Fear is a crazy thing. It can so easily paralyze us in the midst of life;especially in the midst of changes and jagged grace. In fact, fear sneaks in so quickly that it can stop us dead in our tracks and prevent us from trying the next new thing. Yet the words “Do not be afraid” appear many times in Scripture; 365 times to be exact—one for each day of the year. I believe Jesus said those words that many times because God wants to remind us that God will never leave us or forsake us. God will be with us every second, every minute, every second, every hour, every day.

Yet in the midst of life’s challenges though, it can be so easy to forget that promise. We get caught up in too much fear, just too much of it all. Yet the truth is that God has plans for each and every one of us.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.”–Jeremiah 29:11-12

There have been times when I have had a hard time trusting that God is with me every step of the way. I have found myself curling up in a ball and wanting to shut the entire world out. There have been times when I have fallen deep into the depths of fear, sadness, and lost hope.

Yet the reality is that our God is a God of hope! God overcame death and the grave. God is the light that shines in the midst of the darkness. God is a God who gives us the strength and courage to get through the next hard thing…and for that I am eternally grateful.

In relation to today’s post, I have to share about Annie F. Down’s new book 100 Days to Brave which releases TODAY! I loved “Looking for Lovely” and “Let’s All Be Brave.” And I am so excited to read her new book. Annie has this way of conveying God’s love in a gentle loving manner that continually reminds me of who and whose I am.

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