They say a picture is worth a thousand words. What does that mean? According to Wikipedia, it is an English language-idiom that refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does.

This picture was taken a little over a month ago by one of our daughter’s who was trying to capture the essence of coffee art but instead captured her parents laughter. She sent it to me for me to save in my camera roll with a text that read this was her favorite picture of us. I fell in love with it too. Who doesn’t love moments of pure joy and laughter? I wish I could tell you that this was us always. I wish I could tell you that I always choose JOY and laughter in this precious life I have been given. I wish I could find a way to capture our moments of living our very best life and make them last. Don’t you? What if I told you that I learned, just yesterday, the secret in making this a reality by hearing the truth of God’s word. Would you believe me?

“So do NOT be AFRAID of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight, what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do NOT be AFRAID of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So DO NOT be AFRAID; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:26-31

Jesus tells us in these words DO NOT BE AFRAID! Three times within the same paragraph the words are repeated…Do NOT BE AFRAID! Fear cripples us. Fear robs us of our JOY and laughter. We can live victoriously instead of as a victim when we have NO FEAR! I love how he speaks to us in the dark, in our quiet places where it is just the two of us. Did you know that when He whispers in our ears it was meant to be proclaimed to the world? He tells us to proclaim it to the roofs. SHOUT it out so all can hear…we have nothing to be afraid of because we have a God that loves us and has already won the battle.

Look at the two sparrows. They are sold for next to nothing. A penny was a day’s wages back in Jesus’s day. If you did the math today it would be roughly $3 and change to purchase two sparrows for food. We spend more than that on our coffee. Yet he goes on to tell us that not one of them will die apart from the will of the Father. He is SOVEREIGN and reigning over all.  We are worth MORE than many sparrows. He’s got us. We can trust Him.

As I was listening to these words of truth being spoken from our Pastor yesterday I could feel myself coming alive again. He spoke directly to the mom’s in telling us that some of us are living in high anxiety over our children and our spouse’s. YES! I am! I don’t want anything to happen to them. I want to protect them and keep them safe from this mean world. That’s a worthy thing to desire, but we are not in control. Our God is! Give your worries over to him. Let go of the fear that is robbing you of your JOY and laughter. God the Christ is going to save us to the uttermost. The Christ-follower will be vindicated. This is GOOD NEWS. This is how we can live VICTORIOUSLY even when our circumstances tell us differently.

To all of YOU beautiful women…we can laugh at the future because it is secure. Hold your head high. Walk in confidence. Release your worries over to our Heavenly Father and LIVE free of FEAR! We are clothed in STRENGTH and DIGNITY. We CAN LAUGH WITHOUT FEAR of the future. This is our truth because of JESUS! His promises are true. #arise #donotfear #laugh #live #Jesus #shoutittotheroofs