Can you feel the fear in the air? ISIS, Ebola, a roller-coaster stock market, racial tensions — we’re living in a frightening period. Add to that our private fears: that we’ll lose our job, get cancer, be single forever. That our 30-year-old son will never move out! For years, Kim Crabill let fear steal her joy and hold her back from being all God created her to be. Now Jory and Kim talk about how to hand over our fears to the God who says, “Fear not.” Their conversation is inspiring and practical for anyone who wants to experience calm amid the storms of life.
About Kim Crabill
Kim Crabill is founder and president of Roses and Rainbows Ministries, Inc., and Community COFFEEs (Conversations of Friends of Faith to Encourage and Equip). She has traveled nationally for more than 20 years, speaking at retreats, at conferences, and to Bible study groups, and has been interviewed on national TV and radio. Kim’s message and passion come from her personal experience of longing to be used by God yet feeling unusable because of past abuse, anorexia, diet pill addiction, and depression. Her mother’s deathbed challenge set Kim on the path of daring to be and do what God had purposed for her, a journey she wrote about in her book Burdens to Blessings. She is also author of Burdens to Blessings: Young Adult Edition, Infinitely More: Your 40-Day Ephesians 3:20 Adventure, A Cup of Christmas, A Cup of Hope, and A Cup of Freedom.
Kim is married to Lee Crabill, and together they have two adult sons. For more information about Kim Crabill and her ministries, visit www.rosesandrainbows.org.
Kim’s Success Tips
Here are four practical steps to take when fear takes over.
Confront the fear. There is no shame in being fearful. We’re all afraid at times. So call it what it is.
Control your body. Pay attention to your physical responses to fear. Relax your shoulders, breathe more deeply and slowly, jog to the end of your street and back, whatever helps you get your body to relax. It’s easier to tend to your fearful heart and mind if you first get your body to settle down.
Calm your environment. Check in with each of your senses and ask, “What looks, smells, tastes, sounds, feels soothing?” Let the answer to that question dictate what you surround yourself with.
Continue your work. Get moving, even in the smallest way. How many of us organize a desk drawer when we’re stressed? Intuitively, we know the benefit of staying in motion. Ephesians 2:10 tells us we were created to do good works. Focusing on others even in the smallest of ways keeps us from focusing on our fears.
Verse of the Day
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10
Listen to Jory and Kim by clicking the audio player below.
Click to view and download transcript [PDF]
Piano music by David Nevue.
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