Fear Factor...

On a different note,

Did you know that one of the biggest catalysts in life is Fear? The hard part is learning to decipher fear, and use it to your advantage, versus a reason to give up or run from trials. Fear truly seems to be a recognition, one of clarity, one that ponders the severity of a given situation. The dictionary calls it "Apprehension" or a an emotion led by impending pain or danger. Hopefully we've all learned over the course of our lives, we should not be led by our emotions.So, maybe we need to analysis the strength of fear in our lives and make sure we're not allowing it to control our decision!
I have been very fortunate to live a life full of experiences, and in all honesty there were times I was fearful... I was not always the dare devil, go getter, and "try anything once" kind of guy. Learning to over come fear takes time, just like learning to ride a bike, or learning to have a positive attitude. We must be willing to face these things with honesty, vulnerability, and transparency! This is going to help US get out of this box we live, and truly experience LIFE in all its glory.
Last night Joy & I were fortunate enough to take on the experience of Trapeze work... just for a few hours. Climbing the skinny later, to a very small platform, and then hanging over the side trusting the cables, trusting the guy holding You, until you step of in a leap of faith... People that are led by fear might have a hard time experiencing something of this caliber... If you break down fear, it's typically rooted in a sense of losing control. The Unknown! I would agree we ALL need to be careful, and make healthy decisions. But how many things have we avoided, ran from, or denied based on a fear of losing that control in our life?
Faith in itself is relatively intangible, meaning it's not something you can touch. It is something I have to step out of my box, and trust in the Lord to guide, protect and provide for me... I take a leap of faith! And Yes, it was a progression... I did not jump head first in without hesitation, weariness, awareness, or without doubt... But the fact is, I did take that step! Just like I did jumping out of an air plane in the Army, just like I did getting up on that trapeze, just like I do riding my Harley... My lack of control did not keep me from seeking Spiritual fulfillment... from my blessings, my salvation... and to be honest, the fear of being wrong about my Faith was one of the catalysts that inspired me to seek the Lord. Trusting Him, and not letting my fear of Not knowing get in the way of Knowing!
Fear is a very powerful emotion... We can let it lead us, and miss out on some incredible experiences, and possibly even a relationship with our Creator. Or we can be willing to step out of our box, and give life a try! How many successful people do you know who didn't have to take a leap of faith? Who didn't have to circumvent Fear in order to reach new heights?

Good day & God Bless,
Chris