What if Letting Go of Fear Is the Key to Everything?
The life youāre longing for starts on the other side of fear
Hi Love,
Iāve been thinking about you and really hope youāre doing well. I know this time apart isnāt easy, but I truly believe God is using it to shape and mold us into whom He needs us to be. Not only for Him, but also for each other. Through every setback and season, Iām starting to see how God uses it all to help us grow ā to overcome our fears, to heal our past wounds, and to help us learn how to love ourselves and each other better. I canāt wait for the day we finally get to share life together. But until then, I wanted to start sharing a few thoughts here with you along the way.
I was talking with a friend the other day, and she mentioned how dentists supposedly have one of the highest rates of depression and suicide. Iām not sure how accurate that is, but it really got me thinking. Thereās so much negative talk and joking around the idea that nobody likes going to the dentist, and I wonder if over time, all that negativity starts to take a toll. Maybe some dentists begin to internalize those thoughts, believing the lie that people dislike or even hate them. And then, that lie starts to shape how they see themselves. What if they begin to believe they are not valued or appreciated? It reminded me just how powerful our thoughts are. If weāre not careful, we can let outside voices and opinions define our worth instead of anchoring ourselves in the truth of who God says we are. But the truth is, our identity isnāt found in what people think of us ā itās found in Christ. And He calls us chosen, loved, and valuable. We should always remember to keep coming back to that truth, no matter what the world says.
We went to a friendās birthday party at the park today. It was so much fun, and the boys had an absolute blast. While I was playing with the kids on the playground, I noticed a sticker on the back of a little girlās shirt. It had a picture of Elsa and said: FACE YOUR FEAR. That really caught my attention, so I snapped a picture to share with you (itās below). Iāve never actually seen Frozen, but I watched a quick summary and listened to that famous song Let It Go. And wow, itās more powerful than I expected. I found it so interesting that for some reason the sticker was on the back of her shirt. And in that moment it felt like God whispered to me: life truly begins when our fears are behind us.
All of this was reminding me of 2 Timothy 1:7, āFor God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.ā Fear doesnāt come from God. But it can quietly take hold of our thoughts if weāre not careful, shaping how we see ourselves and even how we think others see us. And when we face our fears with Him, when we leave them behind us, we can finally start walking in the fullness of who we were created to be.
You are always in my thoughts and prayers. Donāt ever question whether Iāll be there for you. In the midst of the highs and lows, please remember to be good to yourself. And praying we both walk boldly in the authority God has given us, with no fear! I listened to this episode of The Deep End today, and found it to be really insightful and encouraging. Praise God for all the ways He guides, protects, and provides.
I love you.
Jeanie
P.S. No matter how the enemy schemes to pull us away from each other, Iāll never stop fighting. Donāt give up on me. Donāt give up on us.
