Today I am joining in for my first every Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo’s Blog! This is my first time ever writing a post “for” a link up, but the word afraid moved my spirit when I saw it as a post title on another friend’s blog.
Afraid
“i’m cared…i’m cared…mooom”
I hold him tight, cuddled in the fetal position as a mama bear to her cub in a cold summer’s night. He was scared.
Children are so honest with their emotions, feelings, thoughts and perceptions. Because they are honest and often wear their feelings full force on their faces, as a mother it easy to know what is going on in their hearts. When they sin, it is as plain as day. When they are scared, you know and have the ability to pray for, nurture and try to bring comfort.
Fast forward 10 years… these babes are no longer running to your room scared and needing you to cuddle them, but they do have fears. Do they share their fears? How do they view fear? Do they view it as something one isn’t supposed to have, do they try to be tough enough? Or do they know that everyone has fear? That it is a choice to let fear stop you, even as an adult!
I have struggled with fear. The first time word got out I was writing Redeeming Childbirth, I was so afraid. I thought, now I really have to do it! But isn’t that one of the tricks? Being vulnerable. Telling others what you fear so they can encourage you, just like that little boy who needed to feel safe. I don’t want to live, look back and see a list of things I wish I would have done but didn’t because I feared.
You want to know something about me? I fear people more than anything else. I don’t fear death or pain, I fear what people think of me… of my writing… of my heart. So when I write and I share my heart… I fear. But God tells us in His word that He has not given us a spirit of fear, not even to fear man.
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7close2 Timothy 1:7 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV) close2 Timothy 1:7close2 Timothy 1:7 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV) 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (ESV)
Fear is a universal state of being that is universal–all people struggle with it at one point or another in their life. For my husband and I, it is one of those “battles” we have chosen to teach on intentionally in our home. In fact, fear can effect our lives in such a drastic way, that I dedicated a whole chapter to fear and lies women believe in my new book Redeeming Childbirth. It covers the comparison between the “Fear of Man” and “Fear of God!”
What are you going to do that you fear? Is there anything you have been fearful of doing that maybe God has called you too?
Share it, ask for prayer and encouragement and take action… show your children what it means to own your fear, admit it and choose to not let it guide your inaction!
I pray you experience the joy that comes from being freed from your fear, just as I have been!
Angie Tolpin
Remember to subscribe here! And if you haven’t visited Redeeming Childbirth dot com and received your FREE downloads head over there now!
Confession, this wasn’t really 5 minutes… it was more like 15… but not bad for a first time trying to limit myself!
hi lisa, i’m your neighbor on 5mf…at least for now! my link isn’t doing well after try #2 so i may not be there for long!
i knew your name sounded familiar and after i got on your blog, i discovered why…i met you at your booth at Allume! i’m sure you don’t remember me so that’s no problem:)
as a nurse and (retired…sort of) pastor’s wife, i was intrigued by your topic. i was also relieved to learn its outworking. i was afraid you were going to tell people there was only one redemptive way to have babies. whew! what a relief it was to find out we could still have variety there:)
i enjoyed reading some more on your blog. nice to meet you again. keep on sister. i do have a more private comment to make so will find your email or something. love the blog:)
Actually Martha… my name is Angie!
I am sure that many people might misunderstand the purpose and vision behind Redeeming Childbirth… no there are MANY ways to which God could redeem a childbirth experience or journey through pregnancy. And I would never claim to know all the ways… 
I am just an ordinary mom, who has had six children… obeying a call to speak out on something that grieves my heart… and I believe the heart of God’s… division and a blurred worldview. I hope you take a chance to visit the website: http://redeemingchildbirth.com and watch the video on the main page! 
YES!!!!! Joy from freedom from fear is soooooo good!! Thank you for sharing your vulnerabilities…not an easy thing at all.
I’m with you the “fearing people” thing. For me it manifests in not loving people well, because I’m too intimidates by the differences they have from me (cultural, ethnic, economics, personality… whatever). I’ve been asking the LORD to break this in me for some time, and it’s a painful but joyful thing as He is faithful to do it. And you’re right… the root of it all is fear (which I think is a lack of faith). Would you agree?
I agree 100% Carey! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
You and I are so much alike, Angie! Kindred spirits. I saw this topic on another site last night and saw it was a writing prompt from Lisa Jo Baker. LOVED that!
Oh Fawn, you are so sweet! How are you doing? Wish we lived closer so we could get together for coffee!