Journey of a Thousand Miles

When did I stop believing that things would just work out? In my youth, I just had faith that everything would work out for the better. Even if I went through hard times, I just knew that they would eventually turn around. And they did. I was much more carefree in high school. Then something turned around. After a bad breakup with my high school sweetheart and a bad relationship in college, I stopped believing that things would just work out. I started worrying and fearing and fretting. But this only made the bad times worse and the good times worrisome of what was coming next. As I get older, life only gets harder. There are more responsibilities, higher expectations, unanswered prayers, delayed promises... it all starts piling up, along with the fear and anxiety. That's when I have to turn my eyes back to my Source. It's not me who has this all under control. There is Someone better who has this all in His hands, and He's going to take care of me... and you. Mat...

I used to find my security in what people thought of me. It made me afraid to screw up, afraid to say the wrong thing, afraid of humiliation or rejection. Basically, I was scared alot, and it left me feeling isolated and disconnected from people. But "God's perfect love casts out all fear." That's right, I don't have to be afraid, and you don't either. We think it's wrong to feel good about ourselves, like we are being arrogant or conceited, but there is nothing righteous about feeling insecure. It takes away who God made us to be. He calls us to be secure in His identity of us. It is okay to feel secure and confident in yourself.  It doesn't make you selfish as some folks would have you believe. God made you in His image. He made you to be beautiful and confident and good . Satan will tell you lies, like "you're not good enough" or "you're damaged goods," but these are simply not true. It's easy to get caugh...

I want to live a great story. But living a great story requires me to get out of my comfort zone, and currently, I am battling a few fears. Running away from fear only makes it grow, I have learned.  First off, I need to get past this idea that I'm a failure.  Truth tells me that I am not a failure. Truth tells me that I am redeemed through Christ, and the Lord "has a plan for me, to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).  I have to daily fight these lies that I am a failure and replace them with God's Truth. I have become risk-averse when it comes to relationships.  Living in a fallen world, I will never escape harm.  It's just the truth of the matter.  I will  get hurt, no matter how safe the relationship.  So I just have to face these fears if I want a fulfilling life and start risking getting close to people again and become vulnerable.  God has me where I am for a purpose. I may not underst...