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Holding On To His Right Hand...Again

“Today would be a great day to be raptured,” I thought as I sat in the dentist’s chair facing a temporary crown. It was a big filling in a molar that I’ve had since I was six! I gasped when I saw the x-ray. The crack in the tooth was just a smidge above the nerve! I said “No thanks” to the magazines offered while I waited for the numbing process and prayed instead. I asked God to fill me with peace and my body relaxed. We went ahead with the procedure and so far, so good!

Fear is something I’ve struggled with all my life. Timidity is the downside of the wonderful temperament I was born with. It helps to understand your quirks when you take the personality test. I have been enjoying reading The Magoos News ; Loren really understands the beauty of relationships. I encourage you to read her post entitled: How Well Do You Know Yourself/Your Spouse. She offers the personality test, too.

I’ve come a long way, but there’s work to be done when it comes to facing fear. You’ve got to keep going. And if you’re afraid, then you just have to do it afraid. That’s the story of my life!

My life scripture verse is Isaiah 41:10:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

I’m trusting that God is going to help me this coming Saturday morning just before dawn when I drive to San Diego. My daughter, Amy, is riding with me, but in two weeks I’m returning by myself. My suitcase is packed, my husband checked out my car and gave me some last minute advice, and I found some of my best praise CD’s to bring along to give me courage if I feel intimidated in big-city expressway driving.

How do you overcome fear? Have you faced any challenges lately that strengthened you? Encourage me; I’m listening!

Comments

  1. RCUBEsSeptember 29, 2009 at 12:50 PM

    You had me laughing reading the very beginning part of your post!!! Any dental visit is always associated with pain, I say. :)

    That was an awesome post by sister Loren. She is another sister who encourages so much!

    Prayer helps me when fears want to creep in. When I know that the line to God is open 24/7, it comforts me so much!

    The first verse I had memorized was Ephesians 6:10. But I believe my life verse is Ephesians 4:6-7. That Scripture comforted me and my brothers as my father faced his physical death.

    Praying for a safe travel for you and your daughter and you returning to AZ. You won't be alone...God will be there with you in your car. Take care sis Mary. Love you.

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  2. DeniseSeptember 29, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    Sweetie, I will be praying for you. God will be your passenger, you will never be alone. I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LorenSeptember 29, 2009 at 4:49 PM

    OH MARY!! I can sooo relate to this post on soooo many levels!!!! I have most certainly been asking God to fill me and HE HAS!!!
    I will ask the Lord for complete healing and that the crack is sealed IN JESUS NAME!!
    THANKYOU so very much for your kind words here! I MOST definately see the beauty in our relationship! I am sooo glad you told me you were a melancholy ~ by you're sweet picture I would have bet $ on you being a phlegmatic, but it makes sooo much sense now knowing that you are melancholy :)

    Fear is something I deal with DAILY, and traveling by myself is wayyyyy at the top of my list! This is a perfect life verse and I LOVE that the Lord watches over his WORD to perform it!!! I will be covering you in Prayer every mile marker that you pass!
    While your battling with Praise~ please know I will be battling, speaking the Word & traveling mercies go with you...before & behind ....PEACE will be your guide!!

    love you Mary

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  4. Mevely317September 29, 2009 at 5:18 PM

    Oh my goodness, Mary ... you've so much wisdom and empathy going on here ... I'm reading and nodding along. Being a real "chicken", I've no advice for the trip other than to "Ditto" everyone else's words.... I, too, will be holding you and your girls in my prayers. Now, I'm off to Loren's site ... you've piqued my curiosity!

    Love ya,
    Myra

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  5. Marty@A Stroll Thru LifeSeptember 29, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    Mary, I know the Lord will guide you and direct you all the way. Also, Sherry @ A Country Home in Phoenix asked me to tell all the AZ. bloggers that Cindy @ Applestone Cottage from Wisconsin will be here the last week of Oct. and on Oct. 30th wants to get all the Az. bloggers together again at Gooseberries for lunch. You can email me at astrollthrulife@gmail.com. I will contact the ones at our last luncheon, but if you know of any others, I hope you will let them know. Hugs, Marty

    ReplyDelete
  6. Debbie PetrasSeptember 30, 2009 at 7:57 AM

    Mary, I wanted to tell you that I have an award for you on Heart Choices today. It's a fun one.

    ReplyDelete
  7. LisaShawSeptember 30, 2009 at 2:22 PM

    Hey Sweetie, first I was praying for you regarding your crown when you mentioned it on FB. As one who understands both FEAR and the fear that comes with the dentist -- I could write a book on the fears GOD had to deliver me from that were rooted in my past.

    I'm praying for you and I love you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. CarrieSeptember 30, 2009 at 5:03 PM

    Today I bought you a San Diego Zoo pass as a thank you for all your traveling! Looking forward to your visit!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Peter StoneOctober 3, 2009 at 6:00 AM

    Hi Mary,
    Thanks for your lovely post on my blog, I'm always very blessed by your encouraging comments.

    And trips to the dentist? Ugh, I had dental phobia for years, with over 14 teeth pulled instead of getting braces. When I found myself in the dentist’s chair, I would think, “In thirty minutes or so this will all be over. Then I will walk out of the dentist’s smiling with joy because it’s over.” That, plus praying helped me endure. Yep, I was afraid too, but you're right, we have to keep going. And we've got Someone so special who gives us the strength to do exactly that.

    ReplyDelete
  10. CathyOctober 4, 2009 at 10:12 AM

    A great post ~ With my new dentist I have to take a small tranquilizer. Thanks for the verse about fear. Thank God He did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind. I have learned to really trust God and pray when in the ER with irregular heartbeats.

    ReplyDelete

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