During the summer, I encouraged three of my friends, non-swimmers to meet me at the pool for swim lessons. What I discovered was becoming Olympic swimmers was not their goal (nor my ability to teach those skills), but rather to enter the water without terror.  All three had an enormous fear of the water. Our journey was a progress in the
making of success. Very slowly we walked in the shallow end of the pool from one side to the other, moving on to using “swim noodles” to become buoyant as their feet slowly left the floor of the pool.

As each lesson continued and my cheerleading efforts increased, I had a lightbulb moment. I saw the look of fear and all its signs leaving their faces and the death grip lifting from their hold on the “swim noodles.”  That’s when my moment HIT! How must our God feel when we loosen the grip and shed the fear? For me, watching my three friends, the feeling was sheer delight. I became their beaming buddy with tons of “atta’ girls,” and “you rock,” heard in my chant of enthusiasm.

Has fear ever been a part of your life? Have you felt anxious about an outcome? Most folks have experienced these very real emotions at some time. God must be “high-fiving” St. Peter, when he sees the fear unlocked from our faces and hearts and our death grip on circumstances lifting away. He is your Heavenly Father who loves you unconditionally and He’s got the lifeline, the “noodle” of peace and comfort, when you extend your faith to Him and release the fear that can so easily trap you.

Reach out and hold on to Him. Let Him erase he fear and buoy you up to the faith-strong person He created you to be.

Jill