Overcoming Fear - Part IV

Fear-Less

By Max Lucado

“Envision a day, just one day, absent the dread of failure, rejection, and calamity. Can you imagine a life with no fear?”

In Fearless, Max Lucado challenges us to imagine that day without fear of any kind.

What are we afraid of? In our times, we have plenty to fear. Fearless help us to identify and face our fears. Lucado shares some of his own fears he faced, such as heart surgery. From the Villagers of Stiltsville to William’s Psalm – this book takes you, chapter-by-chapter through the most common of our fears.

A discussion guide in the back is a great way to personalize what you’ve read and is ideal for small group discussion. A companion paperback booklet, Imagine Your Life Without Fear, is also available. It’s Fearless in a nutshell version and a great giveaway gift idea.

I faced a few fears of my own. The first time I read the book, I let it minister to me – and it did. The second time through helped adjust my thinking in a number of areas. The Psalms say: “The LORD is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” When we see Jesus for who He really is – we get our eyes off our fears, and they melt away in the light of God’s glory.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone – but especially if you want to learn to face your fears. Read Fearless.

Start imagining that life without fear. I am and I’m beginning to feel better for it.

What fears have you faced lately? Post a comment and let me know!

Overcoming Fear - Part 1 - Revised

This is Maggie. When I got her, she was one fearful dog. She trembled every time I picked her up.

She hid behind my legs whenever young children came around. She didn't want to have anything to do with them.

It took a couple of years before she would enjoy being held or not hide behind me when she saw a child coming.

It seems that for the last several years, God has been dealing with me and my fears. This started towards the end of February 2007. At that time, He was bringing me emotional healing and showing me a new direction than the one I had been going.

The first thing He asked me to do: contact a classmate from college via ORU's Face Place, an ORU-alumni Facebook type social site. I knew this classmate wouldn't remember after all these years unless I uploaded a photo - so I did. I wasn't sure I'd hear back from him, but I did. He was nice.

The thing was - old fears of rejection were trying to come back to haunt me. What if, even after seeing my picture, he wouldn't remember me? What if he was sarcastic and didn't show any sincere feelings of good towards me?

I believe the older we get, and the more we go through - if we don't depend on the Lord, we get more fearful. I never used to think of myself as a fearful person. I may have even said that out loud - but as soon as I did - God started showing me all the different fears I had.

There's a lot we can be afraid of in this life if we let ourselves. The point is - not to let ourselves. Fear robs us of faith.

In September, a new book by Max Lucado is being released, called Fearless. To commemorate that, and to establish our book review of this book for Thomas Nelson, I'll be discussing fear, but not the book. I'll reference the book, but not review it until the week of September 8th.

In the meantime, there's plenty of fear to talk about. We can overcome it. What frightens you the most? Post a comment and let me know.