Category: Anxiety

"I am up to here with warnings and arguments and scary stories on the news!" wails the young woman at the next table."

"Me, too," her friend answers. My kids keep pestering me with questions, but I have no answers. How do I know if school actually will start this fall? Or if we'll have to wear masks again and all that routine? Or if it's safe to walk or ride a bike around our town, what with people–and kids–being shot at by some stranger driving down the street?

"I just want to grab everybody I love and never let go. Maybe never leave home."

As the two young moms got ready to leave, I heard the younger one say, "Sometimes I think the only safe place is in a cave on some far away island!"

Remarks like this swirl around all of us. People are frightened and uneasy, wondering what will happen next. And to whom.

It seems the torrent of troubles never lets up.

Is there any good news to report?

Answer: Yes, but most of it goes unreported. Television reporters and newscasters and newspaper headlines almost always lead with crimes, tragedies and misdemeanors.

Trace it back to a standard slogan of the news business: "If it bleeds, it leads."

Statistics show that readership and TV viewership go up–way up–when they feature bad news and tales of people who assault or kill others. The more horrific the better. Then they get to add in speculations about motives and/or possible crimes.

They fill in the gaps with opinions on possible doom and destruction that may lurk just ahead.

This allows us the "privilege" of consuming a steady diet of this kind of stuff during every waking moment.

Is it any wonder so many of us feel anxiety that won't quit?

What if we made a better choice?

Here's the sobering truth. Nobody forces us to feed on the news 24/7–or several times a day.

It's like an addiction. Maybe someone should start a BNAA: Bad News Addiction Anonymous.

This startup could borrow the "Serenity Prayer," used by Alcoholics Anonymous and other self-help organizations. Here's one common version:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.

Repeat aloud (or silently) as often as needed.

You see, whatever our age, our finances or our life situation, we need something solid to hang onto. We can choose to focus on God's faithfulness.

That never changes. Never lets us down.

Because God never changes.

Remember, God brought us to this day

My favorite grandmother, who died at age 101, never lost sight of that and considered every day a gift. The last time I saw her was two years before her death.

Grandma's beautiful, wrinkled face glowed as she said, "You know, Lenore, God is SO good. He never left me alone for a minute."

Ah, yes, Grandma. He never leaves any of His children alone for a minute.

Anytime. Anywhere.

So let's fill our minds and hearts with Bible promises like these:

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22

He (she) who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2

(Jesus said) "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."   John 14:27

How about a new slogan for our life? "If it feeds, it leads."

We could call it the "Good Stuff Diet."

Even a snack-size serving, day after day, can drive out fear and plant His peace in its place. The peace that passes all human understanding, remember?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Every day, no matter how dismal the news, we have a choice. Let's choose to see the joy in each day, because that's every bit as real as the bad news. We just have to look for it.

Lord, give us eyes to see!

Lenore

Keep your balance in the storm of bad news

July 20, 2021
"Are we there yet?"

That's the wail of every child stuck in the back seat on a long drive.

Our grown-up laments over the course of this past year often carried that same whiny tone and for the same reason. This "trip" feels endless and the "scenery" isn't that interesting.

If this were a game we could howl "They keep changing the rules!"

Trouble is, it wasn't–and isn't–a game. This is real life and real people. Real pain. Real loss.

And still, we're trapped in this "thing" that just keeps rolling along for what seems like forever.

One fact stands firm

Whatever is–or isn't–going on, this day is the only day you and I have to live in. This moment. This second.

The past is behind us and can't be replayed. The future, as always, remains unknown until we are living it. Today is all we have.

Some of us are muddling through a really hard time. For others it's disturbing that life feels so beyond our control. Some endured so much pain and so many losses we want to give up. Life is just too hard.

Yet in the middle of all this we still have choices.

Shall we curl up in a corner of the room and cry? Or wallow in the muck of what's wrong and scream out our rage? Lots of us just grit our teeth and put up with whatever comes.

The better choice is to take stock of what we have left and rejoice that we have come this far.

You and I are still here, but not because we're smarter than everyone else. We are alive and breathing, by the goodness of God. In any and every situation, that alone should cause us to rejoice and be thankful.

Discover meaning in the mess

Here's what I've found. When I'm feeling dry and dusty, it's useless to try and dredge up joy from inside. Faking it sounds, well, fakey.

Someone we used to know loved to say, "You gotta put the good stuff in if you wanna get the good stuff out."

There's no better "good stuff" than what we find in the Bible. The truths it contains are as essential to our souls and our spirits as pure water is to our bodies.

That's because no matter how shaky life may feel to us, the truth of the Bible stands strong and constant. That's why people all over the world make time to read and study these timeless words.

Don't look for the "right way" to do it. Just figure out what works for you. Some people wake up before their families because they like the quiet time and no interruptions. Others prefer to close their days with time in the Bible. Choose print or read the Word on a screen. Or download one of the many available Bible apps so you always have it with you.

The power is not in the how and when and where we read the Bible. The power is in how the Holy Spirit works through these truths and changes us from the inside out.

Store up the "Good Stuff"

Think of it as something like a bank account. Depositing Bible truths and promises in our minds gives us something to draw out when we're feeling overwhelmed.

It's easy to underline verses that speak to our hearts and then to mull them over later. The blank pages at the back of the Bible prove a handy place to jot down notes so you can find favorite verses easily.

Then when we run dry we can easily go back to those marked verses. Here are some of mine, all NIV.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me … Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:1, 27

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us … Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 5:8; 8:1-2

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 34:4

The Bible revives our tired hearts

Verses like these reset our internal guidance systems and wash away our anxieties. They refresh our hearts, like a splash of cool water on a hot day.

Life is a journey, they say, and we get bored. We get weary. When we lose our way, we know where to turn for guidance.

And when we know where we're going and who is watching over us, keeping us safe, we can get through this "road trip" with joy.

Still growing,

Lenore

Find strength for your journey

April 15, 2021
What are we to do when every day's news breaks our hearts?

We can play "Let's Pretend" while the sun shines. But when we wake with a start at 2 a.m. the familiar chorus of inner taunts and fear kicks in.

What then?

First, let's plug into reality and consider it well. Every media outlet operates by a universal slogan of the news business: "If it bleeds, it leads." Pay attention next time and you'll see that's true. What's good and uplifting is usually one or two minutes pieced in at the end

Second, yes, we can find a lot to worry about, a lot to disagree with. No matter which "side" we're on. Even when we struggle to keep an open mind.

But here's what matters most. The Lord of heaven and earth, the Creator of everything seen and unseen, has not turned his back on us. He watches over us.

How can we be sure? He tells us in His written word, the Bible.

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip–he who watches over you will not slumber. Psalm 121:3-4

It's time to equip ourselves so we don't lose heart

It's not a stockpile of guns we need, but a storehouse of promises. Words from the Word.

Words that lift us up rather than weigh us down.

Over the past few years I've discovered anew how much it helps to arm ourselves with Truth. I don't know why this verse particularly speaks to my anxious heart, but I've probably repeated it to myself a thousand times:

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

Over and over, day and night, driving in my car or doing chores–or in the middle of the night–that verse quieted my heart and my fears.

The value of Scripture vs. repeating affirmations, mantras and power statements

Talking heads on TV and "name" authors tell us we need to cultivate the habit of regularly repeating positive statements like this to ourselves: "I am strong. I am brave. I will be fine, etc."

It may help. A little.

What helps more is to turn the eyes of our hearts to God's Word and know it has power.

Here's 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

Whether we spend hours in deep Bible study or only manage moments here and there, God's Spirit works through Scripture and changes us.

Living by the news trains us in fear.

Living by the Truth trains us in righteousness.

It reminds us who we are in Christ: God's righteous people, set right with God not because of what we do or think but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished on our behalf.

What helps most is to focus on power beyond our own

First and most importantly, if we believe in Jesus Christ as true God and the Savior from sin:

We needn't fear God is just waiting for us to slip up so He can lower the boom on us.

We needn't view our problems as punishment.

We have eternal life. Now.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV

If we depend on our "higher consciousness" or our "good thoughts" for strength, we'll stay mired in the swamp of fear that pervades our national thinking right now.

If we take God at His word, we can live free.

God hasn't abandoned the United States of America

His hand of blessing and mercy has been on this nation from the beginning. How else could this "Grand Experiment" have survived?

Our Founding Fathers were great men, yes, but they were ordinary human beings. Almost without exception they were Christians and trusted God. For example, George Washington said:

"You do well to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are."

What's needed most is individuals who quietly speak reassurance and faith

Giving in to fear won't make us or anyone around us calmer.

It won't do one iota to make America a stronger nation.

However the upcoming elections turn out, whoever wins, whether final results cause us to applaud or weep, God will not turn away from us or from the United States. Life will go on.

By God's grace–and mercy–we will survive.

[Jesus said] "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-30 NIV

So let's leave fear behind. May we who believe in God be known as the people who speak courage and peace into fear.

Trusting, too,

Lenore
Let’s stay grounded and choose courage instead of fear

September 23, 2020
Many of us wake up every morning feeling anxious and drag our load of uneasiness to bed with us, too.

No wonder. Every day "they" announce some new reason to be afraid.

Disturbing news seeps into our awareness, even though we think we're tuning it out. "What ifs" buzz around in our minds like pesky gnats, hatching into fears for our children and ourselves.

This isn't the first time cause for anxiety slithered into our world, it's just the most recent display. Perhaps you, too, have wondered how fear got such a hold on our culture. I think Oswald Chambers, who wrote My Utmost for His Highest, explained it best:

"When you fear God, you fear nothing else. When you don't fear God, you fear everything."

Fear of God means standing in awe of who he is and what he can do

The Bible makes it plain:

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!) "I am the Lord, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:18 ESV

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 ESV

In our "enlightened times" the very idea of God and even more, of Jesus as the Savior of the world, seems to have been declared irrelevant.

Thank God individuals still can profess their faith and some we see and hear on our screens regularly do so, but that's a small percentage of the whole.

Looking for peace in all the wrong places

None of us are immune to fear. It's part of being human.

If you're having sleep problems, you have lots of company. Physical therapists report most patients complain of tight shoulders and neck problems. Why? Because that's where so many of us unconsciously hold our tension.

Even the calmest among us will admit to an underlying low-level sense of concern that won't leave.

That's why we need to remind ourselves over and over that ultimate power rests in God's hand, not with Covid.

Here's what Jesus told his followers–and if we're Christians, this includes us

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, nor let them be afraid." John 14:27 ESV

The Apostle Paul had every reason in the world to be anxious, but he told the Philippians in Chapter 4:6-7 ESV:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

His peace in our hearts and minds is ours for the taking. But here's the question: Are we willing to give up feeling anxious?

That sounds like an odd question, but for some individuals, living all churned up with anxiety means feeling more alive. More in touch with their emotions and with what's going on in the world, a bit more sensitive than people around them who don't seem as troubled.

More faith verses

Some of us grew up believing we shouldn't "mark up" our Bibles. Once I broke free of that lie I discovered what a joy it is to underline verses that speak to my heart, verses like these.

The LORD is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid?   Psalm 27:1 NIV

Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. Psalm 50:1 NIV

When I am afraid I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. Psalm 56:5-6 NIV

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. Isaiah 41:10 NIV

You gotta put the good stuff in if you want to get the good stuff out

That folksy sense saying applies in all of life, especially to our minds.

Adult or child, what we feed our minds is what we live out.

Always, always, the greatest answer for troubled hearts is found in John 3:16-17.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Filling our minds with thoughts of God's mercy in sending Jesus to be our Savior is the remedy that shrinks our deepest fears and fills us with calm.

Even if. Even when. Even though.

Lovingly,

Lenore

Helps to staying calm in fearful times

July 1, 2020
Every news broadcast reminds us that just breathing could be dangerous.

Covid-19 is everywhere and it feels as if everything changed overnight.

We are smack up against the truth that life is hard and beyond our control.

It's astonishingly easy to be a sponge and absorb the constant stream of bad news and scary warnings on all sides.

Then we fall into the trap of expecting the worst, justifying it by explaining we just want to be ready for what comes.

Who wants to live that way?

Re-think your thinking

You and I cannot change the world or what's happening, but we can change where we fasten our thoughts.

Whatever our personal situation may be, here's what we know for rock-bottom sure:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. –Hebrews 13:8

Does that make us immune to hurting when someone we love becomes ill or dies? Do we laugh at job loss? Do we feel nothing when crises wipe out retirement savings?

Of course not. The difference is we don't give in and park our minds in Pity Land.

If anyone knew about suffering, it was the Apostle Paul. Try reading his words aloud and listen with your heart.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this is all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed … Therefore, we do not lose heart.    –2 Corinthians 4:6-9, 16a

I believe every word of these passages, yet I confess, this "jar of clay" sometimes gets discouraged, too

That's why I love this phrase from Psalm 103:14:

. . . for he remembers that we are dust.

Whenever I start beating up on myself for not being the shining strong example of faith I want to be, I think of these wonderful words and remind myself I am only dust.

Imperfect.

Human.

But loved by God, who knows my weaknesses and loves me simply because I love Jesus. That means I can forgive myself and move on.

So can you.

We see what we look for

Once the question of who we are in Christ is settled in our minds we look at life from a different perspective.

We let go of the "victim mindset" and accept that life can be hard but like Paul, we may be down but we are are not destroyed.

Here's what God said to His people through Moses–and to you and me.

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life . . . –Deuteronomy 30:19-20

That means every morning–every moment, really–we decide: Will I choose life?

Because that makes all the difference.

Still learning, too,

Lenore

Encouragement for our down times

May 3, 2020
Sometimes a look back helps us take courage for today, especially when it reminds us that God watches over us, too. Here's one to lift your spirits.

On a cold winter morning, January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia Airport.

Almost immediately the plane hit a large flock of geese, which disabled both engines. Pilots and everyone watching knew they had only minutes to find a place to land.

Only one possibility existed, the frigid Hudson River.

Every watcher agreed the crew and all 155 passengers would surely die, either inside the sinking plane, or by drowning or hypothermia. Rescuers simply could not reach them in time.

Yet every person on the plane made it out and lived.

Reporters breathlessly recounted what they called "the miracle on the Hudson." The name stuck.

Survivors never doubted the truth of that catchy slogan. No "expert" could explain what kept that plane afloat long enough for the rescue.

The same two loving, powerful hands hold us

Rex Babin's cartoon in The Sacramento Bee illustrates a great truth for every believer.

The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:8

Day after day our Heavenly Father watches over us–and our loved ones–with the same tender care depicted in this cartoon.

By faith we know that's true.

On good days it's easier to feel the warmth of his smile and His love for us.

But when the bottom drops out of our world

We may forget and take our eyes off Jesus when trouble comes.

These are extraordinary times. It's as if we've been dropped into this Covid-19 pandemic and we're wondering how we got here. We want to gather with those we love and hug them close, but we're not supposed to leave our homes.

"Social distancing" leaves us without the human closeness that helps reassure us.

Instead we have tragedy and fear and scary numbers, over and over and over. And we can't help wondering, will our family members survive? Will we?

What will happen afterward–and what will life look like then?

No one can say and we quake within, wondering. But our loving Father 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. Isaiah 41:1

Our call is to keep trusting, whatever comes.

Counter fear with Truth

It helps to take time reading God's written word, the Bible, and plant his truths in our minds and hearts.

Repeating verses aloud can help us get through whatever comes. Remembering them when we wake with a racing heart helps quiet our anxiety.

You probably have your own favorites. Here are some of mine, all NIV unless noted.

Cast all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Our loving Father holds each of us safe and secure. And because of Jesus, he looks at us with love.

Yes, that goes beyond our human understanding–and it's meant to, for He is Almighty God and we are only human.

Today and every day, may you know His peace.

Lenore

Verse Concepts

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

– See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-Faithfulness-Of#sthash.mZBd0t36.dpuf

Lamentations 3:22-23

Verse Concepts

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

– See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/God,-Faithfulness-Of#sthash.mZBd0t36.dpL

How every day of our lives is our own “miracle on the Hudson”

April 17, 2020