Lessons from a frightened 4 year old.

Well, we knew that Ephrem was pretty scared of Halloween stuff, mostly masks or "mask-es" as he calls them. However, yesterday we got to see the fear go straight to terrified at the annual trick or treating event at Brent's work. We pulled in the parking garage and their were two ladies taking a smoke break with Scream masks hanging around their necks (not even on their faces) and the terror and tears began. Despite mine and Brent's best efforts to reassure Ephrem that we would never let anything bad happen to him, Daddy has a gun for crying out loud, He REFUSED to go around trick or treating and was literally shaking. As I watched poor Ephrem hide under Brent's desk, while Georgia went to get some candy, I began to think of my own fears and how often I don't trust that God is going to take care of me. God loves me, He wants what is best for me, He is in complete control over every detail of my life. While He doesn't carry a literal gun on his belt as Brent does, He has complete authority over everything on the earth, even the evil that wants to kill and destroy me. He reassures me of His protection over and over in His Word and I still often refuse to believe. I sit cowering under the desk, not trusting that He will protect me. And I miss out on the fun of trick or treating or the plan He has for my life. The joy that comes in being a part of glorifying His Name. This is not to say, that God is promising nothing bad will ever happen in my life, but that He is Good. He is in control and He will be there to walk me through it.








"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" John 16:33





"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39





While Ephrem still struggles to believe we will protect him and that he is safe this Halloween weekend, my prayer is that I would begin to listen to the reassurances of my heavenly Father, when I am afraid. That I would listen and believe and not let the fears of my heart prevent me from missing out on the joy that He has for me right now.