Deuteronomy 31:6

"Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. 

Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, 

is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. 

He won't let you down; he won't leave you." 

Deuteronomy 31:6 (The Message)

Have you ever been afraid? I mean, really afraid? Where the panic sets in, you can't breathe, and the room starts spinning, afraid? That has got to be the worst feeling in the world. Especially when you don't even know what you're afraid of. The panic just takes over and all you can feel is fear. 

I've had to do some things in the last few years that have been terrifying for me. Therapy forces you to look at the dark places in your life; places that you've been trying to hide from for a long time, years sometimes. Decades even. It's terrifying to go to those places. I've run from it at times. I've refused to talk about it at times. I've regretted opening my mouth about certain things from my past. But, the thing that has gotten me through it all is this verse. (Only I usually sing the song I taught my kids for this verse "Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged. For the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go.") 

When I remember to be strong. When my therapist reminds me that the past can't hurt me anymore. When I can look fear in the face and know that God is going ahead of me through this dark place, bringing Light unto it, then I can face the fear and do what I need to do. I'm still trying to get to the place where I don't give it a second thought, but hey - I'm a work in progress. :-) 

I don't have to be afraid of the people who hurt me when I was a child. I don't have to be intimidated by the group I was in as a teen. They can't touch me anymore. God is with me and with his strength, with his courage, I can have healing in my life. And God will not let me down. He will be by my side through the entire process. Thanks be to God!