This is a guest post by Glo Girl Donnell Holly.
If anything can bring out your fears, walking down the halls of a middle school will do it.
My sweet 7th grader is in her second year of middle school, but isn’t without fear. As I picked her up on her first day of 7th grade she was excited to say that it went fairly well. She loves her teachers, can open her locker, and even has several close friends in most of her classes. Then there was a pause, a heartfelt hesitation, like she had something else to say. I asked what, and through tears she replied, “I am afraid Mom.” You see, she is trying out for the volleyball team this year, a first for her, and a mighty big step for my timid oldest child. I ask her to write down everything that she was afraid of and this was the list she compiled:
- I won’t be fast enough or good enough to make the team
- I will miss a shot
- Being compared to the other players, since I’m not in the same body shape as they are
- Running, a lot of running
- Not being strong enough
- Early morning practice at 6 a.m.
As she read the list to me I was amazed how many fears a little heart could hold. Wow, no wonder she felt overwhelmed. As she cried, God whispered in my ear, “What are you afraid of Mommy?” I must confess, my list is a lot like my brave 7th grader:
- Fear of rejection
- Fear of being alone
- Fear of others seeing my faults and failures
- Fear of one day my children or husband not needing me anymore
- Fear of letting others down
During family dinner we talked about fear. What exactly are our fears? Why are we afraid? How does fear affect our witness for Jesus? We then read through Matthew 4:1-11 together where Jesus himself is tempted to fear. Here is the verse I love:
Jesus answered, “It is written. Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God!” (vs 4)
How about you? Are you feeling fearful like this Mommy and brave 7th grader? You are not alone! We all have fears! We sometimes don’t share them because we think others will reject us if we do. So we sit, feeling afraid, surrounded by loneliness in a room full of people. God doesn’t intend for us to live like this. Share your fears with others & then face them. In the end, if you do, you will be a little wiser, a lot stronger, and will look more like Christ.
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
Donnell Holly is a born and raised Texas girl who has been married to her high-school sweetheart Eric for 17 years. She has 2 tween daughters, Savanna age 9, and Shelby age 13. She loves spending time with her family, drinking coffee, and has a new obsession with running 5Ks.