{Scripture Challenge 2} Challenge Word #15, Fear Not

Challenge Word #15: Fear Not

As a child, I was very scared of the dark. I remember sitting at the top of the stairs at our home in England crying my eyes out as I waited for my sister to come to bed. Yes, we shared a room. She was a night owl; I was not. But I would not go down that dark hallway to that dark bedroom alone. I did not know the Lord then, and I was completely paralyzed by my fear. Fast forward many years, and on occasion I still find myself “halt” in the darkness but now I have One that I cling to as I get that “fearful startle.” I cling to my precious Lord.

One night after Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) I was cleaning up, and I had to put something back in the sanctuary of the church. The lights had already been turned off, and I didn’t know where the switch was. So, I took my very tiny flashlight that I keep in my bag and armed myself with prayer and hymns. God was right there beside me. I knew He was. It was the most awesome feeling. I wasn’t paralyzed as I had been as a pre-teen. I made it through the dark with Him holding me up and giving me strength and peace. Every time I find myself in a fearful situation, I remember that He clearly tells us to “fear not.” He is there with us. Isaiah 43:1 says “But now, this is what the LORD says—He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'" And Lamentations 3:56-58 says "You heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, 'Do not fear.'"

Who do you cling to when you are fearful? Do you do as the scripture says and “fear not,” or do you allow Satan to run with that fear and paralyze you? God is waiting for you to hold onto Him and not let go! We are to have a fear of the Lord (a reverence or respect for Him) but we are not to live in fear or be fearful of things. Health and marriage issues are scary. Every day things such a bugs and darkness can be scary. Raising children in today’s world is scary; however, we have a God that is Sovereign and in control of all things. We have a God that loves us, protects us, and gives us a peace that only comes from Him. Are you clinging to Him and allowing Him to protect you and give you that peace? Isaiah 41:10 says “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.” Let Him strengthen you and help you in all things! Ask Him; He will!!!

The scripture I chose for this study was perfect for me. There were so many passages that spoke to me but this one was perfect for my fear of the dark:

Psalm 91:4-6 “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday."

And for my page, I used the Memory Box Soaring Bird stamp. It was perfect for this passage as I thought of Him covering me with His feathers and taking refuge under His wings. I also chose the colors black and white for "light and dark."
Papers: Creative Imaginations pp, Paper Trey Ink off-white cs, misc. black cs
Stamp: Memory Box Soaring Bird C1366
Stamp Ink: Memento tuxedo black, SU basic black, Ranger clear ep
Embellishments: Cuttlebug Victoria embossing folder, Ribbon Retreat satin ribbon, Hero Arts pearls, Zva Creative pearl flourish, Pink Paislee chipboard button, misc. cross charm, DMC floss, Rose Moka letter stickers, sewing machine

When sharing your page for this challenge be sure to use Keyword SCRC210 when posting in galleries. Also, please leave a link here using Inlinkz! I pray that the next time you experience that "fearful startle" that you will cling to Him, not let go, and then give Him all of the glory! To see all of our previous lessons, please visit this post here. I will be back with another study on August 1st. See you then! Blessings,