Conquer Your Fears

I cringed lower into the seat of my grey metal desk, yearning for the faded yellow floor to swallow me into oblivion. A crimson heat spread from my forehead to my neck; my legs trembled uncontrollably. I struggled to bring my lurching stomach under control - vomiting all over my classmates was about the only thing that could worsen this nightmare.

My panic attack was provoked by my fifth grade teacher's request that I come to the front of the class and recite a few lines from Emily Dickinson's "A Slash of Blue." I knew the verses - that wasn't the problem. Just the night before I had recited the poem to my three-year old sister, Dianne. But an adoring baby sister is one thing - a classroom full of peers was entirely another matter.

I finally dragged myself to the front of the class and managed to avoid crying while I laboriously choked out each word.

My terror of public speaking worsened over the years, driving me to Herculean efforts to avoid situations that posed even a remote risk of having to say a few words to a group. At university, I refused to sign up for courses that required oral presentations.

You can imagine my surprise and dismay, years later, when God spoke to my heart during prayer that He was preparing me to speak to women's groups.

The first time I accepted an invitation to speak at a women's conference will be forever branded in my memory. From that moment until the conference six weeks later, anxiety kept me awake most nights. I lost weight. I fantasized that the worst blizzard in Canadian history would strike, causing the event to be cancelled.

But alas, the dreaded night arrived. When I picked up the microphone and started speaking, I trembled from head to toe. For the first few minutes, I felt like I would faint from terror. Then suddenly, God's peace settled on me, and remained with me for the rest of my speech.

This scenario repeated itself, with gradually lessening severity, the next several times I was asked to speak. As I continued to trust in God's grace and power, the day came when I was truly free from fear.

What if I had never faced that fear? It would continue to rule my life today, governing my decisions and stifling my potential.

Over the years I have spoken with many women who have ideas and dreams. Some dream of starting their own businesses. Others dream of writing songs, or establishing a ministry to reach out to inner city youth, or counselling abused women, or running for political office. As they share these dreams, their faces radiate with passion and joy. Sadly, these passions rarely translate into achievement. Fear quenches the passion and immobilizes them from stepping out to reach for their dreams.

What gifts are buried beneath your fears? If you don't confront those fears, they will rob your dreams, repress your potential and hinder you from discerning your destiny.

Faith = Action

Overcoming fear means changing our focus. Instead of depending on our own strengths or weaknesses, we trust and rely on the strength and power of God working in and through us. The Bible assures us:

I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me - I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me (Phil. 4:13 AMP).

Genuine "God-dependence" produces faith and boldness. This principle is illustrated in the biblical account of Joshua and the Israelites crossing the Jordan River to enter the land that God had promised them.

Between the Israelites and the land of promise was a formidable barrier - the Jordan River. It was flood season at the time God instructed them to cross the Jordan, and the river was overflowing its banks. No bridges, airplanes or boats were available to transport them to the other side of the flooding waters. If they tried swimming, they would surely drown.

God's instructions for crossing the river defied common sense. He said that the priests were to go first and step into the flooding waters, then God would cause the water flowing downstream to stop and pile up into a heap (Josh. 3:13). In other words, the miracle would happen after they stepped into the raging floodwaters.

Many people are waiting for a miracle before taking a step of faith. Human nature says, "Lord, we'll wait on the banks of the Jordan until you part the waters. Once you part the waters, then we'll step into the river."

Faith doesn't work that way. Someone once said, "God is the fastest chess player in the world - it's always your move." You move - then He provides His supernatural power to enable you to do the impossible.

Remember, courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is boldly stepping out in faith and obeying God despite your feelings of fear, being undaunted by obstacles.

What dreams has God placed in your heart? Are you willing to believe His promises? If you are waiting for feelings of fear and inferiority to go away before you step out to embrace those dreams, you'll never fulfill your life purpose.

Decide today that fear will no longer dictate your choices and actions. Place your total dependence on God, and trust in His grace and power as you take the next step on the path to your destiny.

Judy Rushfeldt is an author, speaker, and publisher of the online women's magazine, http://lifetoolsforwomen.com. Her passion is to inspire and equip women to reach their dreams. Her latest book, Making Your Dreams Your Destiny - a woman's guide to awakening your passions and fulfilling your purpose, is available in quality bookstores.

For more information about this life-changing book, or to order online, visit: http://lifetoolsforwomen.com

non-toxic cleaning company Winnetka ...

In The News:

A LinkedIn romance scam cost Gaby close to $1 million after a scammer returned her first payment to build trust, then escalated requests over two years.

Safari's Notify Me can monitor websites for price changes and restocks, while new AI photo tools let you reframe and extend shots in iOS 27.

FLHSMV traced the Florida DMV breach to credentials from a Plant City Police Department user, but ShinyHunters claims over 200,000 driver records.

Tesla's Cybercab launched in Austin with no steering wheel or pedals, but hidden details about age limits and missing safety features may shock riders.

Moderna and Merck's Phase 3 melanoma vaccine trial showed positive results, but full data and FDA approval are still pending for the mRNA therapy.

Malwarebytes data reveals scam texts peak around noon ET with 874% higher volume than overnight, and Fridays bring roughly 50% more messages.

Over 5,400 legitimate websites now serve fake CAPTCHA scams that trick users into pasting malware commands into Windows Run via ClickFix attacks.

Tuya Smart's Doova AI home robot rolls to seniors who call for help and connects family via live video, but key privacy questions remain unanswered.

Jevon Martinez livestreamed himself removing 10 Flock Safety cameras in Bernalillo County, but authorities say eight belonged to neighborhood associations.

A dark web service called Nexus claimed to hold over 153 million driver's license records, and the FBI confirms it is now looking into the incident.

Asking Siri to call American Express connected an 82-year-old woman to a bogus number that nearly drained $100,000 from her Bank of America account.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

iPhone Duo opens to a 7.6-inch foldable display starting at $1,999, but Siri Recap's ambient listening on Apple Watch may spark privacy concerns.

Homeowners' association meeting minutes and membership lists can expose names, addresses and emails that scammers use to craft convincing phishing scams.

Lima, Ohio, has installed 3,120 floating solar panels on its Twin Lakes Reservoir, projecting nearly $10 million in electricity cost savings.

Amazon's Alexa for Shopping now lets customers verify suspicious emails, texts and phone calls against the company's own communication records.

Lindsey Brooke Isaacs spent 13 days in jail after a Flock camera flagged her Dodge Durango near a fatal Florida crash that killed three people.

AI-powered smart grocery carts are linked to 32% higher spending, according to new research, as Instacart Caper Carts expand across U.S. stores.

A VPN encrypts your connection on hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi abroad, but streaming catalogs and live sports access still depend on provider rules.

Gmail's Verified Sender Program launches September 8, 2026, giving U.S. political committees a more reliable path to your personal email inbox.

Elroy Air's Chaparral can carry over 500 pounds and fly 450 miles without a runway, and the FAA just tested it under a new federal program.

Bedrock Robotics says its autonomous excavators are doing paid earthwork on active job sites in Texas and Nevada with no operator in the cab.

A dedicated banking computer isolates your financial accounts from malware and phishing, but passwords, SIM swapping and outdated software remain risks.

The OlloNi SS1 AI robot pet uses a 4K camera and facial recognition to learn your family, but its removable Red Heart memory module raises questions.

Nine identity theft warning signs range from unfamiliar credit inquiries to SIM swap attacks that can quietly drain your bank account funds.

Conquer Your Fears

Spirituality