We Don't Have to Live in Fear

I have to admit that recently I have been living in such fear regarding my precious Adi and Chloe. I have found myself worrying about something bad happening to them and it has caused fear to consume my mind. Kidnapping, drowning, car accident, injuries, diseases, sickness, or death have played in my mind as occupying their future. I know that is so heavy and I hate having those thoughts. I so badly want to have peace and know and believe that I don't have to live in fear.

While reading the first chapter of The Power of a Praying Parent, she touches on this fear that we have as parents.

"We don't have to pace the floor anxiously, biting our nails, gnawing our knuckles,

dreading the terrible twos or torturous teens. We don't have to live in fear of

what each new phase of development may bring, what dangers might be lurking

behind every corner. Nor do we have to be perfect parents."

- Stormie Omartian

Recently, the Holy Spirit has been convicting me about entrusting Adilyn and Chloe to Him. Bradey and I dedicated Adilyn to the Lord on May 4, 2008 through a service held at our church. But I had no idea at the time the true power of doing that and truly trusting the Lord. Ultimately our children belong to Him and we are their earthly parents who have been given authority over them. Just recently, I have realized I have not wholeheartedly given my children to the Lord or I would not be living in this fear. That has to be such a blow to God, basically saying He is not powerful enough to take care of them, the ones He has created and breathed life into. He wants so much more from us than a church dedication service. He wants us to continue giving our children to Him and entrusting them to Him on a daily basis.

So the challenges that I'm focusing on this week are: (encouraged within the book)

• to declare myself to be in full partnership with God.
• to believe that He will carry the heaviness of the burden and provide wisdom, power, protection, and ability far beyond myself
• that I will do my job to discipline, teach, nurture, and "train up a child in the way she should go" knowing that "when she is old, she will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
• to depend on God to enable me to raise my girls properly, and He will see to it that their life is blessed.

My prayer this week is: as I cover them in prayer and release them into God's hands, that He would release my mind from particular concerns and overwhelming fears and replace it with truth, peace and comfort.

Just a warning, many of my blog entries from this point on will probably be related to this subject since this is the season I am in right now. This is my way of journaling what the Lord is doing in my heart. I hope you enjoy and are encouraged as well. I promise to also blog about other things going on in our life soon. So, I'm sorry if you get tired of hearing about becoming a praying parent!! :)