Tag: Fear

Danger at the Gas Pump

Growing up in Oregon, I never had to pump my own gas.  It’s illegal to pump your own gas in my home State.  An attendant comes out and does it for you.  Once I joined the military and moved to another State, I had to learn…and learn quickly if I wanted to keep driving. 

As I made the transition from having someone pump my gas to doing it myself, I developed a ridiculous fear that someday I would drive away from the pump with the hose still connected to my car.  I’ve seen videos where distracted drivers have done very thing I fear.  Yet, when I started being afraid of this, there wasn’t YouTube and social media to ‘fuel’ the fear. 

It’s an irrational fear.  It’s just one example.  Some of our irrational fears could involve health concerns, weather disasters, financial ruin, child raising, and tons more.  The reality is this…when we entertain an irrational fear, we are distracted from the goodness of God. 

I’ve often gone to scripture to overcome some of my irrational fears, such as driving away with the gas hose still attached to my gas tank.  How we feel and act is a product of our active thinking.  When we think godly thoughts, godly behavior follows.  In Proverbs 23:7 (NASB) we see, “As a person thinks within himself, so he is.”  We can replace the lies we believe with the truth of God.  This is a renewal of our minds as seen in Romans 12:1-2 and Ephesians 4:23.

Through the renewal of our minds and alignment with the Word of God, we can put our beliefs into action.  No matter what I believe about an irrational fear or phobia, I must also know that God promises good results.  1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

Each time I pump gas, I have the temptation to fall into fear about destroying the pump and my car.  When I turn that fear over to the Lord, I’ve found the escape provided by God.  He is allowing me an opportunity to focus more solely on him, rather than my fear.

Each one of us has a fear, like the danger of the gas pump.  How we address the fear is where potential growth in our Christian walk can occur.

I’m praying this week that each of us faces our fear with the knowledge that the Lord is providing an “escape.”

~Emily

Are They Trustworthy?

Trust is such a simple yet complex feeling.  We want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  We believe that we can have confidence in the words that they say.  However, sometimes in our lives, we can be left burned and hurt.

I would love to believe that people are not untrustworthy on purpose.  I don’t think anyone likes to intentionally break that bond.  Most often, I see it when there is fear of being hurt themselves or perhaps even fear of being found out.  Sometimes, it’s just genuine misunderstanding of the circumstance that leaves a feeling of nagging doubt at the person’s words.

Recently, I had to deal with this issue of trust.  The words appeared calculated and dishonest.  The first thought that came to my mind is something my mom used to say to me when I lied as a child, “Do I have ‘stupid’ tattooed on my forehead!”  The visceral reaction was to be angry.  I felt injured by the words.  I can’t even be 100% sure that what was being said was a lie, but every bone in my body went into full can-I-trust-this-answer mode.

Despite there being people in our lives that can break that trust bond, there’s someone who will never break that bond. That’s our Heavenly Father.

God is the ultimate trustworthy Creator.  We see it over and over in scripture.  He repeatedly saved the Israelites.  He sent judges to help them be victorious.  He sent His Son, Jesus, to walk the earth and take on our punishment of death.  He sent apostles to teach us about a relationship with Christ and salvation.  He’s, even now, preparing a place for us in heaven.  We can trust Him.

Psalm 9:10 says, “and those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.”

No matter what happens with the humans surrounding us, trust of God need not ever waver.  He created us and He loves us.

Friends, are you dealing with issues of trust in your life this week?  Come to the porch and know you’re not alone.  Our Father is forever trustworthy!

~Erin

If My Life Was A Mess-Free Coloring Book…

We have the cutest coloring page on our refrigerator.  It’s one of those special pictures that only colors with the mess-free markers.  Those Crayola geniuses come up with some of the most amazing things!  It’s every parent’s dream invention that prevents those “innocent” little babies from markering up your entire dining room wall with Picasso scribbles only a toddler can make.

With Andros visiting, I wanted him to have something he could be creative with, and he just loves coloring the pictures and watching the ink appear on the page.  When he’s got the page on the table, I don’t have to worry about when he colors outside the lines or off the edge of the page.  It’s clean and neat!

Don’t we sometimes wish our lives were the same way?  If our life was the special paper and our choices and circumstances were the mess-free markers, would we stumble in what we do and how we act?  Would our reaction to trials be one of trusting God or trusting self? 

It would be great if everything stayed on the page.  When everything goes according to plan, exactly as it’s supposed to, we have no worries and no anxiety. It appears there’s no trouble.  But when our choices are not the mess-free choices that keep us within the bounds of our walk with God or hardships that we face are not within the lines of what we expect, it’s very easy to fall into despair.  How do we handle the trials that bleed off the edge of the page and throw us into frustration, fear, or confusion?    

God tells us in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” 

How do we remain steadfast under trial? We do it by remaining steadfast in our Lord.  He is beside us all the time.  He has given us the Comforter to live inside of believers.  We trust that our Almighty God will do exactly as He promises in Scripture.  He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).  He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  He will strengthen us and will help us (Isaiah 41:10).

I challenge you, friends.  Trust that whatever life has thrown at you, you have a Father that will hold you through it.  It’s ok if the marker falls off the page.  We have a God who is right there with you when it does.

Do any of you have a verse that helps you remain strong in the Lord when you are going through trials?  Share in the comments!

~Erin

Artist: Andros Minjarez

The Silence of God

In a European prison cell, the following inscription was found; “I believe in the sun even when it is not shining. I believe in love even when I don’t feel it.  I believe in God even when He is silent.”

Sometimes it feels like God is so quiet! 

This last week, I had several conversations with God about this particular issue.  Yet, it felt like there was complete silence from God.  Several of my prayers started with something to the effect of, “I know scripture tells us that you hear us…that you hold each of our tears in your hand…but why does it seem that you aren’t responding!!!”  *Insert whining and moaning*  

Talk about the quintessential child who knows that the parent is parenting, but the child continues to question the methods!!

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?  If I’m honest with myself, questioning the silence of God is a dangerous place.  It causes me to question if I’m important to God or if my thoughts and requests are trivial compared to some of the bigger requests that He must receive on a daily basis.  It leads to doubt, which leads to fear, which leads to loneliness and a host of other negative emotions.  

As I should do often, I turned to the Word.  I started at Isaiah 41:10, which tends to be my “go-to” verse when I am in a funk.  However, mindless flipping through scripture had me landing on Job 34:29.  The NASB version reads, “When He keeps quiet, who can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can look at Him, That is, regarding both nation and a person?”

Basically, scripture reaffirms that what God does is good. Always. Even when it appears that He is being silent.  Who am I to question that? Who am I to condemn the perceived silence?

Interestingly enough, I was sent a note later that day that said, “…often when God seems to be silent, it’s because we are too exhausted to listen.”  

Perhaps the silence is an indicator that I’m not listening well.  Just like that child questioning the parenting methods…

In some regards, we live in figurative prison cells, which God still works in.  Just like that European prison cell and the intuitive inmate who once wrote “I believe in God even when He is silent.” 

~Emily

Release the Fear and Lies

Last week I wrote about how the meaning of our names can predict our destinies and purpose.  In order for us to walk in our destinies, we must reject the lies that we have been believing and begin to overcome our fears.

The strength that it takes to defeat the giants in the Promised Land is the same strength that will keep us in the Promised Land.  Beneath each sin or compromise we have struggled with, we can typically find a root lie or fear that we began to believe.

Before I met my husband, I was on a dating profile where I had indicated that I was training for a half marathon.  I had a knee injury and was unable to continue training for the race.  However, I believed I couldn’t find a suitable date unless men saw me as actively fit.  Because of that belief, I never changed that portion of my dating profile.  Even after months of not running, I was still matched with uber fit dudes who were surprised that I didn’t indicate my fitness ritual within the first few moments of communicating.

So, there I was believing a lie about needing to be fit in order to date.  There I was engaged in the sin of deception because I believed that lie.

Take a look at Jacob.  In Genesis 28:10-15, we read that Jacob has a dream regarding his offspring being scattered throughout the lands.  Essentially all the people of the earth would be blessed through the promises offered to Jacob and his descendants.

But by Genesis 32:22-32, we see that Jacob wrestles with a man to the point he has an afflicted hip.  Jacob tells the man he will not release him unless he first offers a blessing.  The man tells Jacob that his name is to be changed to Israel and offers a blessing. God wrestles with Jacob, changes his name, and offers a blessing.

What were Jacob’s fears or what lies was he believing?  He believed he was inadequate and unworthy.  He was insecure.  The underlying equation in this story is Jacob requiring a blessing in return for releasing the man.  He did not believe the blessings that were pronounced over him before his birth.  He wasn’t allowing God to work in God’s timing. He did not believe the dream.

Each of us has doubts. Each of us has fears. Each of us believes lies that aren’t ours to believe.  When you consider Jacob’s doubt and belief in lies and fear, do you feel as though you are in good company?

This week I want to encourage you to read Isaiah 43:1-7.  What are some of the promises that God gives us in this passage?  Write those promises down and recall them to your life right now in 2019.

~Emily

Release the Fear and Lies

Shadows & The Light

With my heart pounding out of my chest, I jumped backward, fists up, and screamed bloody murder…something incoherent with a few swear words.

Can you picture my kung-fu fighting stance? What would cause such a commotion in my life?

As I was closing the bedroom door, a shadow passed along the hallway, which scared me into the defensive position.  The shadow?  My husband coming down the hall with a fresh cup of coffee for me. A sweet gesture that was met with much aggression, simply because I got frightened.

Shadows seem scary and often they indicate a scenario where we should be on defense.

Shadow in the woods = lions and tigers and bears.

Shadow behind my car = zombie about to get me.

Shadow over my head = bird about to poop on me.

Shadow in the hallway = bad guy in the house.

The shadow mentioned in Psalm 23:4, the “Valley of the Shadow of Death” has always frightened me.  Mostly because it sounds so ominous.  The passage that seems to be most popular for funerals makes me conjure up a picture in my mind that is scary.

But more often than not, the shadow isn’t what is truly scary. Most of the time, it’s my imagination that makes the shadow scarier than it deserves to be. Shadows appear frightening, but they can’t hurt us.

Consider this:  the presence of a shadow is also an indicator of light.  When we are frightened by an object casting a shadow, we should look for the light behind the shadow.

Take the same scary scenarios above…

Shadow in the woods = sunset behind a redwood tree.

Shadow behind my car = puppy running to greet me.

Shadow over my head = cloud providing shade relief from an Alabama blazing hot sun.

Shadow in the hallway = husband bringing wife hot coffee.

There is one more super amazing light behind darkness.  Jesus.

Jesus is that light (John 8:12).  He can provide the glimmer of reassurance when we have a momentary fright.  When the shadows are imaginary, He is the light. When the shadows are overwhelming, He is light.  He the shadows indicate true danger, He is the light.

Always.  Jesus is our light in the midst of the shadows.

With that in mind, Psalm 23:4 becomes a whole lot more comforting than the imaginary picture I have previously had in my mind.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” ~Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

I’m praying that each of you have a week where the shadows are a reminder that there is always light present.

~Emily

Be Bold

I’m sitting here and staring at a blank screen.  This happens a lot.  I sit down to write only to be stumped with what God is telling me to write.  I think a topic is a good idea.  Then I wonder what the topic will bring to the table in my writing.  I pause, and then I erase.  A new idea enters my head.  Yet again, I think about where I want it to go, and then I erase.  It’s a vicious cycle I have in my head.

And now, I have this crazy thought…how often do we start to tell people about us and about our testimony when we stop ourselves, erase the potential conversation and start talking about something completely different because we’re afraid of what people will think or say?  I know I’m sometimes guilty of it.

I want to start off on the right foot with people.  I don’t want them thinking I’m some crazy Jesus Freak who is unable to relate to them because I do things “God’s way”.  I gauge the temperature of the conversation before I jump in with my story or what the platform is of my ministry.

But really, what’s so wrong with being a Jesus Freak?!  I love Jesus.  My life is about serving and glorifying Him.  It doesn’t mean I’m not fun.  It definitely doesn’t mean I’m boring. I’m not going to judge someone for their sin or how they live their life…I’ve got my own sin to worry about.  So why should I be ashamed to talk about what I live for or what my calling is when they ask me about myself?!

Being a Christian is what defines me.  While being a mom and a grandma is about the best thing I could ever ask for, my life would not, could not be what it is without Jesus Christ and what He did for me.  I should not nor do I need to be ashamed or hesitant to share my love for Jesus.

I know this may not have been what you stopped by the Iron Porch to hear today, but I feel like someone, even if it’s only me, needs to hear that you don’t need to be afraid of who you are in Jesus.  It’s ok to have your life in Him and to be bold about it.  Don’t fear sharing with others what He’s done for you or how He’s changing you.  He loves you, and that just may be what someone else needs to hear.

~Erin

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.                                    ~Isaiah 41:10

This is my “go to” verse. It’s the first verse my grandmother helped me memorize as a small child.  It brings me comfort.  It’s one I use routinely in prayer.  I recently got this verse on a keychain, in a covenant of prayer, along with two special girls from my husband’s family.

I’ve heavily relied on this verse the last few months. I’ve been struggling.  And those closest to me have been having a rough time too.   I have immediate and extended family, as well as very close friends battling cancer.  I’m anxious about the transition between military and civilian life.  My stepdaughter is excelling in a rehab program, but recently betrayed by her best friend.  I’ve been stricken with doubts about finishing my degree.  The suicide of a celebrity chef had me reeling for days.  It’s just been a Debbie-Downer type of season in my life.

In light of feeling “out of sorts,” I’ve taken the last few days to contemplate the words of this passage. Essentially I’ve been deciphering why it feels so special to me.

So Do Not Fear:  This gives me the security that God has chosen me. He will provide.  He has told me not to be fearful of what is next.  His plan will prevail.

For I Am With You: This is the promise of God, which is the reason we should not fear.  God is with us. He literally is telling us that He is with us.  He’s standing next to us…holding our hands…helping us lift our head in times of shame or sorrow…catching our tears…cheering for us.  If He’s with us, what do we have to fear?

Do Not Be Dismayed: When one is dismayed, they are typically looking around themselves in a state of alarm or danger.  I think about an active shooter scenario…would I spring into action or stand there dumbfounded?  This statement from our God tells us that we can be calm and can shed any apprehension that we may harbor. We don’t have to look around in a state of alarm.

For I Am Your God: The Great I AM.  Asserting His place in our lives.  He is our God, the God of Heaven and Earth, He is God of all power and protection.  In this portion of the verse, He states His dominance of our life. I love that He isn’t just reminding us of His position, but rather He is also telling the world that He is our God.

I Will Strengthen You:  This verb “will strengthen” provides us with the emotion of attaching to someone else.  As in Isaiah 44:14, we become chosen.  We are made stronger as a result of our relationship with God. Again, we see the promise from a God that He will see us through the turmoil.

I Will Uphold You: He will enable us to bear any and all of our trials. He will stand us upright.  I have this vision of something happening that is so horrible, I want to faint away with fear or saddness…but God is standing right behind me, with His hands under my arms…”propping” me up to face the world.

With My Righteous Right Hand:  God’s hand is faithful.  It is one to rely on.  It’s on that hand that He will secure us.

When broken down, this verse provides so much insight into the heart of our God.  And it is so refreshing and reassuring that I do not have to worry about anything, as long as I believe God’s word.

Ladies, I encourage you to lean in this week and really digest a verse…any verse.  Figure out how it plays out in your life.  I’m praying we all have a week remembering that God will strengthen each of us.

~Emily