When Fear & Faith Collide

“He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.” Job 36:32 NIV

My fear has become a monument in the form of an overstuffed notebook. Article after article about lighting facts, hoarded as if in knowing, I will be safer. When a bolt of lightning, traveling through a clear, blue sky killed my dad, my fear spiraled out of control. I pulled my kids off soccer fields, refused to use the electric appliances, or take a shower during a storm. Talking on the phone is forbidden.

As a child, my dad held me in his lap, explaining what a beautiful display lightning gives of the power of God. Lightning striking two of my parents’ homes erased any fascination he managed to encourage. Following his death, fear and faith collided, and lightning became a terrible thing rather than a display of God’s power.

Living on the side of a mountain at 7200 feet puts us in danger of lightning strikes to our home and forest fires. The beautiful view drew us, and we never considered the storms.

An in-depth study of scripture convinced me that only God controls the lightning, but I still cannot see its beauty. I control nothing beyond my own reactions, but God’s sovereignty rules over all. I can accept that God took my father to heaven via a lightning bolt, but I don’t take chances by being out in a storm.

I have heard it said that God’s man, at the center of God’s will, is immortal until God is finished with him. Trusting an all-powerful God can free me from concern for self. Stepping out of my comfort zone can grow and mature my faith. Sensible precautions aren’t wrong. It is wrong to cower in fear over something only God controls.

John says perfect love casts out fear, so my fear cripples my faith. Stormy times in life cause me to depend on God in new ways, and lightning storms should do the same. I must submit my fear to God and leave it there. I must trust God completely, no matter my circumstances.

Fear weakens; faith strengthens. Just as the lightning comes from His fingers, so do the events of our lives. When I refuse to give in to fear, God can show me His power.

© Copyright Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, July 7, 2013 & August 17, 2017

About the author:

Norma Gail is the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, winner of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children.

Connect with Norma:

Website: www.normagail.org

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Norma-Gail/e/B00ILHXBAK/

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQbZIoC_JSE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaGail

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NormaGailwrites

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/normagailth/boards/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7874459

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Norma_Gail

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/norma-gail-thurston-holtman/42/71a/3b2

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normagailwrites/

Book Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170

An Ever-present Help

 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea…”

Psalm 46:1, 2

My husband’s arm came across my chest with a whack. “Hold on,” he shouted, “we’re going to get hit!”

I looked up from my reading to see dust and debris flying through the air and a car heading across the wide median of the highway and both north-bound lanes of traffic. The other vehicle was in the median. The highway was littered with the remains of what had once been a pick-up camper.

We were not hit, and after calling 911, I went to see if anyone was hurt. As a former RN, I hoped to be of use. The passengers of the vehicle which caused the accident were unscathed. Two occupants of the camper wandered around in a daze, the young man saying, “We were just going down the road—and bang! I don’t know what hit us!”

Virtually all that remained was the cab of the truck and debris. It looked like the aftermath of a tornado, pieces of things were littered about for some distance, most unrecognizable.

An old woman lay on her side on the dirt, conscious, but in obvious pain. I began questioning and examining to determine her needs and sent my husband to find something to cover her with. We located her oxygen, and her breathing began to ease. Whatever she had been lying on was gone. A few ragged sleeping bags were found to warm her and soon the paramedics were there.

As Christians, we need to live in readiness. Death, illness, accidents, the loss of a job, a friend who needs help or a chance to witness, each day brings unexpected challenges. What I did for that woman came naturally.    

In the same way, I must be so familiar with God and His word that even if the foundations of my world shake, I respond in readiness from being trained in the scripture. ‘

Believers must be prepared in the knowledge of God so that a rapid response is possible. We must be prepared when someone near needs spiritual help.

Don’t neglect time in God’s word every day. We never know when it will be necessary to be God’s hands and feet because someone is shaken to the very foundations.

© Copyright by Norma Gail 

Norma’s passion is sharing Biblical Wisdom for Daily Living.  Her devotionals, poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 18 years. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the newly formed New Mexico Christian Novelists. Her website, www.normagail.com, includes a weekly devotional blog, daily scriptures, poetry, and a blog about her debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and New Mexico.

She lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 37 years. They have two adult children.

Making New Year's Resolutions? Choose One Word Instead...

Okay, so it's not even Christmas yet. I'm well aware of that fact. But as Christmas approaches, I can't help but wonder what the new year will bring. 

For the past few years, rather than make New Year's resolutions, I focus on One Word instead of making those dratted resolutions that last about as long as Christmas turkey. Hmm. Maybe that was the wrong example. 

Since 2011, I've chosen One word each year to focus on. I do word studies and search scripture verses that fit the word. I ask God to show me what He wants me to learn.

That first year my word was commit.Two synonyms for commit are obligate and entrust. I obligated myself to finishing my book, and committed to letting go and entrusted God to get it published. That's when I began enjoying the writing journey. One of the verses I focused on was Proverbs 16:3 – "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."

In 2012 my word was Listen, and I used the acronym STOP to focus on it: Sit quietly in His presence, Take time to Listen, Open my ears instead of my mouth, Pray for guidance.  

This year, 2013, my word has been humility,not a word I accepted willingly. I am by nature a bossy person, and I want the last word, especially since I've only been wrong once in my life and later it turned out I wasn't actually wrong. Once again, God allowed me to learn that I didn't know everything, and that my way wasn't the only way. A few of the verses I focused on are here.

For 2014, I'm torn between two words. One is becoming. I like that word, reminds me that I am not a finished product. The other word is strength, as in the verse from Deuteronomy 33:2. "As your day, so shall your strength be." God will provide whatever strength I need for each day. 

So, how about you? Have you thought about choosing a word for the year and focusing on letting God use it to draw you closer to Him? Leave a comment and let me know what you think about choosing One Word. 

Patricia Bradley
www.patriciabradleyauthor.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1

Shadows of the Past from Revell February 2014
Available for preorder at CBD: http://ow.ly/qIx2k and Amazon: http://ow.ly/qIx90 and B&N: http://ow.ly/qKdSL

I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write