There will be instances that cause us to experience fear – but there’s a difference between
feeling fear and living in the spirit of fear. Feeling fear in frightening situations is to be expected.
But, staying in that place of fear, unable to pull ourselves out of the negative thinking, is
dangerous and threatens to keep us from all that God has planned for our lives. What’s the key to
living fearless in a world filled with situations and circumstances that threaten to fill us with
despair at every turn? God’s word provides the answer in the midst of chaos: “God is our
refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth
give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and
the mountains quake with their surging” (Psalm 46:1-3 NIV). The Message puts it this way:
“God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff-edge
of doom, courageous in sea, storm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the
tremors that shift mountains”. Although we can’t plan and expect all the earthquakes and storms
we will face, we can have faithful hope built on God’s promises. But, our foundation cannot be
the things of this world. We can live a life without fear, in the middle of the storm because
Jesus is our rock, even when the ground beneath us is giving way.

I’ve been blessed to work with amazing children over the past 15 years in my practice as a special education attorney. The countless families who continue pushing forward in faith, in the midst of frightening circumstances have deeply inspired me. Children struggling to speak, read, write, walk, make friends and live a life without depression fill my caseload. At times, when I read their educational files and meet these families, I wonder how they find the strength to get up, choosing faith yet another day. Many times, I’ve ended up in tears. As a mother of a child with special needs, I can relate to feelings of fear and hopelessness. I lived many years in deep fear convinced I didn’t have what it took to raise my son and was terrified about his prospective future. I walked through life with my head turned downward, focusing on the pain and struggle. It paralyzed me!

I’ve learned the key to living a life of faith, instead of fear, is completely connected to the
direction we are looking. If we are constantly looking at, perseverating on and talking about the
turmoil surrounding us, we will live in that space. However, the opposite is true as well – if we
keep our eyes on Jesus, we will be able to move beyond fear and step into His perfect peace in
spite of our circumstances. I love the text found in the Gospel of Luke: “There will be signs in
the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring
and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the
world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift
up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21 :25-28 NIV). When your
world is spiraling, the ground doesn’t stop shaking and the storm doesn’t cease, STAND UP
AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS! I love what the Message says: “It will seem like all hell has
broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a
panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking. And
then—then!—they’ll see the Son of Man welcomed in grand style—a glorious welcome! When all
this starts to happen, up on your feet. Stand tall with your heads high. Help is on the way!” Even

if you don’t feel you have the strength to stand on your own two feet or have the ability to lift
your head to heaven, look upward, stand tall and fix your eyes upon Him. He will be your
strength to move on, one day at a time.