Overcoming Fear

A bolt of lightning ripped through the air cracking like a whip in my ears. The loud, piercing thunder sent a precise chill through my body; my senses were alert. Within moments, the sirens screamed throughout the small Oklahoma town. We ran across the school parking lot to find shelter in the Okemah elementary school. Dodging potholes, soaked in rain, and prepared for the worst; I lead my siblings to shelter. The small elementary school was soon filled with people—of all kinds. The warning of an October tornado brought a mixed crowd of rich and poor, bathed and “warshed,” educated and ill-mannered, fit and fat, tall and short, champion and coward—all of them running to a single place to find protection for their loved ones.  Some showed their concern for the weather with an Okie’s “sit on the front porch and watch the tornado blow by” attitude, while others were less lionhearted. Tears of panic perspired inside the walls of the building, mimicking the storm outside. Sweat from confusion compounded the hallways like a dense fog. I, a protector at heart, watched every movement of every person. Picking up the slightest hand gestures and positioning of body movements.

In the midst of the chaos, I looked to my right and there was a little nine-year-old boy. He looked back at me and said, “You think we are going to be safe?” I said, “What do you think?” He replied, “I’m not sure. Everyone looks scared. I don’t think it looks good.” I then said, “Well, what do you feel?” He looked at me, then looked at his hands; I was holding them. “I think we are going to be alright.” I smiled at him, “And why is that?” He replied, “Because, you are here to protect me.”

After some time, the storm withered and into the darkness we went. Back to the places we came from. Young and old, moved up the stairs, down the hallways, into the rain. Some were angry. Some were relieved. Some were worried about the upcoming social events. Some were just glad to be safe. Some were argumentative. Some were apologetic. Some were broken. Some were healed.

While fear lurks, waiting to devour us in doubt and mistakes, there is also an opportunity that presents itself. The deepest moment of fear is ultimately a choice we make to hold the person next to us and comfort them in times of panic, or to shy away and let life’s circumstances take control.

I encourage you friends, do not shy away from fear, but run into it boldly.

What is it you are scared of? Rejection. Insecurity. Bondage. Image. Regret. Pain. Tomorrow.

Fear is meant to be overcome.

John 16:33 In this world there will be trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.

Stand up, lead those around you, overcome the fear of the world.  

The Beauty in Struggle

A few months ago, I had a change of employment. In fact, come to think of it, I have had several changes of employment in my few years of working. It seems I am one of those blazing fire starters that runs into a project and sets eyes aglow with wonder. I am on time. I am proactive. I am, well to be quite honest—a stud-muffin. And then, day two comes along. For whatever reason, my passion, love for the game, zeal, spunk, or what ever you want to call it—disappears.
In August, I found my self unemployed only for a short time. While surfing the internet one day I found a job application for UPS. After filling it out, taking the tour, filling out more paperwork, completing my training, and so on, I find myself heading into work at 10:00 p.m. everynight. At first I thought this was going to be a great experience for me to "grow up" and "become a man's man."After three weeks of intensive, backbreaking, careless, sweat and discontempt, I wonder if it is even worth it. Between school and youth ministry and familiy and freinds, how can there be any time for this? And then I had a night like this.

It was a normal night in the hub. Dim flickering lights and sweaty people moving to this place and that. Noises, buzzing, conversations, diesel engines, and the sound of boots walking on concrete put a sense of grit in the building. The long walk to my workstation feels like it takes centuries to complete and I feel even more exhausted by the time I am standing in front of a large semi-trailer filled with packages. I arrived a few minutes late, got my assigned station and waited for my unloader to open the semi trailer door and start sending packages my way. I waited, placed my hands on the cold steel conveyor belt and stared through the metal grating beneath my feet. Eventually, my unloader arrived and started placing packages on the belt. Being fairly new to UPS, I am still figuring out all of the zip codes and corresponding colors, so at times I can be slow. Within seconds, packages engulfed me. The unloader was a skilled veteran United Parcel Service thouroughbred racing through the mixed size boxes. I was a gimpy, feebish little thing, trying to stand up to the might of his skills. I sighed. Boxes crashed to the floor. It got to the point where I was not even going to try.

While everything was getting out of control, a lady next to me stopped her trailer and helped me. Another person, an older gentleman came to my aid as well. Within the same moments of confusion and dissilusionment came also a sense of unity and support. I realized I was not alone against the boxes. I was not alone against my lack of confidence. And then it hit me.

There is a beauty in struggle—for the greater the struggle, greater is the need for selflessness.

When was the last time you have been angered, frustrated, overwhelmed, or weak? I am going make a bold statement and say that is could have been just a few moments ago, or even just this past week.
Better yet, my real question is, when have you dropped what you were doing to help someone who was in a jam?

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone this week and engage in the life of someone around you—let them know you are there for them, that you would lay down your life them.

Be selfless.

The Reason for SpiritRoot

I have created this blog for two reasons. The first, I want students to be able to grow deeper in their faith beyond our basic programming. The second reason, I want anyone who comes across these readings to know that there is a God who loves them.
I will post a new blog one to two times a month. These blogs may be my reflections of something I have heard recently, or it could be an experience I had that I want to share with you.
Ultimately however, I want you to experience a realistic discussion of faith and life—being a Christ follower in a time of lost leaders.