sick child

Keeping Christ the Center at the Doctor’s Office by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on December 2, 2011

 

Does this sound familiar?  There’s something wrong with your child.  Nothing you do seems to help.  As their misery increases, so does your anxiety.  You worry, “Just how serious is this?”  We only want our child to be OK.  We want their pain and suffering to stop.  So, we call the doctor, he or she will know what to do…

Whether you’re taking your child to the doctor because of a high fever, a broken arm, or because “something” is just not right, there’s a temptation to hand your child’s health completely over to a fellow human.  There are steps you can take to keep Christ the Center and squarely in charge – and not hand our Father’s role over to a man.

First, why is it so important that Christ is the center of your doctor’s appointment?  Well, to put it bluntly, God wants to be.

But if we hold a doctor too high up and follow their guidance without consulting God first for ourselves we’re really grasping at straws instead of grasping onto Him.

Have you ever heard someone say that since doctors receive their skills from God, God must be working through them?  (Wait a minute!  It was me who said that years ago, sure my newborn’s heart surgeon, a wonderful man, was a messenger of God, and I could trust his words completely.) Yes, God certainly is the giver of skills and talents.  He is also always in control.  But if we hold a doctor too high up and follow their guidance without consulting God first for ourselves we’re really grasping at straws instead of grasping onto Him.  He doesn’t want any person to come between us because He knows that even those who love Him will fail.  Doctors are human.  God wants us to seek His advice because He loves us and wants to be Lord over every aspect of our lives.  He wants to be the head doctor for your child.

Sometimes, as Christians, we will use God to support the doctor’s plans instead of letting God Himself call the shots.  We go to God after we have gone to the doctor and pray that He will bless all that the doctor wants to do.  I think that Scripture explains it best.

Listen to how 1 Chronicles describes King Saul, “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the LORD;” (1 Chronicles 10: 13-14a, New King James Version).  Did you hear that?  King Saul turned to another human instead of turning to God.

King Saul wasn’t the only one to do this.  King Asa, who once removed his own mother from the throne because of her idol worship, turned away from God and towards “experts” instead, “And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians,” (2 Chronicles 16:12, New King James Version).

Both of these men began by loving God passionately.  Both also gradually walked away from that love and focused it on someone else.  King Saul turned to his many wives and their idols.  King Asa lost his trust in God and gave it to others – first the Syrians and then a doctor.  If it could happen to them, Dear One, couldn’t it happen to us?  If we are frightened for our child, it is very easy to grab on to a knowledgeable human and put our hopes in them.

So, how do we do it?  How do we put Christ at the center in the doctor’s office?  Don’t worry!  It’s really not too hard!  All it takes is prayer and relying on His promises.  First, before the appointment pray, “Father, in the name of Jesus, I give you _____ (your child’s name).  Protect us, bring him/her your healing, and give me your wisdom.  Guide the doctor and me both.”  Also pray the armor of God on yourself and your child.  Found in Ephesians 5: 14-17, Paul describes the armor that will not only protect you from the lies of the enemy and fear, but empower you with faith and truth.  Ask God to set His belt of truth around your waist, cover you with His breastplate of righteousness (which also protects your feelings), set His helmet of salvation upon your head (guarding your thoughts), place his shoes of peace on your feet, put His mighty shield of faith in one hand, and the sword of His word in the other.  Pray the same for your child.  We are dependent on His protection.  Make sure your family is covered in His impenetrable armor!

Not only do you need God’s protection, but if you are afraid for your child’s well-being, you also need to cling to the promises of His Word.  I would like to share with you a couple of verses that are powerful reminders that you are not alone and just who this awesome God is that we serve.  (You may want to cut these out and stick them in your purse!)

2 Kings 6: 16-17 (New King James Version) – “So, he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them’.  And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’  Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw.  And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”  Beloved, do not fear, that same army is with you in your battle!  (Please read 2 Kings 6: 1–18 to get a better understanding of these verses.)  Let this verse remind you of who is for you and thank God for His protection.

Luke 4: 40 (New King James Version) – “When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.”

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what God wants to give to us IF we take Him with us to the doctor’s office.  (Want more prayers and powerful verses?  You’ll love “The Faith Challenge”!)

So, my friend, are you ready to learn with me from King Saul’s and King Asa’s mistakes?  Let’s make sure that the next time we take our child to the doctor that we take a deep breath, seek God first, and then keep Him at the center of our visit.

In His Love,

Kimberly

kimberly@kimberlyehlers.com

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But God by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on September 22, 2011

 

I’m blessed to be taking an excellent class given by, my sweet friend, Beth Jones of www.bethjones.net.  During our first class she encouraged us to do a Bible study of all the verses that contain the words “but God”.

I have to tell you that I’ve only read 7 of these verses so far, and all of them are in Genesis.  But, oh, has it been powerful reading! (I did my search at www.biblegateway.com.)

As I read my “but God” verses, I had two things jump out at me – the impure plans of mankind and how they contrasted against God’s good plans.  Praise God that He still wants our very best and we can take these promises from His Holy Word and hold tightly to them during our child’s illness.

While I certainly encourage you to do your own study on “but God” verses, I wanted to share a few that reveal something you need to know – God truly is love.  That love is demonstrated through His plans for us.  If you’re a regular reader of mine, you have probably heard me share Jeremiah 29:11 many times, so today I’ll share a different version, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,’” (NIV).  There’s also a beautiful “but God” verse that expresses the same idea a little differently,“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive,” (Genesis 50:20, NKJV).

We tend to view the Old Testament as the book of law and the New Testament as the book of God’s grace and love.  It can be hard to see His love through all the bloodshed found in the Old Testament – but it’s there and these “but God” verses help us to see it.  Not only do these verses show God’s love, but they give us guidance on how to weather the storm of multiple decisions we have to make for our child’s care.  No, God doesn’t give us “one size fits all” answers to our problems.  He didn’t make us, or the plans for our lives, with a cookie cutter.  These verses do show us the one thing we all have to do…

Remember the story of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, and Hagar?  (If not, you can find it in the book of Genesis.)  Sarah demanded that Hagar and her son be cast out.  Abraham hated the idea.  “But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.  Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed,’” (Genesis 21:12-13, NKJV).  Sarah’s plan was to lash out and hurt.  God’s plan was to bring peace and prosperity.

Sometimes, like Abraham, we are called to go along with man’s plan, trusting that God will make what we perceive as wicked, glorious.  To make the good that only God can see (for now, anyway) happen, we have to listen and do that hard thing we don’t want to do.  I couldn’t imagine any good coming from my son suffering through another open-heart surgery, but we listened, went along with the doctor’s plan, and now our son is fully healed.

But, there are certain times when God does not want us to follow a man’s plan, or our own.  In Genesis 31, we read about Jacob taking his wives and fleeing their father, Laban.  Laban pursued them, intending to punish Jacob. “Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.  But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad,’” (Genesis 31:23-24, NKJV).  Laban’s plan was to harm.  God’s plan was to protect.  Laban listened to God and obeyed.

We are called to go through such hard things as we walk the journey of our child’s illness.  We didn’t ask for their sickness.  We don’t want to see them suffer.  We don’t want to risk their lives through a surgery or anything else.  We just want our child to be OK.  Listen to Jacob’s dying words.  “Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers,’” (Genesis 48:21, NKJV).  Israel knew he had to go.  We know our child’s health will take us through dark days, but God’s plan is the same for us as it was for Joseph.  He will stay with us (even when others abandon us) through it all.  He will also protect us and provide a way out of the darkness.

Did you notice all the words I underlined that describe God’s plan for good?  This is the “good” He has planned for you.  He wants peace and prosperity for you; to protect and provide your needs.  He wants to stay by your side.  Do you feel His great love for you?

But how do you know when you are to follow man’s (the doctor’s) plans or not?  Did you catch the thing that our verses had in common?  The people listened and did according to God’s plan.  Listening to God can be so hard in this noisy world.  We will not hear Him unless we take the time to be quiet before Him.  Our concerns can consume us, making it easy for our prayers to be cluttered with our own words and thoughts.  When we need God the most, we need to be the most quiet.  Of course, give Him your concerns, but allow time to sit silently at His feet.  His plan may come to you there in the quiet, but it may come right at the moment you need it most.  You may experience God’s gentle peace that tells you, “It will be OK.  Follow the doctor’s plan – I’ll be here every step of the way, and I have something very good planned.”  It may also be the feeling that everything in you is saying, “No!  Don’t do this!”  God can make His “yes” and His “no” very clear if we prepare our hearts to listen. 

We’ve all experienced things not going according to plan.  Can you look back now and see God’s plan instead?  With our children’s illnesses, we are blessed to see the good results of God changing our plans, though, sometimes we don’t always see those results right away.  What has your “but God” experience been?  What good came from it?

In His Love,
Kimberly

 

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Standing on Promises by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on June 10, 2011

 

“1 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
‘ Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you…

4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5a Fear not, for I am with you;’” (Isaiah 43:1-2, 4-5a, New King James Version).

Sometimes, when things are hard or we’re afraid, we need to know we’re not alone, that we are valued and loved.  That’s what these verses are to us – God’s whispers of a love so powerful and real that we can’t even comprehend its magnitude.
These precious words from God tell you truths that you need to know and give you promises (big promises) that you can stand on.  That is exactly what He wants you to do; the God of Truth wouldn’t give them to you otherwise.  Don’t you love and appreciate that about God?  He always says what He means.  He even puts it in writing.
When my son was younger, I would give him paper and crayons or finger paint, turn the radio on and encourage him to paint along with the music.  He would move the colors according to the beat either flowing gently or zigzagging harshly.  In the end, he had a masterpiece!  His artwork was beautiful, but, thankfully, that’s not how God created us!  When He says He created and formed us, He’s reminding us that He carefully planned not only our form but our lives.  I’ve used Jeremiah 29:11 many times to demonstrate this point, but this is what Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live],” (Amplified Bible).
We are His handiwork, His masterpiece, carefully planned and thought out.  What are the good works and paths He’s predestined for us?  He has given us, as believers, the Great Commission to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19).  He’s also given us the commandments to love Him and others (Mark 12:30-31).  After that, His plans for us become very individualized.  He gives each of us plans unique to us – plans He doesn’t have for everyone.  Some people marry; some remain single.  Some people sing; others try :) !  Some of us have been give children with special health needs.  God chose us to care for them, meet their needs, pray for them, be their advocate, and to always be by their side.  He created us knowing this would be the path we took.
While we’re on that path, He tells us to “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.”  In Approval Addiction (which I highly recommend) Joyce Meyer explains on page 120, “When God said to people, ‘fear not,’ He meant for them to keep going forward, taking steps of obedience to carry out His instructions to them.  He was in essence telling them, ‘This is not going to be easy, but don’t run away from it.’”
In this particular verse, He’s referring to Israel’s redemption from slavery to Babylon.  We should not take that to mean He’s only talking to Israelites.  He has redeemed us, though we may struggle to live free.  What have we been bought back from or freed from slavery to?  Dear One, He has freed us from fear, powerlessness, helplessness, and anger.  He’s freed us from the disease or defect itself and all the junk it brings into our lives (read more about this in my article “What is Your Name?”).  But, do we live free?
To help us continue on through our fear, God reassures us with these precious words of love, “I have called you by your name; You are Mine.”  God knows who you are; you are not just another face in the sea of humanity.  He has called you, or as the New International Version says, “summoned” you to Him.  When I read those words, “You are Mine,” I feel loved and protected.  How do they make you feel?
Verse 2 describes what it means to be His.  God is active in our lives.  Our country has been experiencing devastating floods.  Right now Arizona is battling a fire the size of Phoenix.  Most of the time though, the floods and fires in our lives are not these made of these natural elements.  Instead, we experience floods of fear and panic.  Our child’s illness, their surgeries and tests are our fires.  Our God is not just watching us go through our trials.  He’s with us, going through them too and protecting our families.  We may feel scorched or as if we’re drowning, but our feelings are not always truth.  We may not even know the flame we were protected from.  One thing we know for sure is that God’s Word is truth.  We can depend on Him to carry us through.
Why has He done these things?  Why did He redeem us from our slavery to sin?  Why does He continue to work to truly, completely free us from anything that keeps us in bondage?  Why is He with us, protecting us?
He loves us.  He loves you, Dear One.  Verse 4 tells us that we are precious to Him.  Can you receive that truth into your heart?  Listen again as He says very clearly that He loves you and is with you.  You don’t have to drown in fear.  You don’t have to walk through the fire alone.
When your world is shaking, you can stand on these promises.  I encourage you to write these down and keep them with you.

GOD’S PROMISES FROM ISAIAH 43:1-2, 4-5a

1.  You are valued
2.  You are free
3.  He is with you
4.  He will protect you.
5.  You are precious to Him.
6.  HE LOVES YOU!

In His Love,

Kimberly

P.S.  I’ll be adding these verses to our “Share the Sweetness” page.  Go there is you need some more promises!

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What is Your Name by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on May 26, 2011

What’s your name?  Who are you?  Those are simple enough questions to answer aren’t they?  Please indulge me a little bit and take a moment to think about how you would introduce yourself to someone new.  You’ll have to stick with me, but I promise you’ll see where I’m going with that, and you’ll understand what’s going on with my picture!

Last Sunday, my pastor shared a thought that really hit me over the head.  He was teaching us about Jesus healing the demonic man in Luke 8:26-39, when he got to Jesus’ question in verse 30, “Jesus asked him, saying, ‘What is your name?’”  This is not an exact quote, but Pastor said something like this (see, the mental blow to my head stunned me just enough that I didn’t write quickly enough :) ), “However you identify yourself reveals what you are in bondage to.”  He gave an example of someone introducing themselves like, “I’m so and so, and I’m an alcoholic.”  Clearly, someone who is an alcoholic has recognized their unhealthy attachment to alcohol.  He also gave a hard to swallow example similar to, “I’m so-and-so, and I’m a mom.”  Oh, ouch!  But isn’t it a good thing to love and embrace being a mom?  Aren’t we being obedient to God’s calling for a Christian woman’s life?  I’ve heard, and understand, the warning against making your children little idols, but “in bondage to” my son and the role of parenting?  No thank you!

And wait another minute!  We aren’t just “ordinary” moms; God has called us to be moms to children with serious illnesses.  Like an alcoholic, it isn’t a label we would have chosen for ourselves.  We don’t think of their illness as an idol, but it certainly can make us feel enslaved to its demands.  It dictates how we spend our days.  It makes us go places mentally and physically that we don’t want to go – like the Emergency Room or on a guilt trip.

There are many things we have to do to care for our children that we pray God would take away.  For now, those things are our responsibilities, like ‘em or not.  There is a fine line between being the responsible parent that God wants you to be and receiving your identity through your child’s illness.  It may sound like a huge jump to the average person, but for those of us who live this life we know it’s all too easy to go from meeting needs to being consumed by them.

What would it tell you if you and I met on the street and I said, “Hi, I’m Kim and I’m a heart mom?”  Or if you met my made-up friend and she said, “Hi, I’m Sue and my son has leukemia?”  You’ve learned immediately that something is wrong with our sons, right?  I am very proud of my son and all that he’s been through, but would you have gotten that impression by my introduction?  Maybe, but you probably would have imagined him as a very sick boy instead of the healthy vibrant young man he really is.

If that’s the way I introduce myself to others or if it’s how I see myself, even if I don’t tell anyone else, what does it reveal?  Well, it shows me that this illness has effected the root of who I am so deeply that I can’t separate myself from it.  I am in bondage to an illness.  An illness is the master of not only my days, but my thoughts and feelings too.  It means a yucky, hateful disease runs my life!  When my pastor said that phrase I was stunned by not only the words but the image it created in my head.  I could see an evil version of my son’s heart.  I envisioned a gigantic, gray, defected heart with arms, legs, holes, and leaks.  It was a wicked task master.  Why would I want to be in bondage to such a beast?

Bondage to our child’s illness is bondage to a thing that destroys.  It wants to destroy life.  If we are enslaved to it, it will take our true identity, fill us with the emotions it breeds such as fear and anger, and it can ruin our relationships.  It can also be a bondage to pride and attention.  Yes, we can be prideful about our situation and feed off the attention it gives us. 

After our bondage takes all these things from us and fills us with its garbage, we are broken and exactly where the enemy wants us – unable to glorify God and fulfill His commandments.  We can’t love Him with all that we are because we’re already spent.  We certainly can’t love our troublesome neighbors.  Go and make disciples?  Our own relationship with God seems either non-existent or strained, how can we possible help anyone else nurture their own?  And the enemy dances for joy…

But we are neither helpless nor hopeless.  Far from it!  Unlike my picture, our identity doesn’t have to stay blurry and confused. We can see and share our real selves clearly because our Savior is the God of both hope and help, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work,” (2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17, NKJV). 

How do we receive that and how do we remain responsible parents but free ourselves from bondage to this disease?  We arm ourselves with the truth about who we are.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,” (John 1:12, NKJV).  If you believe in Christ as your Savior, you are a daughter of God.  THAT is your identity – and it’s a powerful one!  Next, we join Paul and choose to be the bondservant of the only one who is deserving, “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,” (Titus 1:1).  Then, every day, through prayer and Bible study, we renew and strengthen our identity of daughter, bondservant of God.  Through these practices, we yoke ourselves to Christ, “‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light,’” (Matthew 11:28-30).  In our prayers, we can hand over our struggles with bondage to disease to God, lightening our load.  Yes, my friend, this will be a process. The old slave master will not easily let you go, and it will be tempting for you to return – it gives you an identity you’re comfortable with because you know it well.  Habit and desire for attention can also pull us back into its grasp.  If we resist temptation, cling to our real identity in Christ, and continue actively yoking ourselves to Him, we will be free.  The more we know God’s Word, we will know the truth and there is nothing more freeing. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,’” (John 8:31-32).

So, now, my sweet friend, who do you say you are?

If you would like to listen to my pastor’s sermon, you can go to http://www.graceb3.org/resources/sermons/following-jesus/ .  You will find it under the title “Jesus Sets Captives Free”.  It’s a powerful teaching, and you will be blessed!

In His Love,
Kimberly

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7 Steps to Battling Fear – The Short Version by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on May 5, 2011

Since audios aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, I decided that I’d really love my “readers” out there to be able to get their hands on these 7 steps.  Now, the audio goes into MUCH more detail – this is just a cheat sheet ;) .  I hope that it gives you some solid footing and helps you gain the upper hand on fear.  If you decide you would like more information, the full audio is still available.  You can listen to it here http://kimberlyehlers.com/?p=1881 or download it to listen on your player of preference!

Because of our children’s illnesses, we have a lot to worry about.  It seems as though fear is forever knocking on our door.  We may fear the unknown – what is going to happen next, what kind of life will my child have?  We fear that our child will not have a future.  Maybe, right now, you’re frightened of the medical bills that are growing. 

If we let them, our fears will swallow us whole.  We need to actively battle them so that they do not consume us or rob us of an abundant life.  “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” (John 10:10, NKJV).

An abundant life for yourself may not seem important to you now, but it is for 2 reasons.  God wants it for you, and your family needs you to live abundantly.  We can try to hide our thoughts and feelings, but both are reflected clearly in our actions or merely by the look on our faces.  As Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”  That goes for moms too.  Our families know us.  They know when something is wrong.  Even more dangerous is that our “moods” can plant rotten seeds into our child’s life.  They learn from us, and will learn to be fearful.

Let’s look at our 7 steps to battling fear:
1.  Talk with God daily – I love Paul’s advice, really an action plan to prayer, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7, New King James Version).  When something has you worried, pray about it, praise God for what He’s done (that’s also our act of remembering and reassuring ourselves of His greatness), and He will give you peace.  Avoid the temptation to think you have to be worry free to come to Him first.  I encourage you to read Philippians 4:4-8.  Sometimes when we look at just one verse, we miss the context and abuse it (or abuse ourselves by misunderstanding it).  These verses tell how to live with Christ – a life that would naturally ease your anxieties.  I actually have a lot of thoughts about this, and if you’d like to hear them, you’ll need to grab the audio :) . 
2.  Spend time reading God’s word every day – It really doesn’t matter where you start.  For this time in your life, I highly recommend any of the Gospels so that you can hear the loving words of Christ Himself.  You may want to do devotions – like The Faith Challenge.  Whatever you use as a guide, make sure you are reading to allow God to speak to you.  You need to feed your mind and spirit on His truth regularly!
3.  Apply God’s Word – It’s not enough to just read Scripture.  We need to be able to carry it with us in our hearts, ready to be used.  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” (Romans 12:2, New King James Version).  We are transformed by our time with God – praying and reading His Word.  That’s why we read the Bible to hear what God has for us.  He wants to use Scripture to heal us, teach us, and equip us with the tools we need for this life.
     To help in that transformation process, I highly recommend journaling.  It allows you to remember, process, and look back on what God is teaching you.  It’s hard to believe, but we do forget!  (The Israelites weren’t so different from you and me :) .)
     My next recommendation is to focus specifically on what God says about His love for your child, what He says about faith, miracles, and healing.  Right now, these are the areas you need to fortify yourself with the truth in.  The enemy is going to attack us over and over again with lies, fears, and doubt.  We need to be able to combat his attacks with the word of God.
     On the audio, I gave a few suggestions on how to find those verses.  To keep this article short, as I promised, I will just share a couple here.  One of the freebies you receive when you sign up for my ezine, The Heart Connection, is a mini e-book called “Prayers and Promises”.  It has some excellent Scriptures and prayers that are just perfect to use in battle.  We can share verses with each other on my Share the Sweetness page.  There are a few great verses there, and I hope we can build it up together to make a wonderful resource.  Then, there’s “The Faith Challenge”.  It is jammed pack with exactly the kind of verses you need – I’ve done all the work for you.  I also help you to apply it to your life and remove the barriers the keep you from believing and trusting what God is telling you.
4.  Rest – The fact is, we’re easy targets for worry, fear and doubt when we’re tired.  Our defenses are down.  We’re more sensitive and tend to find ourselves agreeing with and wallowing in negative thoughts.  Look at what keeps you from sleeping well and make a plan to regain your precious rest.
5. Worship - Praise God through song and prayer.  Praise Him throughout your day.  When you do, you are turning the tables on the enemy.  Your determination to praise God will frighten and frustrate him.  Oh, he won’t give up, but you’ve changed the tide because, now, he can see that peace of God that is guarding your heart and mind.  That peace zaps him of his power.
6. Find positive support - You need people who are not afraid to pray for the very best for your family.  Search long and hard for those special, but rare, individuals who will boldly pray for healing.  Because these people are difficult to find, please know that I will always join you in prayer.  Send an e-mail to me at Kimberly@kimberlyehlers.com and let me know how I can pray for you and your child.  Join our Facebook page.  It’s just getting kicked off, but there are already some precious people there.  Let us know how we can pray for you.  (To join, just go to the right side of this page, click “Find us on Facebook”, and then click the “like” button.  You can also sign up for my ezine there and receive your free copy of “Prayers and Promises”.)
7. Feed your spirit – What do you love to do?  What activities give you joy?  Talking to a friend?  Taking a walk?  Make time to do things you enjoy and be there in the moment.  Don’t let your mind wander to other things – especially worries!  Battle fear with being happy!

OK, there you have it!  Your 7 Steps to Battle Fear cheat sheet!  I do hope you’ll take the time (oh, that found fit step #7 nicely!) to listen to the audio for more tips and information on each step.  I would love to see you battle fear successfully – I know that you can!  After all, with God all things are possible!

In His Love,
Kimberly

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