Calming Fear With Faith

Both of our children have incredible imaginations. They dream up the most fascinating adventures. My daughter plays out her days with her own never-ending stories. However, when the night comes, her imagination can sometimes get the best of her. 

In the dark hours, I awake to her cries. Half asleep, I tumble into her room. 

I grumble “What’s wrong?”

“I’m scared.” 

I take a breath. Her fear lacks logic. The night light shines bright. The lullabies play softly. Her brother breathes heavily in the bed beside her. She’s safe. 

“There’s a lion in my room.” 

I soften my tone, reminding myself how real the lions feel to her. “You’re safe.”

I assure her the lions are far, far away. I remind her of the truth, that Jesus is with her. He keeps her safe and secure. Her little heart calms, slowly, and her mind allows her to fall into rest once again. 

Fear, at any age, can be a tricky thing. It causes us to not see clearly. Rather than seeing what’s right in front of us, anxiety plagues us about what could happen. Downtrodden in ‘what if,’ we find it impossible to find rest. Like my daughter, in the trenches of the night, we forget the simple comfort that Jesus is with us. 

We can take comfort in that Jesus’s own disciples struggled with this as well. In Matthew 8, we see the disciples spiral as they forget who lies beside them. As you may remember, the story begins with the disciples following Jesus into a boat. They go out to sea, Jesus falls asleep, a storm comes, the disciples give way to fear. In desperation, the disciples call out to Jesus in verse 25, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” They know, then, that Jesus can indeed save them from this trial. Jesus responds, seemingly like I do with my 3 year old in the night—tired, frustrated. “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” 

All of chapter eight up until this point is filled with miracles. Healing after healing, the disciples saw Jesus accomplish the impossible. They had followed Jesus at all cost up until this point, but they still do not know Jesus’ true identity. If they had faith in Jesus as their Savior, they wouldn’t have been overcome by the storm in front of them. They trusted what their eyes showed them—a storm growing so powerful that it could take their lives. And yet, Jesus was right there. The Son of Man was right there in that boat. They had nothing to fear. And that was what Jesus meant. Remember who I am. I’m the one who has come to save you. I’ve come to rescue you from sin and death. The storms and waves cannot take this away. You surely won’t perish. Have faith. 

My daughter won’t always fear the lion under the bed. Her fears, like mine, will change with the seasons. While anxiety might manifest differently as we age, its influence remains the same. Fear causes us to not see clearly. When we succumb to the storms we face, we put our trust in fear instead of the One who’s already rescued us from it all.

As His disciples continued to draw near to Him, Jesus patiently taught them what a life of truth faith looked like. As we draw near to Jesus by spending time in prayer and in His word, our earthly fears fade away. We fix our hearts on the Truth. This gentle, merciful Maker of the Universe, who simultaneously defeated death and made a way for us to call Him friend. 

There are many times I am tricked by my worries, just as my daughter was tricked in the night. I find myself weak in faith like the disciples. I fix my eyes on my worries, rather than fixing my eyes on the One who calms the waves and the wind with only a word. And yet, He answers us gently. He reminds us we are safe. There’s nothing to fear. He gives us the strength and grace we need to depend on Him as we walk through the storms that come our way. We can then breathe deep and rest easy in Christ. 

Written by Rachel Rowe. Rachel is a wife to Caleb and mama to Adalyn, Oliver, and Eliza. When she’s not at home, you might find her teaching Bible Study, gathering for Book Club, or sipping lattes at a local coffee shop. Through it all, she’s learning to let the Word of Christ dwell in her heart—and finding out what that looks like in the everyday moments. Follow along on Instagram @thedwellblog

Inadequacy & Sufficiency

I want to be all the things.

Please all the people.

Fear creeps right in as I settle down on the couch to look at the snow.

How can I possibly handle more if I can’t handle what I have?

What makes me think I could handle more kids, like we so desire?

What makes me think I can give more and serve more?

But when I think it all through, these questions and others, I see lies.

I think things aren’t being handled, yet they are. The kids are fine, everyone’s basic needs are met, we have a happy home, and we’re all learning more about Jesus.

Still all I see is my failures.

Failure over here, failure over there. Not enough of this, not enough of that.

There’s Godly wisdom in managing time well, in saying no to things, in prioritizing. Taking things off my plate when I know He wants me to - that yields blessings.

But there are situations that break me… because that’s what He wants. There are times it all simply is too much for me, and that’s a good thing. He uses these seasons to make me stronger - stronger because I know His strength better.

I know this truth, and I’ve known it all my life: I am not enough. He is.

Motherhood has shown me more depth to this truth; depths I haven’t experienced before. I can do a whole lot by myself. I can pick myself up by the bootstraps and keep going. And going, and going, and going. I can meet people’s physical needs and keep meeting them as they come in and out the door.

But there’s a whole lot of brokenness in this world, with each of us. There’s brokenness in me and there’s brokenness in everyone who comes through our doors. It’s messy. I’m inadequate. There are mental and emotional needs I’ll never be able to meet. And truthfully that’s the hardest part, seeing things and wishing I could fix them - knowing I can’t.

Yet He is sufficient.

The needs everyone else has? He can meet them. Let them see Him!

The needs I have? I mess up, and I wish my flaws could go unseen but often they don’t. So I apologize when necessary, and turn to Him. He can meet my needs too. May my children see!

There are questions I don’t have answers for. But I do know that the Lord has every answer we could ever need, whether it looks how we expect it to or not.

So rather than try to pretend I can do it all, or be it all - I’m learning to accept my limitations. It sounds silly, doesn’t it? Obviously we have limitations! Oh, but we act like we’re invincible.

My limitations show myself and others that He alone can satisfy. Using them to point to Him can be painful but it is truly a joy! And - He determines what’s ultimately necessary and what’s not. What a shift, to think of how His load is light (Matt. 11:30) while the loads we give ourselves are so heavy!

That fear that creeps in, as I sit and think of all the things to do and be… it isn’t necessary. As the Lord adds people and tasks to our lives, He gives all that’s needed. He also gives standards to measure by; I can look to others to gauge some things in life, but may I let Him be the end-all.

My encouragement to you, reader, is to rely on His strength and look to Him to judge how you’re doing. Be consistently - daily - in His Word and in prayer. Let Him guide you and your family.

Be faithful with what He puts in front of you, be content in it, and do all for His glory. Rest in His sufficiency. He truly, deeply, is enough!

-Amy

Taught in the Quiet

It’s been quiet around here the last month. :)

I’m amazed at how much the Lord has taught me in these last few weeks. Seems like many of the things I *knew* in my head have been fleshed out, brought to life before me.

It has been so full.

Scaling back (significantly) on work beyond the home has left me with so much more. More time and energy, yes, but also more awareness. More availability. More creativity for what’s in front of me.

I tend to view all things in life from a dichotomist’s perspective - either/or, this or that, black or white. All or nothing. I do things to extremes, and over the years the Lord has so graciously been helping me gain balance. Pausing the Strength & Song magazine and routine emails has been another means of Him teaching me this. In time, those things may come back to my plate - but they will be much better balanced and the season will be more suitable.

Instead of using every naptime and much of my free time for work, I am more available for my family and community. And I’ll share a humbling fact - I think I’ve done more ministry in the last four weeks than I did in two years working. (It is hard to determine this, of course, because I don’t see the fruit of my labor when I’m producing emails and magazines. But this month has been so rich; you’ll see why.)

We’ve welcomed people over for dinner. I’ve sat on my couch with ladies from church as we cried out to the Lord on behalf of a friend. The kids have helped me make dinner for a sick friend, and came with me to deliver it. We’ve sat around the fire past bedtime with family, watching stars and kids who’d had too much sugar. We’ve had new friends over to play, a family who just moved back home after 10 years away. The kids and I have been in a morning Bible study, and my husband and I have joined an evening Bible study. We welcomed a desperate mom and her baby for a night while she made some life choices. We’ve had impromptu playdates with neighbors whose yard isn’t so flat.

It’s been full.

These things haven’t all happened at once, and I don’t share them to boast. I don’t have all the things we think are necessary to be hospitable - in fact, the only bed I had to offer our guest was the couch. Yet God has convicted me of the importance of living out my faith in my community. He’s convicted me of the need to actually know my community.

I don’t need to have the answers for everyone. I used to be fearful of my neighbors, fearful that I would say something that didn’t represent Christ well and fearful that I wouldn’t remember the right Bible verse for the moment. Growing up in a Christian home and Christian school and going to church regularly (all good!), I wasn’t sure how to interact with nonbelievers. What do you even talk about, if there’s no similarity of faith? What happens when they ask a question or make a statement contrary to His Word and you don’t have an answer or response?

What a weight I haven’t needed to carry. I have learned better the meaning of Luke 12:12:

Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

He knows what our neighbors need and when they need it. My job is to be obedient to Him. Of course, that can still spark some fear (standing for Truth with nonbelievers is still a challenge sometimes!). But being obedient to Him is to love them well.

Living alongside other humans is messy. (I know, DUH.) It means riding the rollercoasters of emotions with them. It means joy in the morning and weeping at lunch and desperation at snacktime and contentment at dinner. (And yes, it also means days are often measured in terms of meals. There’s lots of food.) I’ve been learning too that riding the rollercoasters means you need to get good at leaving things with the Lord. If you keep it all in your grip, you obsess over problems and how to fix them and make everyone happy and guess what? Only God can satisfy. We do have limits to how far we can extend. He doesn’t. Hallelujah!

I’ve been taught in the quiet. It has been hard, and it has been wonderful. We have a Savior who steps into our mess, who loves us so deeply, who knows the answers to all of our needs. He is the answer to our need. And He fills us with His joy everlasting, He is truly amazing!

I have missed the regular emails and putting together magazines, it is still bittersweet to think of the fact that I’m not doing them right now. Yet this season has been so good, and I know I’m where the Lord wants me to be. I am so looking forward to how He continues to teach me and work in our family. If you need a push to slow down, scale back, or get outside your comfort zone in community… here it is. *Nudge*

Still praying for you, friends. May the Lord lead you and fill you with His joy.

-Amy

Not an Idol, but the Living God

Psalm 115

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”

But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.

O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.

The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.

May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord!

This Psalm has been on my mind a lot lately, especially the verses (4-8) describing the futility of idols. This past Sunday, our pastor pointed something out that corresponded with these verses - people who create idols ultimately worship themselves. True, isn’t it?

If an idol has a mouth but can’t speak, who comes up with its rules and morals?

If an idol has eyes but can’t see, who determines right and wrong?

If an idol has ears, but can’t hear, or noses, but can’t smell - who says what’s pleasing and what’s not?

Someone may have a literal figurine or statue that they bow down to, or it may be something abstract. But anything worshiped that isn’t the Lord God is an idol.

Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.

This Psalm talks about literal statues, physical idols. And the author says that those who create and trust in these idols are like them. Empty, futile, hopeless.

But those who trust in the Lord? We have substance to our faith!

We have the God who speaks, the God who sees, the God who hears and smells and moves. He’s living and active. He is our help and shield, He is not only aware of our lives but involved in them. We don’t serve an idol, we serve the living God!

The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord!

-Amy