FEARLESS

God spoke to me at a healing conference. During a session a lady said to ask God what we would do for fun together. And I thought of all the things other people might choose. I thought of things that would be fun to other people but wouldn't be so fun to me. One image was of my riding a roller coaster. HAH! If you know me you KNOW I don't do roller coasters. I'm not the one. So I asked God why did that image come to mind. He said to me, "Ventura, I want to make you FEARLESS."

I was like. Oooookay??

Since then I've been talking with God about what that consists of. I consider myself pretty...bold...already. But there are definitely fears that I have been holding onto with a tight grip. I DEFINITELY fear roller coasters. Lol. For sure. I've learned some things about fear in my 23 years.

Firstly, fear will EXPOSE you.

The summer I turned 20 I worked at a Christian athletic camp called Kids Across America. (KAA, U KNOW!) It was totally a wilderness for me because I am not athletic. One day our boss surprised us with a trip to the zip-line. My co was SO excited because we never really got to do much as office girls. I was indifferent and felt loved by the surprise, but not about zip-lining itself. But I harnessed up and walked up the stairs like I just do stuff like this all the time. Smh. I was ignorant and in for a rude awakening.

There's a rule that when you go up the only way down is by zip-lining to the other end. Now, the zipping across wasn't my issue. My issue was jumping. I mean who willingly jumps off the edge of anything 30 or 40 feet in the air? What kind of sense does that make? Oh what'd you do today? I jumped off a cliff! NOT THIS WOMAN. HECK NO!

I WAS NOT HAVING IT. I acted a FOOL! I kicked and screamed like a 7 year old girl. I was NOT about that life. I literally screamed and cried and begged and pleaded and pouted. I showed my BUTT! Lol. I just acted crazy. In the presence of my fear I threw out all inhibitions. I didn't care what anyone thought as long as I didn't have to jump.

Long story short, they pushed me off.

It's funny now because a week later I did it again. I thought to myself, "Really, V? This is how you die? In a zip-lining accident in Golden, Missouri at the age of 20?" Once I thought out my fears to the logical conclusion, I enjoyed it more because I knew Jesus was in my boat.

Have I taken such a fearless leap since? Hmmm...no.

However, the more I begin to conquer my natural fears I know that when I am tempted to fear in the path God has called me to how to react with faith.

This song is amazing. It reminds me that God wants to make me fearless. It reminds me that I don't have to fear failure not because I won't fail but because even when I do God does not. I am His and He is mine therefore failure isn't that bad of an option.

When I am weak, He is strong. When I am strong, He is strong. And when I take my fears to Jesus, He exchanges them with a greater measure of faith.

So now I can say, though it's scary, Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.

God did not give me a spirit of fear.

There's a similar story in the gospels of a storm that was brewing as the disciples were traveling by boat. As the waves tossed them from side to side Jesus was taking a good ole nap on a soft pillow below the deck. The disciples run in frantic and immediately question His motives. "Teacher, do you not even CARE that we're all about to DIE??!!!" Oh, we are so dramatic, aren't we?

Jesus responds to them with a question as well. "Why are you so fearful?"

So I ask you, are you ready? Can you ask God to take you where your feet may fail so that He will increase your faith? Are you ready to embrace the trials, the storms of life? Are you ready to embrace the victories of life that come during the storms? Or will someone have to push you into the storms kicking and screaming and begging to get out?

REMEMBER WHO IS IN YOUR BOAT!!! Also note that most of our fears are completely illogical. Pastor Chuck said it takes more faith to believe our fears than to believe God. We are over here wondering why God isn't delivering us from the turmoil of the trials that are promised to come and Jesus is fast asleep in the boat wondering why we don't have faith.

Take some time this week and write out all of your fears. Seriously. Write them down. And then draw them out to their logical conclusion. Then ask God to reveal Himself in your fear and you'll see that He is there. He always is. And if Jesus is in the boat, chances are you aren't all going to die.

LOGICALLY if God CALLED you to do something, move somewhere, ride a roller coaster, work at a certain place, do a certain thing, then He will be there! God will not lead you to drown and die, but He might lead you where you feel like you might. But just in the nick of time. WHEW!!! Won't He do it? Hasn't He always come through? He's never failed and He won't start now.

LISTEN TO THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!! 12 times!!!!! Read the lyrics!!!! Let God minister to you through His Holy Spirit!

I will call upon Your name, keep my eyes above the waves when oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace for I am YOURS AND YOU ARE MINE!!!!