What Scares You?

Have you ever been genuinely afraid?  Has something ever scared you to the point where you literally could not move?  Perhaps it was something that shook you to your very core, a moment in time that you will never be able to forget no matter how hard you try.  Something so terrifying that it is permanently engraved in your memory.  Fear can grip someone so tightly that it disables their ability to function.  What is it that stops you in your tracks?  What brings fear to your innermost being?  What scares you?

 

Maybe it was a scary moment as a child when a snake slithered nearby or a furry spider jumped on your arm.  Or it might have been sometime today when someone came up behind you and yelled, “Boo!”  Quite possibly, it was the moment you discovered you were terribly afraid of heights or thunderstorms.  Perhaps it could have been the moment you sent your son or daughter off to war, wondering if you would have another opportunity to hold them in an embrace. Or it may have been the moment you sat anxiously in the waiting room, hoping and praying that your mom, dad, child, or other loved one would survive.  Granted, there are countless things that frighten all of us. 

Right now, millions of people are without power along the East Coast of the United States.  Many lives have been lost.  Homes and businesses have been destroyed.  A staggering number of people have been affected by Hurricane Sandy and the super storm in one way or another.  And I know that many of these people are scared.  They may be evacuees who are afraid of what they will find when they are finally able to return home.  Or they may be trapped, unable to leave their place of residence due to the treacherous floodwaters, scared that they may not make it out alive.  I’m sure the emergency workers on the scene are frightened as well, wondering if they will be able to bring everyone to safety.  Needless to say, it is certain that a storm of this magnitude embodies a great deal of fear.  Fear of devastation, fear of dying, fear of the unknown.

In life, we will encounter many scary situations.  Some of the things we encounter will be somewhat insignificant, like our first job interview or the first time we drive through a violent storm.  Others will seem monumental, like the moment we sit next to a loved one who is fighting for their life.  In all of these situations, one thing remains true.  God will always be with us, helping us and comforting us when we are afraid.  Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) 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.”

Jesus Christ knows where you are at this very moment.  He knows if you are positioned somewhere along the East coast, frightened by the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, the super storm, and dangerous blizzard conditions.  He knows if you are in a hospital somewhere, either fighting for your own life or waiting alongside someone else who is fighting for their own.  And He knows if you are afraid that you will not make the right decision concerning a big move or a new job opportunity.  Jesus Christ knows what frightens you.  He knows your innermost thoughts.  Ask Him to calm your fears.  Call on His name.  He loves you more than you could ever imagine.  Don’t focus on what scares you.  Focus on Jesus.

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Be a Mountain Mover!

 

 

As a little girl, people always asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  While I considered being a veterinarian, lawyer, or nurse, I always wanted to be a teacher.  And I especially wanted to be a writer, singer, and musician.  Now that I am older, there is one additional occupation that I’ve determined to strive toward.  I want to be a mountain mover!!!

Now, before you start jumping to conclusions, please allow me to explain.  I don’t really picture myself sitting atop a gigantic piece of machinery, maneuvering dirt, rocks, and gravel from one place to another.  And I realize that no matter how hard I try, I cannot physically pick up a mountain.  Nor can I bring a mountain home from North Carolina, Switzerland, or any other gorgeous mountainous region that I have had the opportunity to explore.  A mountain is just a little too large to set in the back of my SUV and drive home to Florida.  Even though I would absolutely LOVE to have a mountain in my backyard!  I am not even talking about a literal mountain that may be standing in my way.  I’m talking about those mountains that I encounter every day.

In life, there are many mountains that we must climb over, dig through, or go around.  They do not have trees, streams, and waterfalls covering them.  Instead, they have sicknesses, financial crises, and other difficult situations that arise to create obstacles for us to traverse.  But even in the face of adversity, when the sun is going down, our alternate light source is burned out, and we still haven’t even made it to the top of the mountain yet, God is right ahead of us.  He is walking each step ahead of us to ensure that no danger ensnares us.  He will always be our guide, over mountains and through valleys.  And sometimes, we can just tell the mountains to move!

You may be wondering, “How could I tell a mountain to move?”  It’s very simple.  Matthew 17:20 (NIV) says, “‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.’”  God’s Word is telling us that we can do anything!  Nothing is impossible for us, if – yes, it’s that little word “if” that seems quite big at times – if, we have faith.  Now, the good news is that God can take a little bit of faith and make it go a long way.

The scripture says we need “faith as small as a mustard seed.”  Did you know that the average mustard seed weighs only 0.002 grams?  That translates to 2 milligrams or 0.000070548 ounces!  By comparison, a U.S. dollar bill weighs 1 whole gram.  One single plain M&M candy weighs 2.2 grams.  But in order to move a mountain, we only need faith the size of a mustard seed!  Think about it.  God doesn’t require us to have the faith of a giant in order to move mountains.  We only need a small amount of faith to move seemingly insurmountable objects!

Recently, I wrote a song titled, “Pray and Believe.”  I pray that God will use the lyrics from the chorus will minister to you in a special way.

Pray and Believe

Words and Music by Jennifer Campbell/BMI

Chorus

Anything is possible,

When you pray and believe.

God still works miracles,

If you have faith to receive.

Don’t give up on broken dreams,

There’s still dreams left to dream.

For anything is possible,

When you pray and believe.

Whatever you may be facing in life, remember this one thing: God wants you to be a mountain mover!  Nothing shall be impossible for you if you have faith to receive the miracle that God has in store for you!  I know firsthand that many things in life are difficult to handle.  There will be times when you feel like giving up.  I want to encourage you today.  God will never give you more than you can bear.  God is greater than anything that may come against us – divorce, war, cancer, anything!  Have faith.  Pray.  Believe.  God will work a miracle in your life.  With a mustard seed of faith, you can move mountains!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Baggage

Think back to the last time you were at the airport.  When you arrived, I’m sure you were lugging all of your baggage with you until you finally made it to the check-in counter.  Then, you left it with the airline agent and proceeded toward security with only your carry on bags in hand.  Wasn’t it a relief to be rid of the baggage that weighed you down?  If you’re like me, you probably felt free, or even light as a feather.  Why?  All because you gave your luggage to someone else and left it with them.

The luggage that we carry with us on vacation is much like our burdens that we carry around in life.  We may be concerned because we do not have sufficient funds to pay the rent.  Or we may be distressed over a bare cupboard in the kitchen.  There may be a desperate need for new tires, an air conditioner, or even a home to live in.  Or maybe we are dealing with an emotional or mental burden, such as the feeling of depression, loneliness, or hopelessness.  So many burdens, yet we continue to carry them around with us, struggling through each day.

Sometimes, we go to church on Sunday, kneel at the altar, and pray for God to take our burdens.  We set our burdens on the altar rail.  We feel so much better and we begin to see a ray of hope begins to shine through the clouds that have been lingering overhead.  As the vocalist sings these lyrics, “Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there,” we make a solemn commitment to God that we will no longer attempt to carry our burdens alone.  Everything seems brighter and we know that things will be better.  That is, until we see the mess we have made, leaving our burdens all over the altar.  The moment we stand up, we start picking them back up, stuffing them into our pockets or pocketbooks.  We've carried them so long that they have essentially become a part of who we are, albeit a negative part.  It’s so easy for us to try to take things into our own hands.  Instead, God wants us to leave it all in His hands.

What about you, friend? Perhaps you are newly widowed, divorced, or separated. Your child may be ill. You may feel like you are at the end of your rope with everything that is going on in your life at this very moment. The baggage you carry is getting too heavy. You feel like you will collapse under the weight. You simply do not know what to do. I want to encourage you right now to call on the name that is above every name. Call on the name of Jesus Christ. He will take your burdens. He will lighten your load. He will renew your mind, restore your joy, and reveal to you abundant life.

Our Heavenly Father does not want you to carry your burdens.  He does not want you to live in worry, fear, or despair.  He wants you to live a life of joy, peace, and grace.  Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross just so our sins could be forgiven.  He gave His all just so you could live a life free from sin, free from worry, free from everything that weighs you down.  He does not want you to be lugging around an enormous amount of baggage.  Give Him your baggage, big or small.  Give Him your worries and cares.  I Peter 5:7 says to cast all of your cares on Him because He cares for you.  Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, loves you more than you could ever imagine.  He cares for you.  He wants to help you.  Don’t pick up your burdens like you pick up your luggage from baggage claim.  Leave them on the altar.  Hand them over to Jesus.  Live a life free from baggage, so you can be abundantly free!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer