Fear is a Liar

I am fearless

Well, not really. More often than not, I leave the house afraid each day.

I'm afraid I will run out of gas.

I'm afraid I won't make enough in sales to pay my bills.

I'm afraid of each person I approach every day -- afraid they won't like me, or afraid they will reject me, or afraid they will order and not pay, or that they will order something they don't like, or that they will take a book and not call or turn me down during my call back.

I'm afraid my house will burn down while I am gone, or my dogs will find a way to run off.

I'm afraid of meeting someone who only wants me for my body or my money.

I'm afraid of not having enough money -- running out of tea, sugar, food, and not having clean clothes.

But...

Each day I face those fears head on. I leave the house determined that a hundred "No" is worth one single "Yes!"

One smile from a stranger is worth ten scowls.

One friendship is worth wondering if my friend will be fearless when I say "No", and stick around anyway.

One stranger who becomes a friend, as well as a lifetime customer is worth a thousand gallons of gas bought on credit.

Joyce Meyer said it best in her sermon today:

"Do it afraid!"

Failure is not an Option

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Today, I will not think of yesterday and all of my failures.

I have prayed for success, and God has given me an opportunity to succeed. My future depends on the decisions I make today. I choose to live today as if it is my last -- giving all I have to the task at hand, and being thankful that God has given me the task to do and made me able to accomplish it.

I will not be afraid of taking steps I have not taken before, of meeting people I have not met, or of experiencing things I have not experienced. They are all gifts from God. I will be thankful that I get to do it.

I will see problems as a challenge, and obstacles as an opportunity to learn.

I will not be afraid of failure, for I will not fail. With God, all things are possible, and even if the road I take leads me in a different direction than the one I intended to go, I will consider it God's will and God's direction in my life. I will look forward to arriving at the place God intends for me to be.

By the end of the day, I will go to bed knowing that I have accomplished something -- whether it is simply taking out the trash, washing dishes, or meeting someone who will change my life for the better. I will reflect on something I have done to be the blessing that God intends for me to be -- whether it be helping an old lady cross the street, or offering encouragement to someone who needs it.

I cannot receive God's blessings if I do not reach out my hand so He can hand it to me. So, I will not remain where I am today. I will go out and search for it. I will work for it. I will give myself to God through my words and deeds.

I will be all God intends for me to be with each moment of today, and I will succeed, even if I fail to accomplish my goals. Even if I fail to make my quota, even if I fail to reach the destination I choose for today, I will end the day in peace, knowing that I did not fail Him. And, for that, I can rest with the assurance that He will not fail me.