Real Life w/Roz
  • Home
    • Contact
  • About
  • Grace & Goals
  • 2021 Blog Posts
  • Historical Blog Posts
    • Real Life >
      • day to day life
      • Daily Life >
        • in pictures
    • Real Faith >
      • Faith Life
    • Real Food
    • 28-Day Mind Reset

Go Away!

7/20/2011

3 Comments

 
Picture
“Momma, you done yet?” Trey tugged at my sleeve. “No, honey. We're still eating breakfast. You can either sit here with us or get down and play.”

Trey looked around Alice's Diner, familiar from our vacation the year before, not familiar enough to feel like our hometown diner. He wanted to explore, but wasn't sure about venturing off on his own. 


He tried a different tack.
 
“Dad, you get down now?”  “No, Trey. I'm still eating too.”

 Seeing the frustration on Trey's face, I finally said, “Trey, are you afraid of walking around where you can't see us?” Behind us, the line of booths offered a maze of fun, but obscured Trey's view of us.

Nodding, Trey looked at me. “Honey, what do we say when we're afraid of something?” Trey cocked his head to one side and thought for a moment. Pointing his finger he said firmly, “In name of Jesus, GO. A. WAY!"


Picture
Overcoming fear... Even swans do it!
“If you're afraid, honey, you just tell that fear to go away. Momma and Dad are right here, we'll see you.”

Trey's face cleared up, and he began to pick his way over to the far end of the restaurant. Facing fear with the faith of a little one and courage backed by knowing that we were watching, he went exploring.

Earlier that week, Trey and I had visited the playground with my local Mothers of Preschoolers group. A seven year old girl was playing on the small rock wall, but would get to the top and freeze. Crying, she would call for her mother to come and get her down. “She's afraid to go over the wall,” her mom explained to me. “Every time she gets to the top, she's too afraid to swing her leg over the side. Watching her little sister shimmy up one side and down the other is so frustrating for her! I just don't know how to help her...”

Boy, could I empathize with that little girl's fear. Earlier in the year, I had stood by our new pony Sarah's side, crying in frustration at the fear I felt about getting back into the saddle after years of not riding.

Walking over to the rock wall, I started to climb it. “You know, Jenny*, I get afraid too.” With each word, I inched my way up to the top of the wall. “Did you know that God doesn't want us to be afraid?” She nodded her head. “And if God doesn't want us to be afraid, then who does want us to feel afraid?” “The devil!”, she stated seriously. “So if God doesn't want us to be afraid, and the devil does, who wins if we don't do the things that make us afraid?” “The devil!”, she agreed.

“When I get afraid,” I added from my precarious perch on the top of the rock wall. “I have a bible verse that I use to help me do the thing that scares me. Do you want me to tell you what it is?” Jenny nodded, eyes wide as she watched me climb over the wall and begin my descent. “For God does not give us a spirit of fear,” I said, “but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) My foot touched the ground and I breathed my own inward sigh of relief. That wall was high!

 “Your turn,” I said brightly. “Ready?”

Jenny began her ascent, saying the bible verse to herself. Her voice grew louder and stronger as she reached the top. Throwing her leg confidently over the side, she began her descent, her mom's hand poised to steady her. She called out firmly, “God has not given us a spirit of fear! But of power. And of Love! And of a SOUND MIND!”

 Reaching the bottom, she turned to her mom, gave her a huge grin, and ran off to conquer the next playground obstacle.

 Her mom threw her arms around me. “Thank you! I can never think of what to say when they're afraid. Now I know!”

 And now YOU know.

Something scaring you these days? It could be the prompting the holy spirit, warning you. If you're not sure, pray about it, read your bible and ask a trusted mature friend (You know, the one that doesn't always tell you what you want to hear.)

 But if you're afaid of something you're supposed to do, ask yourself: who wins if I let fear rule my life? Then throw your leg over that fear, and speak the truth – and move forward with confidence!


3 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    2 Kings 7:1
    Attitude
    Baby
    Bible Verses
    Catalyst
    Christmas
    Conviction
    Daily Life
    Devotional
    Discipline
    Discontent
    Encouragement
    Everyday Life
    Fear
    Finances
    Finding God
    Forgiveness
    Freedom
    Future
    Gift
    God
    God's Plans
    Grace
    Grief
    Growth
    Guilt
    Help
    Holiday
    Holidays
    Hope
    Humility
    Hurt
    Important
    Inheritance
    Jesus
    Jesus' Birth
    Jesus' Ministry
    Joy
    Joy To The World
    Laughter
    Laundry
    Life
    Little Moments
    Love
    Maturity
    Mercy
    Mess
    Midwife
    Money
    Moses
    Mothers
    Obedience
    Obscure
    Pain
    Pride
    Prodigal
    Projects
    Purpose
    Quiet
    Quiet Time
    Release
    Respect
    Respect Language
    Rest
    Romans 8:1-2
    Shopping
    Silence
    Sin
    Sleep
    Stay At Home Mom
    Staying Sane
    Still
    Stress
    Stress Strategy
    Struggle
    Task
    Thank You
    Thomas Merton
    Toddlers
    Tomorrow
    Truth
    Value
    Vocation
    Willfullness
    Willingness
    Work
    Worth
    Writing


    Archives

    August 2015
    August 2013
    May 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011

Search here!
"We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well." 
(1 Corinthians 10:24b MSG)  ​
  • Home
    • Contact
  • About
  • Grace & Goals
  • 2021 Blog Posts
  • Historical Blog Posts
    • Real Life >
      • day to day life
      • Daily Life >
        • in pictures
    • Real Faith >
      • Faith Life
    • Real Food
    • 28-Day Mind Reset