john 4:18

There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment.
He who fears is not made perfect in love.

well, friends, thanks for the input yesterday....fern and i are happy to announce that she has a name ;))

my vision for fern is that she will be a safe haven, a place where God lives, a place where people can gather in the cool of the evening, in the beauty of the garden, and come to know God for who he really is. her name in the long version (fernanda) means bold adventure! and really, it can't be an honest definition unless we embrace it (life) fully. that is my intention.

speaking of, this particular ride (so far) has been all about the fear. the knowing that God is in my life, and that he loves me, but still being afraid. too much of my story has been THAT story.

not anymore. i am practicing casting out fear. i have to do it daily. sometimes hourly. it takes WORK to cast out fear. however, God has asked me to call to him, and he is doing it for me. i am less afraid now than i was yesterday. and that is a good thing.

on sunday, i was reading my bible and psalm 23 stuck out for me in a new way, for the first time.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

that little bolded section of this psalm is what has always hung me up. because i DO fear evil. the evil (sin) inside me, and the evil (sin) around me. i've never been able to relax in the meaning of this psalm because of that little sentence.

God is showing me that the ANSWER - for you are with me - is Truth. is real, more real than anything i could ever know. that he is WITH me, truly and forever. and that evil (sin) is not as powerful as i have thought it to be. and that it IS defeated. done. dealt with.

sigh. he is with you too, if you just invite him in today! thanks everybody for sharing my crazy shenanigans :) i am glad to have you here.