Last week I did something for the very first time in my almost 40 years of life, I climbed a tree! This has been a fear of mine since I was a little girl. I have always wanted to climb one, but the thought of falling out of it and breaking an arm or a leg always kept me from it. Climbing up the tree was not nearly as scary as coming down. I had two precious girls at the bottom telling me where and how to take my next step. They were my little cheerleaders. You’re doing great mom. You can do it. You are almost there. Each time they encouraged me, I was brave enough to keep going up. I made it to the middle of the tree, which was my goal, and stood up and looked out. The view was breathtaking. I breathed in a deep breath of fresh air and I whispered to myself, “I did it!” Then it was time to turn around and make my way down. The whispers that I had just said to myself were all of a sudden gone. I had forgotten all of what I had just accomplished and my heart began to race, and I began to panic.

 FEAR= False Evidence Appearing Real

The same lies that I heard in my head when I was little began to resurface. “If my foot slips and I fall,” “I am going to break a leg.” “I won’t be able to walk and then how am I going to get the girls where they need to go, how will I go to work?” “This was the dumbest thing I have ever done.” The girls were still trying to guide me. They were even still cheering me on, but it wasn’t working. I was not listening and the fear had taken over. Have you ever been there? I was paralyzed and not able to move. I needed help and I cried out for it. Girls, go get your dad and tell him to come help me. They ran off quickly, and I was left alone in the tree. In the stillness, I could hear the wind whistle by in my ear. “Lord, I am scared.”

Ryan came and looked up in the tree at me and said, “You can do it. Put your foot right here and then turn around. Put your hand here and then your other hand here.” I began to follow his steps and listen. I felt safer because he was at the bottom of the tree, and if I did start to slip at least he could catch me. Part of the bark on the tree came off as my foot slipped, and I could not move again. It was intense. I was in Ryan’s reach and he braced my feet together to where they would not move. They were steady, so I felt more secure and was able to continue. As I got near the bottom, Ryan reached out both arms and picked me up and lifted me out of the tree on to the ground. I had reached the bottom with no broken leg! PRAISE!!!

The false evidence appearing real was gone! FEAR was gone! I had overcome, but not on my own. I had help. The Lord was with me through sweet voices, cheering me on each step of the way. He was with me in the quiet and stillness of the wind whistling in my ear to remind me I was not alone. He was with me steadying my feet and making it secure, and He even lifted me up and kept me from falling. He is there with you too. Can you feel Him? Can you see Him? He is there. There really is nothing to FEAR!

What a promise to hold on to! Let this be your memory verse today. Repeat it to yourself, write it down on a notecard, come back to it throughout your day. When those paralyzing moments come and fear sets in, cry out for help. He will steady you. He will guide you, and He will not let you fall. You can trust Him. You belong to Him!

We sang this song at church the very next day after I had climbed the tree. I sang and worshipped with confidence, “I am no longer a slave to FEAR, I am a child of God!” You can sing it too. Cheering you on sweet ones…we have nothing to FEAR! Be BRAVE! Climb your tree! Take a look out…the view is breathtaking!  #truth #gloryup