925 What Fear Says

Let me tell you what fear does to you. Fear prophesies a future for you that God hasn’t. Fear tells you of scenarios God has not planned. Fear paints a picture the master has not envisioned for you. But because your brain only knows each thought you think to be absolute truth, even ridiculous fears that play no role in your future cause you to respond to life in a restricted way. My daughter Alexa has been fearful since the day I met her at the orphanage. She was a 5 year old little girl who had endured the worst humans had to offer, but now, even in a safe place, she hid. She was more than shy, she was fearful. Fearful of everyone and everything. What could go wrong or might go wrong, were the thoughts that filled her mind. She doubted any love shown, rejected offerings of goodness, and refused invitations to do anything exciting. We brought Alexa home on her 6th birthday. In the first year with us she broke her left arm 3 times because of her frail and fragile bones. Her prior malnutrition would take time to heal, but even more so, her little heart would take time to heal. It took time for her to learn to trust. It took time for her to learn to play without calculating the cost. It took nearly 6 months for her to crawl on her Daddy’s lap for the first time and lay her sweet head on his strong shoulder. She grew to become a beautiful young woman. She’s sharp, she’s strong, and she’s a total knock out when she puts on that mascara. In a story only God could write, Alexa followed the footsteps of her Daddy and her big brother and joined the Army. Not because she was without fear, but because she wanted to overcome her fear. I’ve never seen a girl more terrified than she was the day she left. I’ve never heard a voice tremble like that. I’ve never seen a head hang so low and feet drag so slow. But she did it. She went. 6 months into training she got her first tattoo. It says “NO FEAR Joshua 1:9”. She thought by doing so she would no longer have fear, but to her surprise, she still had a whole lot of it. But what I explained to her is “honey, it’s not that you will ever remove all fear, it’s that you are telling fear no.” NO FEAR, you won’t hold me back any longer. NO FEAR, you can’t have my future. NO FEAR, you can’t paint your dark gray and black pictures of what’s next for me. NO FEAR, you don’t get to run wild with my thoughts any longer. She said NO to fear. This past weekend she went sky diving and bungee jumping in Italy! The bungee jumping video made even my heart race. I’m an adrenaline junkie. I love crazy things that make you feel like you’re going to die … but you don’t. But I don’t know that I could have taken that graceful vertical dive off that 500 foot bridge in the Italian mountains like she did. She’s a girl who has decided to say NO TO FEAR, and look at the life she is living! Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Fear will come knocking on your door. Fear will offer it’s dark scenarios of future failure and disaster. Fear will try to take you hostage and render you incapable of moving forward on the path God has already made for you. But my sister, fear has to be told NO. If it’s not told no, it becomes like a toddler with no parental guidance. SOMEHOW THAT LITTLE THING WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING. Everything will be broken, chaos will ensue and nothing but a mess will remain. Has fear been given free reign in your life? Have you been operating from a principle of ‘if I’m afraid of it, I will avoid it.’ If so, my guess is, you’ve been missing out on life giving opportunities God has aligned for you.