When the World Would Have Us Shaking in Our Boots

Have you heard the news?

The world would have us shaking in our boots, and I’m not big on cliches, but this one truly fits.

I know you don’t need details, because you’ve heard it all too. There’s no sugar-coating evil.

There are times when it hits us head-on. As a bank employee for almost thirty years, I’ve been through two bank robberies.

In the first robbery, I was the teller who emptied the drawer and apologized to the robber when I didn’t have the large bills his note requested.

During the second one, I sat in the lobby at a desk behind glass, watching the event unfold, surreal, as men with guns stormed the innocent.

We’ve been through trauma, we’ve seen evil first-hand. But evil isn’t new. It’s been around a good long while.

In John 7:7 Jesus said this to His brothers:

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

The world we live in hates the truth. When we walk in truth, share the truth, stand up for the truth, we’re going to face some haters too.

But we need not fear and we need not cower, because after Jesus said that, Jesus said this:

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

And we can say this:

So we may boldly say:

“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6

And this:

The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6

So let’s put on our boots, because we need not shake in them. We can walk confidently as children of God, and boldly say the Lord is my helper, I will not fear.

And instead of shaking in our boots when the world goes crazy, let’s kick up our heels and dance with Jesus, because He has overcome the world.

Don’t worry if you don’t know the steps, He’ll take the lead, because He is The Way.

How Do We Fight the Fear?

I have a memory to share:

As a little girl, I remember telling my dad of a bad dream.

Scared me silly.

He said next time I have one of those dreams,  I need to force myself to speak to the scary and say to it you’re not real. This is only a dream, and now I’m going to open my eyes. Then force my eyes open.

That very night, I tried it.

It worked.

I couldn’t tell you what that dream was about; I don’t remember it.

I only remember what my father told me to do, and how to overcome fear.

But what about when we’re awake, and the scary is real?

Fear comes in different forms.

• It comes with fancy names, a phobia for every occasion
• It comes through medical reports, relationships, finances
• It comes when we need to move on , and when the lights go out
• It comes in what may happen, and what may not

From the creepiest bug, to the most overwhelming of circumstances. We’ve all experienced fear.

When fear encompasses our day, engulfs our thoughts, our effectiveness in serving and fulfilling our calling is greatly diminished.

Of course the enemy wants us to live in fear because:

FEAR = INEFFECTIVENESS

Fear weakens our spiritual immune system, and can cause physical harm as well.

In James 4:7, the word tells us to surrender to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us.

There is evil in the world, no argument there.

But we can easily blame the devil for our own disobedience; our own unwillingness to surrender to God. Surrendering isn’t easy, but we tend to make it harder don’t we? It’s not as complicated as we make.

We have to learn to surrender our fear to God;

and this is key, we have to let  Him keep it.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”                                                                                                                                                                                         Romans 8:15

It’s time to cry Abba, Father, help me not to fear.

In order to squash fear, we need to take on a healthy fear:

The fear of the Lord. A reverent fear. A fear and awe of God.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.                                                                                                                                                                Proverbs 31:30 NIV

Love casts out fear akin to death, because we are kin to the Bread of Life.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”                                                                                                                           Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

What happens when we tell our kids not to do something, and they do it anyway?

Disobedience brings consequences.

God tells us numerous times not to fear. Ah, I get it.

And isn’t brave cooler anyway?

Face  Every  Anxiety  Resolved

Let’s be resolved to trust God and not fear.  Stand like Daniel; firm in faith and never wavering.

Be  Resolved  As  Virtuous  Esthers

Like Esther, we can have courage, we can be brave enough to face fear resolved.

Girls, we can do this. We can do this together. We can do all things through Christ.

Let’s fight back like David.

When he stepped out to face a giant piece of fearful, heads rolled.

Well, a head anyway, and it wasn’t David’s. We need not hide in fear, when we can crush it with faith.

Let’s remember our Father’s instructions for overcoming fear:

Surrender it to Him.

Speak to the scary. Yell if it helps.

Tell it God says I shall not fear. Then say:  Now I’m going to open my eyes to His truth.

How are you fighting fear today?

Share in the comments, so I can stand with you in prayer.

Why Are We Afraid of Change?

We were out of milk. We were out of bread.

A short window of time and a decision to make, I had two options: hit the closest grocery store where I shop less often, or drive farther down the road where I could shop with my eyes closed. Surely the advantage of knowing the exact location of every item would make up for lost travel time, right?

A few minutes after reasoning myself past store #1, I was entering my favorite store #2.  All was according to plan, or was it?

To my surprise, the milk aisle had vanished. Let me rephrase that, the aisle was still there, but the milk wasn’t.

Suddenly, I felt lost in what used to be familiar territory.

So what I’m trying to say is this:

Change is uncomfortable, so we run to the familiar, only to find our familiar has changed. Nothing in this world stays the same forever.

Look forward to change, be excited, and do not fear what could be the greatest growth spurt of your life.

God uses change to help us seek. When we seek, we will find Him.   tweet it

He changes relationships; environments; jobs; ministries…

Whether our change is huge like moving to a new country, or small like moving our milk, one thing never changes: God. He is our constant.

When we face change in the midst of unfamiliar territory, our Unchangeable God holds our right hand.

Trust Him, He knows where the milk went.

You have heard these things; look at them all.Will you not admit them?

“From now on I will tell you of new things,
    of hidden things unknown to you.”  Isaiah 48:6

What changes are you currently experiencing?  How has God caused you to seek Him?

What Can Trials Do?

I was told it wasn’t personal, yet I felt betrayed. A half-my-life-long career began slipping away. I struggled to hold on, digging my manicured nails into it as my feet dangled in the air. Daily stresses stomping on my fingers, I held my breath in fear of the plummet. How could this be happening to me? I was a valued Asst. V.P., right?

Change.

I knew God understood. He quieted my fears of failure; finances; change. We journeyed together as He showed me how prideful I had become in “my” successes. He showed me through His Word, true success isn’t measured by titles; fame; or fortune. True success and sound wisdom come to those who walk upright, who walk in His will not man’s; true success comes through trusting in Jesus.

Although I didn’t understand why it seemed like years of my life were wasted, I still trusted.

When the time came to let go, I didn’t walk out of those doors defeated, God lifted my head; and He will lift yours.

What I feared as the worst case scenario, turned out to be the best I could have hoped for. All those years were not wasted, those years were used to equip me to do greater things for His glory.

As old, squeaky doors closed, new and exciting doors opened. So if you’re striving for positions and titles remember this: We aren’t meant to use titles for prestige, we’re meant to use them to reach hearts.

Open doors and new opportunities are not available to us if we stay stuck in the past. It doesn’t matter what age we are, God can use all of it and God can use us.

So if you’re going through a trial…

• Trust in God. He has a plan for you, and it’s better than your plan could ever hope to be. Don’t give up, He hasn’t given up on you.
• Hope in God. Christ in us is the hope of glory. We aren’t alone, ever.
• Pray in Faith. Prayer changes things. Don’t fear change, because staying the same bears no fruit. Faith is key, and it grows. Jesus prayed, and He is our perfect example.

God uses our trials to move us into triumph.

If it not be for the trial, we may never move .

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

How has Jesus silenced your fears?

In Him,

Doris

Could You Be A Certain Woman?

  I am filled with exuberance at the mention of  “a certain woman” in Judges who rocked the world of her people, literally. Who was she? When I get home one day, I hope to meet her, but for now I don’t even know her name.

Here’s the passage:

“Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he encamped against Thebez and took it. But there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women—all the people of the city—fled there and shut themselves in; then they went up to the top of the tower.So Abimelech came as far as the tower and fought against it; and he drew near the door of the tower to burn it with fire. But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.”  Judges 9:50-53 (NKJV)

Abimelech, was one evil dude. Son of Jerubaal (who was Gideon) and his concubine, he schemed to reign through deceit and murder, and wound up sporting a mortal wound inflicted by a certain woman. Evidently, he feared humiliation of death by a woman worse than death itself, so he implored his armor-bearer to finish him off with a sword. He had no clue God would insure generations to come would know the truth.

I ponder the events of this certain woman’s day, and imagine emotions she must have experienced. She had no idea when she awoke that morning, God had a plan to use her to save the people of Thebez from death by fire. I’m sure adrenaline pumped fiercely through her veins, mustering up holy strength and courage to drop a millstone on the head of a man on a rampage. She was living out a call; one she knew nothing of, until the moment she took action. God chose this woman, just as He has chosen us.

What if she knew what was in store for her that day, do you think she would have gotten out of bed?  What would have happened if she hadn’t?

The stone may have made an impact on Abimelech, however, it was nothing compared to the impact this woman made in HIStory.  She stared fear in the face and came out victorious through the power of God. Does that not bring you hope? It brings me hope. Just this certain ordinary woman used by an extraordinary God.

So why would God withhold her name? I am in no way a Bible scholar, but I have a theory: the name recognition game doesn’t matter to God. He will use us whether the world knows our name or not. We don’t need to be well-known or achieve a certain level in society in order for God to use us for His glory. Isn’t that refreshing?

Although I hope dropping a millstone on someone’s head is not on my divine agenda today, the sheer excitement of expectancy, the unimaginable possibilities of what God can do through willing vessels, is more than I am able to contain.

Could you be a certain woman? Could I?  The answer is yes, if we are willing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We’re going to drown!”

As a young girl growing up in north Jersey, opportunity to see the Atlantic Ocean came maybe once a year.  It was quite a drive to go “down the shore” as we called it.  I have fond memories of those summer vacations; excitement of the first hint of salt air, the caw of seagulls in flight.  There’s just something special about a “beach town.”  However, one summer vacation nearly ended in tragedy.

I must have been eleven or twelve.  My dad taught me to body surf, and I had no fear of the water, loved it.  Unfortunately,  my feelings of fearlessness rapidly changed, as I found myself being pulled farther from the shore.  I remember struggling to tread water, trying to keep my head above the surface.  There was a boy not far from me in the same boat; or rather we wished we were in a boat.  I scanned the beach for the lifeguard, and there he was, paying no attention to the drowning children while investing in his social life.

This was by no means any fault of my parents.  They kept a sharp eye on me, but if you’ve ever heard of the terms rip-tide, rip-current, undertow and the like,you know they can be more quick and deadly than a man-eating shark.  This quiet force sneaks up on you; very subtle until you’re too far gone to help yourself.  Swimming toward shore is useless, pointless, and exhausting.   Thankfully, my dad, who incidentally had been a lifeguard at one time, spotted two bobbing heads in distress.  I saw him dive into the water, and within seconds, he was dragging both of us like a tugboat safely back to dry land.

My earthly father saved two lives that day; and I know my heavenly Father was there too. He always is.  He Is.

How many times in our life have we found ourselves drowning in the middle of an ocean?   Overworked, overcommitment, our plates so full, we’re too tired to scrape them off and wash them?  Family stress, financial stress…you get the picture.  Are we flailing our limbs without a life-preserver, because we swam too far away from the shore? Lost. Discouraged. Exhausted from treading water.  Were we literally dragged away, or did we go voluntarily?

Even the best swimmers grow weary treading water; isn’t it time to walk on it? tweet that

The good news is, well,  the Good News. Hope.  Jesus.  He’s our life preserver; our lifeline.  Salt water up your nose is very unpleasant.  Jesus is the most qualified lifeguard on duty 24-7.  We can call out to Him in our distress, and He will see us safely back to shore.  Call to Him, pray, and have faith.

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  Matthew 8:25-26 (NIV)

Funny, I now live in Florida; just minutes away from the majesty of crashing waves, and miles of beach.  I no longer fear the ocean, for I see God’s glory in its breathtaking magnificence; and I see a girl saved by grace who lived to tell His story.

In Him,

Doris

 

 

 

 

 

 

True Confessions of an Almost Author

I’m a writer. I’m a blogger.

I’ve read books on writing, taken courses on writing, am currently enrolled in COMPEL through Proverbs 31, and Jeff Goins, the talented guy who wrote: Wrecked, The In-Between, Writer’s Manifesto; he says I’m a writer.  He wrote a book about it:

“YOU ARE A WRITER (So Start Acting Like One)” by Jeff Goins.

I grabbed the Kindle Edition. He also offers a variety of resources on blogging, writing, and platform building to “help us be more awesome” on goinswriter.com. Check it out. Great stuff.

So where am I on this writing journey?  Probably right about where you are…

There’s a book in me; several books. There’s probably a book in you too. The thing is, they need to come out.  Besides reading about the craft, studying the craft, practicing the craft; eventually, we’ll have to take the plunge, put ourselves “out there”.   I’m just not sure where “out there” is.

I know for a fact there are thousands like us; dipping our toe in the pool.  The water may be cold at first, takes a bit of getting used to.  Let’s dive in; it’s time to swim.

Social interaction is obviously good for a writer; name recognition, branding, all good. Following this guideline, my email address is my name, and my blog addresses is my name.com.  I find this difficult since it seems in direct conflict to humbling myself, and the important reminder “it’s not about me.”  Still, I’m thinking God is okay with others knowing my name; after all, He calls me by name.

Have you ever googled your name?

Confession:  I have. I googled my name yesterday, and what popped up? A few pics of me, my Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube pages; a pic of my friend Lisa (?), and umpteen images of “Doris” Day and Taylor “Swift”.  I’m thinking a cross between the two of them wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Then there’s that word; the word most of us at this stage of the game get a little creeped out about. You know what I’m talking about… platform.

I’d like to think I’m a pretty likable person, but unless something goes viral, this is going to pose quite a challenge. To aim for 100,000 hits on my blog in one month, a little intimidating.  Let me rephrase that, a lot intimidating. Intimidating yes, but not impossible:

Jesus said to him, 
   “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  Mark 9:23

Yes Lord, I believe.

How many followers do you have?

Confession: I have exactly 175 blog followers and the number of Facebook friends only slightly exceeds the current balance in my checking account. I do have a Facebook page matching my blog name Walking Deeper with 60 followers and growing. I am learning how to develop an email platform, and have 78 Twitter followers; I’m sure a few of them are trying to sell me something.

I follow Jesus, but I don’t think He’s on Twitter.

Viral is another catch phrase popular in today’s culture. The closest I’ve come to viral is having Chickenpox in 3rd grade.  So, until I can teach my cat to flush the toilet, I’m thinking viral might be a bit far-reaching for me.

Have you noticed after a video has gone viral, these people wind up as guests on the Today Show?

Hey, wait a minute, I’ve been on the Today Show!  Well, I’m using the word “on” a bit loosely.  Brian and I were in NYC for our 25th anniversary in 2009.  We had been watching the Today Show for years, laughing at all the crazy people standing outside for hours; then we decided to become one of them.

We had our daughter DVR the show that morning, hoping we’d make the big-time with our hot-pink, homemade sign.  We did!  We were seen on camera during several shots as they panned the crazies.  We carefully avoided deleting the recorded show, until the DVR finally crashed. Thankfully, we had taken a photo of the TV screen.  See….

No, that’s not me standing with my husband under our anniversary sign, my bad.  I must have been out of view trying to wave down Al Roker.

The highlight of the morning for me (sorry honey), was when Meredith Vieira smiled and shook my hand. It happened during a commercial break, but what a treat!  She was as lovely in person as she looked on TV, and extremely gracious.  Here’s a close-up (I don’t think she’ll mind, she looks great):

Sorry Savannah, this was before your time.

Would you say you’ve struggled with doubt and fear? 

Confession: I would. Doubts creep in, yes they do. Love casts out fear, so I draw on that unconditional love of God when the fear and doubt threaten to devour me.  If He’s called me, He will equip me. He will equip you. He will.

I would have to say though, there is one fear I have to keep pushing back, pushing down; a fearful thought I have to continually take captive to the obedience of Christ.

What is this fear?

The fear of a dream that might never take shape, will never come to pass.  Satan loves to tell us that lie repeatedly, doesn’t he?  Do you ever have that same fear?

Worth the wait, yes, this is.  We will get there.  Wait on the Lord, He appoints us and gives us the desires of our heart when we trust in Him. He’ll give us that platform we need, because HE IS our platform; our firm foundation.  That’s a promise, and our faithful God keeps His promises. It’s not easy, it takes work; but why not work at what we love?

Perhaps as this journey unfolds, it won’t look anything like we had hoped for; no, it will be more, it will be better.  More than we could ask or imagine.

So write! 

Whether this dream comes together like fallen Manna from the sky, or whips us into shape so we can chase it, God is in control.  We don’t have to scream out “I’m here!  Notice me!  Know my name!” cause the only One who matters already does. May you find joy in this journey called writing.

In Him,

Doris