Reflecting on Fear
I’m working on my next book, a set of reflections on Scripture verses. Who knows when it will be finished. I keep getting sidetracked by other projects. Today I offer you a pre-publication view of one of its pages. And I ask your prayers for the perseverance and inspiration to see the book to its […]
Don’t Fret. Be Patient. God Cares.
On Sunday mornings I like to watch Dr. Charles Stanley while I eat breakfast. This week he mentioned that God says, “Do not fret,” three times in Psalm 37. I had to check it. He was right. This was new to me, although I did know that in the Bible God says, “Do not be […]
Fear Not!
Fr. Cedric Pisegna, a Passionist priest, posted the following prayer on Facebook recently. In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and perhaps as you live through the illness or death of loved ones, you might find the words helpful. “Dear Lord, sometimes I feel like I am imprisoned by my fears. I fear […]
Fear: Boon or Bane and How to Conquer It
Many people worldwide are gripped by fear. Maybe you fear something right now: a doctor visit, an impending hurricane, a performance or talk you must give, or the loss of a loved one. This strong emotion can be an asset when it protects us from danger. “Don’t go near the fire,” moms say. “You might […]
Don’t Procrastinate. Act! Take Charge of Your Life.
A lesson plan called for the teacher to cut out cardboard circles and print “TUIT” on them. Then she was to pass them out to her students and state that they now had no excuse for saying “I didn’t get around to it.” Part of the human condition is that we sometimes put off what […]
Banishing Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Dread
Years ago when I had just moved in to begin a week-long retreat, a remarkable thing happened. A hot air balloon landed in the field across the way. We retreatants ran outside to watch, and a woman in the balloon called, “C’mon, Sisters! Who wants a ride?” I wanted to accept the extraordinary invitation, but […]
Conquering Fear
Do you know that someone counted that “Do not fear” occurs 365 times in the Bible? That’s one for every day of the year. Yes, fear is good in that it sometimes protects us from tragedy. But sometimes fear can be a straitjacket. I can think of times in my life when I was afraid […]
Why Fear?
“Do not be afraid” supposedly appears in the Bible 365 times. That’s one for each day of the year. There’s good reason for this. Recently one night a chandelier came crashing down in church—shades of the Phantom! Palm Sunday services had to be held in the gym. After a fellow worshiper pointed out that the […]
