Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

Read

Reflect

My daughter, Lydia, had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Paris this past summer through the University of Alabama (Roll Tide) where she is a junior this year.  As would be expected, even though this would be an experience of a lifetime, there was a lot of stress that went into planning and going on this trip.  There was a certain amount of apprehension about going with a group of students she did not know, as well as getting finances, passport, and packing in order.  What caused Lydia the most anxiety, however, was that she has a fear of flying; or to be more accurate, she was afraid of crashing.  Her sister, Mary, and I prayed diligently for her.  When her plane finally landed in France she called us to let us know and we all experienced a sense of tranquility.  She described her flight to me in detail.  There was a fan that blew cold air on her which she could not get turned off and the blanket that was supplied provided very little warmth.  The lady in front of her put her seat all the way back nearly into her lap where it stayed the entire flight.  She had been assigned the aisle seat right in front of the bathroom so there was a steady line throughout the flight that began right beside her and the stench was nearly unbearable.  She told me “Mom, by the last part of the flight the thought of plunging into the Atlantic Ocean brought me peace.”  I suppose, in a way, this was her way of casting her anxiety on God.

We’ve come to accept that anxiety is just a part of life.  There are many things that make us anxious:  financial insecurity, toxic relationships, substance abuse, Covid and other large scale world problems…  The list goes on and on.  For those who find their anxiety level to be crippling or those who have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders I urge you to seek professional help.  There is no shame in the mental health game.  I assure you that you don’t have to face things alone.  There are hotline resources online that can be accessed immediately or schedule an appointment with your doctor or a therapist.  I also urge everyone to pray for yourselves and the world around you.

Pray

Caring, Loving God, Forgive me when I try to handle things all by myself.  Humble me to be able to ask for help.  Heal my brokenness and calm my anxiety.  I know you are present in what can often be a chaotic world.  Help me put my trust in you.  Thank you for always knowing my fears and my pain, even when I can’t voice them.  Thank you for caring for me so much.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

Go with God!