my heart. He told me that the standard for which I was striving was not His standard. It was a standard I had set for myself based on what I believed others thought I should be.

And I said, "But Lord. You created the Proverbs 31 woman. You put her in the Bible. She must be in there for a reason. You would not have put her in there otherwise. She is our model, and I.Am.Not.Like.Her! Why?"

Ever so gently, He whispered to me, "My child, the Proverbs 31 woman looks different for each woman. I have called you to specific purposes, and you can not compare your purposes to that of another. More than that, though, I love you UNCONDITIONALLY, regardless of what you do or do not do."

How freeing. He loves me. Just for me. Faults and all. I do not have to be perfect. I never will be perfect. Most importantly, His opinion is the only one that matters. His standard is the one on which I need to set my sights.

I find when I focus on that, the fear fades away. May your fear do the same.

Blessings,

FEAR

I was listening to an inspirational CD the other day by Linda Toupin, National Sales Director with Mary Kay, and heard her use the following acrostic:

F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal

Things that make you go "hmmmm..."

Do you struggle with fear? I do. I know in today's repressed and, for some, downright DEpressing economy, it is hard not to be fearful.

The issues that cause me to be fearful may be the same, or perhaps are different, than those that cause you to be afraid, have doubt, or to worry.

Do you know that God commanded 365 different times in the Bible, "Do not be afraid." It was not a suggestion or something that sounded like a good idea if you felt like doing it. It was a COMMAND...365 different times. He was, and is, serious about it.

Let's look at a few of the verses.

Isaiah 41:10..."So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Matthew 14:27...But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Isaiah 43:1...But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Let's go ahead and look at verse 2 of that same chapter. I just love the picture it paints.

Isaiah 43:2...When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

Ponder these verses today, and please take a moment to let me know what causes you to be fearful. I will be back tomorrow to talk more about this and to relate some of my own fears.

Wishing you a peaceful day knowing He is walking with you.

Blessings,

Be Still Sunday

Sweet Restful Blessings,

Scripture Saturday

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)

Blessings,

Fashion Friday

For today's edition of Fashion Friday, I thought I would share some beauty secret tips I discovered over at TotalBeauty.com. (These tips were picked up from the pros during New York Fashion Week.)

1. Charlotte Tilbury, makeup artist, shares that lip liner is our friend. She states it is the best way to make lips look symmetrical, which is especially important when wearing red lipstick.

2. According to Charlotte Willer, Maybelline New York global makeup artist, when choosing an under eye concealer, one should choose a color with a warm tone to it.

3. Diane Kendal, makeup artist, suggests curling lashes even when not applying mascara as the effect makes eyes look more open and awake.

Hope these help, and may you have a Friday filled with symmetrical lips and wide, open eyes with no dark circles!

Blessings,

Wordless Wednesday

A Sign of Spring

AND THEN...

Came the snow!

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Mom.

Happy Wednesday!

Joy Is A Rare Snow Day

We had a rare March snow yesterday here in North Carolina. Actually, snow is rare in North Carolina most of the time, but our last March snow was in 1980. I actually remember that one. My brother and I were out in the yard with Merita bread bags tied on our feet. Did anyone else ever do that? We built the first and only snowman we ever had the opportunity to build growing up. I wish I could find the photo, but in lieu of that, here is one of another young girl building her first real snowman.

And here we have the finished work of art. Not too shabby I would say.

Another photo from our beautiful winter wonderland. We sat and watched as he caught snowflakes in his beak as they fell from the sky. It was quite fascinating.

This is actually from the snow we had back in January, but it is just too precious not to share.

What a gift this day turned out to be. Thank You, God, for the wonder and beauty that is Your creation and for the unexpected treat it was to spend this day with my family.

Snowy blessings,

The Nose Knows

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds...James 1:2 (NIV)

I have been sick with a sinus infection for nearly two weeks now. I just can not seem to shake it. I have not been sleeping well. I am coughing, and, for me, a sinus infection ranks a very close second behind the 'ole stomach bug. Not being able to breathe is the pits! And, truth be told, I have yet to reach that whole "joy in the midst of suffering" thing. I am, and always will be, a work in progress, and God and I definitely still have some work to do in this department.

Have you ever used one of those nasal sprays trying to get some relief from a stuffy nose while suffering from a cold or sinus infection? Well, I am one of those people who do. Having a stuffy nose makes me feel horrible!

So if you have used them before, you may know that the bottles always warn of overuse. It can lead to an increase in nasal congestion. I am aware of this, but overuse them anyway when I am desperate for relief for my poor, tired nose.

The warnings are true. Nasal congestion does increase. I think an addiction actually takes place. Even if I have gotten over the symptoms from which relief was originally being sought, the thing that was originally supposed to help has now become the cause of the problem.

What I have learned is this. I know when I have overused the spray and have crossed over into the addiction phase. When the nasal stuffiness comes again, I have to resist the urge to once again use the spray. I will remain stuffy, unable to breathe, most likely for several hours. However, if I wait it out, my sinuses will eventually open back up, and the addiction will have been broken.

This happened to me again a few days ago, and this time, as I suffered through the misery of not being able to breathe, God used that time to illustrate a spiritual truth.

Suffering is never fun. Most, if not all, of us would choose to pass on the whole suffering thing. When it does come, for many of us, our first response is to find relief or a way out as soon as possible. However, in our efforts to alleviate our suffering, we may actually cause a greater problem. Solutions, that while in the short-term may offer a brief respite, can actually end up causing more harm than good.

And what about our need for God in the midst of our trials and tribulations? If we immediately seek to find a solution in our own strength, might we miss something important that God would have us learn through the suffering?

As I stated earlier, I have much work still to do in this department, but I am learning that it is often during the dark times that I find myself closest to God. He has promised to "never leave me nor forsake me." He will see me through, and His Word has promised me that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

I pray that one day that includes maintaining my joy in the midst of my suffering.

Blessings,

Be Still Sunday

May you rest in His Presence today.

Sweet Blessings,