I have been thinking about the power of stress and fear over my life. It seems that the two are intimately related. It seems that the more stressed I am, the more I become susceptible to fear. The more exhausted I am, the more little things turn into big things. It is so easy for life to become one long expression of stress, fear, and then guilt for having stress and fear (because we are Christians and know better!)

This week, I've been praying about some things that stress me. It has already been a wild summer. Even as this week draws to a close and we await the moment the doctor’s release Byron to return to work or lay out the next steps in his recovery and treatment - there is stress. As Vacation Bible School charges to its finish and 200 children and a huge staff of workers sing, teach, turn cartwheels, make crafts, take pies to the face and generally get crazy, most of us need a nap! As the appointments, meetings, memorial services, weddings, and commitments line up end-to-end-to-end, stress becomes an emotion you can feel… and fear lurks in the background just for fun. As I have prayed about those feelings God has reminded me of two things:

1. The first comes from this weekend’s focus taken from Mark 10, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." What resonates is God’s call for me to receive the Kingdom of God like a child. With joy, innocence, faith, and trust. There is a simplicity in being childlike and so much of my stress comes from making everything so complicated.

2. The second thought came this week a little more directly from God. It almost felt like a gentle “God Confrontation” moment. God put these words into my heart as a challenge to think differently. Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

My prayer for you this week is that you would take some time to be childlike and let go of stress and its companion fear and have a few minutes of noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy…peace!