Carmen Horne

New Lens, New Life

A Way to Fear-less When We are Fear-full

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I began this post on fear about two years ago. What in the whirl? How can something I wrote two years ago resonate with me still!?

I am able to just pick up and continue writing because it’s that relevant. So relevant…like the first thing I thought of was me sitting poolside at my sister-in-law’s house a few days ago and decidedly moving myself inside because there were bats (yep, you read that correctly) swooping and flying around the pool. I’m skeered of birds. I watched the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds, when I was a little girl (The babysitter was OK with it. Why not?) and I want them to stay at a beautiful distance from me. You want to get me itchy, feed the birds while I’m sitting in my beach chair trying to relax.

I KNOW they are just as scared of me as I am of them. I KNOW I’m bigger than they are. I KNOW I don’t have love birds trapped in a cage in my house. But still… 

Maybe you need these words today, too. Maybe that’s why I had it in drafts and never published it. It was waiting for me to finish writing it today ’cause you know, timing is everything.

Have you ever just sat dumbstruck and flabbergasted over life? The hits just keep coming. You begin to wonder if there is a big red target on your heart and soul.

There is. Satan has us marked for destruction. If God would have allowed it, he would have ended our lives before we sucked in our first breath of air. Satan is a liar and thief.

Now that thought often gives me a shiver. I can get real worried about what’s next. Just being real here, the prince of darkness can dim my light sometimes by a mere whisper.

Those of us in ministry often feel our target is bigger. But wait, aren’t we all called to be a functioning part of the body of Christ? So there goes that excuse theory.

I’m hoping there are a few of you out there that are shaking your heads with an amen, even if it’s a nervous one.

There are tons (well, a lot) of Bible verses out there addressing being fear-full. Probably one of the most important ones is the reminder that’s it’s definitely not of God. Y’all, read 2 Timothy 1:7  in the Amplified Bible,

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

One of the ways I’m learning to cope with fear (besides not allowing bats to play in my hair) is Scripture affirmations. I love this Bible verse and the personalized statement from scripture I wrote,

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you. All whose thoughts are fixed on you. Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

Isaiah 26:3 affirmation

Oh, and maybe another moral to this story is to not put things into your mind that you will probably never get out. I have several things like that and I’m praying God will pull that stuff up by the roots! 


Still Looking For the Answer to Your Prayer?

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A few weeks ago we talked about prayer, actually about our struggle to pray. So, I’m still thinking about that. Can we talk a bit more?

One of the reasons I think we struggle to pray is that God can sometimes seem quiet when our world seems loud. We can hardly hear ourselves think because of all the noise from our hearts breaking, and from God – we hear crickets.

It’s not always that way but I think we feel it happens way too much for a loving Father, right? We want to look at Him and shout, “Say something, do something, will ya!”

In Lysa TerKeurt’s study, Finding I AM, she mentions something (week four, day two) that just popped off the page for me, “Trust that prayer makes a difference, even when you don’t see the difference.” And then the pop. “It may take a while for you to see God answer your prayers. But don’t miss an ‘in the meantime answer’ you can receive right away.” 

In the meantime answer…

Can I tell you that I am smack dab in the middle of needing some answers. I’ll take an “in the meantime answer” cause I’m thinking the clarity I seek will not come in an instant. It won’t be like my coffee in the morning in our Keurig. It will be like that old drip pot my Mom had on the stove when I was a kid. I would have gotten out of the mood for coffee by the time I boiled the water, poured it over the grounds, and waited for it to run through to the pot.

So I’m looking everywhere for my “in the meantime answer” and I remembered the verse Lysa quoted,

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7, ESV

Peace. I need my heart and mind guarded because you are talking to the queen of scenarios and crossing bridges before I get there. Dreaming up some stuff is my gift. This quote from Emily P. Freeman‘s newsletter hit my inbox so timely, “Clarity cannot be rushed. ~Marie Forleo” 

It seems to my natural mind that when we need clarity, God picking up His pace in delivering is not a bad thing. In my spirit though I know that timing is everything. I have said before that God doesn’t seem very interested in time, He’s all about timing. That’s all fun and games to say such profound statements until you feel like you are looking out of the dirty eye glasses of a six-year-old boy. 

How can we find peace when ain’t nothing peaceful about our situations? This old hymn reminds me of the best way. Enjoy this portion of its anointed words:

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Helen H. Lemmel – 1922

Weary and troubled become refreshed and peaceful in the light of Jesus’ love.

Lord, I know it’s not just me. So many of us need clarity, direction, comfort, and most especially peace. Will You help us sense it please? We know it’s there, available. How will our hearts and minds be guarded from panic and anxiety without Your peace? Help us not be so fretful that we can not receive what You freely give. You are our Jehovah-shalom –  The Lord is peace. Thank you for sending such a wonderful “in the meantime answer” to our deepest prayers. In Jesus’ sweet name, amen.