I'm starting a new Bible study. This is just from the introduction, yet I found it powerful for me today:

"Did you know that fear can be good for you? No, really! A healthy amount of fear serves as a reminder to avoid danger. It can help us be more safety-conscious. The awareness that something bad could happen often causes us to do something good . . .

"Unhealthy fear is paralyzing. It prevents us from experiencing and living the life God intended. It limits our potential. Fear can hinder us from enjoying rich relationships, amazing experiences, and a meaningful life.

"Fear can even stop us from fulfilling the call that God has on our lives. Left unchecked, fear can ties us to the past, push us toward sin, and prevent us from embracing our God-ordained future. That's one reason we find the same phrase echoing throughout His Word: 'Fear not!' Through His Son, Jesus, God has set us free from the unhealthy fears that bind us and hold us back." (taken from Overcoming Fear by Margaret Feinberg, Women of Faith Study Guide Series)

These words spoke powerfully to my heart today, and I haven't even started the study yet! I don't want my fears to prevent me from being who God wants me to be. I plan to walk through my weekend with my life verse echoing in my head as I go about the tasks God has set before me.

This weekend is a busy one with The Hobbit, especially as I keep finding myself in unfamiliar territory -- putting on makeup (on goblins, and other creatures), adjusting costumes in order to avoid wardrobe malfunctions, and anything else that comes along.

I pray for all of you as well as for myself that we will remember to live the life God has intended for us . . . one Without Fear.

FEAR= False Evidence Appearing Real

Labels: brave, faith, fearless friday, God's Word, truth