4 Get up, for it is your duty to deal with this matter; we will support you. Be strong and act.”
Reflection
Fears change as life continues. In childhood, I was afraid of thunderstorms, the dark, werewolves, and I had a strong phobia of aliens after an unfortunate premature exposure to the movie MARS ATTACKS.
Now my fears have more to do with protecting my daughters and myself from dangerous people and situations. Don’t get me wrong, I will never NOT fear spiders, but I swallow my screams when one needs to be removed from the immediate vicinity.
As a mom, as a camp counselor, and as a teacher, it is and was my task to protect “my” kids. Even when I was scared, I needed to summon the strength and courage to make the smart decisions to keep them safe or teach them something worth knowing. For example, when I find a small spider in the bathroom, I don’t need to immediately squish it. Instead, I demonstrate kindness and we safely take the spider outside. As a counselor hiking with campers knowing there were potentially hungry and curious animals in the area, we sing a song, because they don’t need to feel afraid of animals in nature. Campers should know these animals scare easily and it’s better if you scare them from a distance with lots of noise, rather than surprising each other within an animal’s personal bubble. My daughter has learned it’s funny to call thunder “dragon toots,” but it’s important to be out of the water and inside when gassy dragons are in the area.
I imagine and prepare for the worst-case scenarios. It’s my job. It’s also my job to educate my girls even when it means I need to face some of my fears. I step up with courage knowing I am supported by faith.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
When have you needed to step up to accomplish something even through your fears? How were you able to succeed? What gave you the strength to be courageous even with fear as an obstacle?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you for your humanity. Thank you for leading by example and allowing us to experience courage even when fear has also been present. As humans, we are generally pretty weak, but faith in Your love gives us strength and gives us courage to do amazing things. Be with us and guide us as we continue to live lives demonstrating Your love, Your vulnerability, Your strength, and Your courage. In Your Name, Amen.
