All in Anxiety
My ancestors braved the Atlantic Ocean as some of the earliest settlers of what later developed into the United States of America. Their children navigated rivers, mountains, and extreme weather in their covered wagons before eventually settling in the southern states. Once there, they cleared the trees and tilled the ground. They planted, harvested, and hauled the produce to market by mule-drawn wagons. In short, I come from hearty stock!
As I write this devotion, I am praying the words of our scripture fervently. Our family is facing a situation about which I have many questions, but I am trusting God to calm my fears.
Hegemony is a noun that means “leadership or dominance, especially by one country or social group over others,” according to Oxford Languages. I looked up the definition one day after hearing the word referenced in a news report.
Millie, my daughter’s dog, chases moving shadows in almost frantic obsession. Her shadow-chasing reminds me of James’ description of God as the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17b).
“Where do birdies come from, Mama?”
Only God can make a birdie.
“But why, Mama?”
To teach us to sing in the morning.
“But why, Mama?”
They’re back! There’s one. There’s another. Look over there. I see it too! The lightning bugs had returned to brighten the evening hours. The girls squealed with amazement at the sight, and my own mind went back to childhood days when we ran to catch them in Mason jars then marveled at the twinkling container.
“I can do it, I can do it!”
Those were my exact words, directed to my dad as a child, while I stood clenching a fishing rod, on the bank of a lake in the Rocky Mountains. I’d watched my dad’s technique so many times I was sure I could cast into the lake and catch a big trout.
Have you ever had the feeling of Spring Fever? You just want to get out and do something. You might not even know what it is you really want to do. These words came to me during one of those times:
You probably are in the midst of your Christmas shopping now. I find shopping stressful, do you?The crowds, the decisions, and the costs are overwhelming. Why have we allowed commercialism to take over this special celebration?
Looking at a beautiful mountain range, I considered how life is full of peaks and valleys. There are good moments and bad moments. But at the height of the peaks, I cannot see the valley ahead… just looming past the horizon.
On multiple occasions God lifted David’s feet from the slimy pit and gave him a new song of praise. David faithfully documented those rescues with pen and parchment.
“Are you sure these straps will hold the both of us,” I asked as the skydiving instructor checked all the buckles on my harness. “I am sure,” he said. “Besides whatever happens to you happens to me. And I don’t want anything happening to either of us,” he added smiling.
Here it comes. It feels like a dark cloud trying to envelope me. I get busier willing myself to outrun it, ignore it, not give in to it. But, before I know it – anxiety, panic, temper tantrums, and sheer exhaustion set in. I begin to flounder.
I put my arms around his trembling body and, as I patted his head, I reassured him we were safe. Soon he fell asleep in my arms. I wish I could be that calm in my storms, I thought, as he drifted into a deep sleep.
Have you had that deep night of the soul experience when no words would come as you tried to present Jesus your need? I have. Those are times I’ve experienced that peace that makes no sense (Philippians 4:6-7). I can’t explain it, only experience the truth.
Sometimes God uses little things to realign our focus on Him, like a spiritual check engine light that quietly guides us back on the path.
I was scheduled for an MRI one Monday morning. The nurse asked me two questions: “Do you have any metal parts inside you?” and, “Are you claustrophobic?” I answered “no” to both questions and confidently entered the room where the big drum of a machine was standing ominously in front of me.
I had so much to do that day . . . that week . . . that month . . . that moment! Demands were pressing in on me from everywhere!
As the Texas temperatures rose to triple digits, they were no match for the parched feeling I had in my soul. I had been searching for a job and with each final interview round came a “No” – leaving my hopes dashed.
Rest for my soul? Soul Rest! Soul Rest just might be the most valuable commodity in today’s economy. It is something I have sought and treasured since the earliest days of my life.
