Goodbye Fear, Hello Hope...

You ever watch an illusionist perform a trick and the whole time you're watching him/her just so sure you are going to catch the slip up and turn the tables to figure out how the trick is being done only to end up not figuring it out and the trick is pulled on you and your left asking how did you do that and how did I fall for that? I think Fear is one of the biggest illusionists that we have to face, I would dare say that fear is nothing more than a fancy word for a lie. Fear starts out looking like a simple card trick that you can easily figure out  and then suddenly before you may even realize it you are in a straight jacket wondering how this fear got such a hold on you. I recently saw a picture and I loved what it said which was, the voice in your head that is saying, 'You can't do this.' is a liar (it was written in all caps but I didn't want to cap shout at you!) and that is so very true. I also recently read an article titled There Is a 'Right' Way to Talk to Yourself (http://news.bitofnews.com/talk-to-yourself/). The article mentions how if we talk to ourselves in the third person it actually helps take away any negative  thoughts and fear/anxiety that we associate with ourselves and/or situations when we talk to ourselves in first person especially when these situations are stressful. It was basically saying that when you use the first person, I, that it triggers the part of your brain associated with emotions such as anxiety and fear but when you use the third person it's kind of like when a friend asks for your advice and you can give it without any problem, you're not associating any of your fears or negative thoughts to the situation which helps you see a way out if you will instead of all of the fear, stress and anxiety. I thought it was pretty interesting, not to say to always talk about yourself in the third person especially to others but a nice little trick to try and have when fear shows up or you made a mistake. There is an acronym for fear which is False Evidence Appearing Real which truthfully is the best and most accurate definition of the word one could give or remember. Fear is that voice that lies and says you can't do this and brings up all of the thoughts and reasons why/how this is going to go wrong or how you will mess it up and all of the negative things until that straight jacket is so tight you can barely even breath (or at least you feel like it). And I'm sorry this isn't flowing very well, what with my thoughts coming all at once and not being able to type fast enough and such so it's probably not making much sense. So I've started out with what I thought was simple card trick (simple task that shouldn't bother me normally) and suddenly I have now found myself in a straight jacket (a fear that paralyzes me and I think I can't get out of). I'll be the first to admit I have several fears and have or am working on getting rid of a lot of them because often times now when they try to come back and I can see them for the lies they are. Just like the illusionists have tricks and things to do to escape from the straight jacket I'm figuring out that I am bigger than the fears and actually I should really say God is bigger than my fears because I have and am learning to rely more on my faith and God to help me during those times I'm in the straight jacket as well as when I'm not.  I can't speak for you and your fears but as far as me I do tend to get the deer in the headlights and I am paralyzed physically but mentally my mind is going full speed ahead with countless thoughts. But I am figuring out some tricks to help stop the overload of thoughts and talking myself out as much as possible if not all the way out of the fear, at least enough to realize it is nothing more than an irrational lie. Now I am most certainly not making light of any fears you may have or of things such as anxiety because it's very real and very serious and doesn't mean there is something wrong with you because you have fears/anxieties and trust me I do understand. So just let me get that out there. What I'm hoping I'm saying and am wanting to say is that fear is very real but it's a very big bully too that puffs itself up to make it look bigger than it is and unescapable. Just like the illusionists have tricks and ways to escape the straight jacket you can beat and escape fear no matter how much the voice of fear whispers you can't. Also like it isn't always easy and without pain for the illusionist to escape the straight jacket it may not be easy or without obstacles to beat fear. Plus everyone has different fears and symptoms with those fears as well as different  ways to cope with them. Because unlike not always being able to figure out how the illusionist tricked you on something you can turn the tables on fear and become the illusionist and trap that fear, maybe even make it disappear for good. I titled this post goodbye fear, hello hope and I did that because well for one I have spent to much time letting fear have control and dictate what and how I react to things. Another reason is because the way I see it I'll hold on to the hope that everything will work out and as long as I can hold on to that hope, well I have hope (!) but it is also like that lighthouse that ships use to guide them and it is like my life line if you will to know that I know that there is a way out of this fear, this lie. There have been times I think I can safely say that I have just one finger left grasping to the wall of hope and just when I thought I was going to lose my grasp something or someone or I would suddenly get clarity and I would get a better grasp and footing to climb over that wall of fear. Hope makes for a very secure place to put your feet. I guess basically what I had hoped to write/say was that fear is nothing but a lie and bully but don't feel bad if it gets you cause it gets us all in one way or another at one time or another no matter what anyone tells you or doesn't. I hope you have faith, people and/or other tricks to help you when you find your way in a straight jacket of fear and no matter how loud or many times that voice says you can't beat the fear or you can't do something I hope, even if you just start out continuously whispering it, you can remember to say that is a lie. With that I say goodbye fear, hello hope...and of course a video! It only seemed appropriate to include a video of storyteller/illusionist Harris III since I did talk so much about tricks. This is probably my favorite of his because it is such a great visual to show and tell who Jesus is and how He is the Truth. So if you have never seen it or are thinking how can an illusionist be a Christian and teach about God then I most definitely recommend you give it a watch.