Henriet's Blog

Halloween: Fear for Fun? Fear Not

Second in the series on Fear Not in an age of fear and anxiety.

 

You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, “Do not fear!"

Lamentations 3:57, New King James Version

Fear for fun?

 

Fear and Halloween seem to go together. For many it's the opportunity to watch horror movies, decorate with ghoulish flair, don a costume, or prowl nervously through a haunted house. Seeking fear for the enjoyment and scariness of it all. 

 

As someone who struggles with fear, I strive to avoid opportunities to feel more fear. I'm not a fan of Halloween other than the cute kids' costumes and excited faces of those proffering a plastic pumpkin while exclaiming, "Trick-or-Treat." Handing out treats is fun! Fear is not…at least not for me.

Fear Not.

God tells us, "Fear Not" a lot! It's a frequent refrain in the verses of the Bible. When God or angels he sends to talk to people proclaim, "Fear not," it often carries the sense of "stop being afraid." (Good because if you're already afraid saying, "Don't be afraid" is of little help.) Stop being afraid sounds great to me! "Yes Lord, take away this fear." 

 

In Lamentations, the Prophet Jeremiah, talks about suffering, hardships and fear. When we catch up with him in Chapter 3, he has been recounting the struggles of his country, his people as well as his own. In Lamentations 3:53, jailed and in despair he cries out, "They silenced my life in the pit and threw stones at me." In His anguish he cries out to the LORD who answers him. Often in our deepest fear, there is no-one to reach out to except Jesus!

 

They silenced my life in the pit

And threw stones at me. The waters flowed over my head;

I said, “I am cut off!” I called on Your name, O LORD
From the lowest pit. You have heard my voice: 

"Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.”

You drew near on the day I called on You,

And said, “Do not fear!”

O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;

You have redeemed my life. 

Lamentations 3: 53 - 58, NKJV

Are you afraid? Dealing with fear? God has an answer, "Stop being afraid (Fear not)." How can we stop being afraid? It takes calling out to Him and realizing He is with you! Right there. With you! Nothing is bigger than God. He can handle your fear and everything that causes it. You might still feel afraid but you don't have to BE afraid.

 

#FearNot

Age of Anxiety: Are We Doomed to Fear?

The first of a series dealing with fear. My goal is to write devotional posts to combat fear and choose "Fear Not" instead.

Why is Anxiety so Prevalent in 2017?

Fear and anxiety are common conditions. Over 18% of the US population age 18 and older are affected by anxiety disorders.* That's almost 1 in 5 adults. My son is one of those who struggles with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety makes life tough or at least a lot tougher.

These statistics (and those below) tell only part of the picture. In addition to those with disorders, many more people struggle with occasional anxiety and "regular" fear. I have that occasional anxiety and find myself being afraid of various things. Often randomly. This became worse during the 10 years of being the family member of a drug addict—that was a very anxious decade!

According to the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America)*:

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

Facts on Anxiety**

• General Anxiety Disorder or GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.
• Panic Disorder or PD affects 6 million adults, or 2.7% of the U.S. population. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.
• Social Anxiety Disorder or SAD affects 15 million adults, or 6.8% of the U.S. population. SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13. According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.
• Specific phobias affect 19 million adults, or 8.7% of the U.S. population. Women are twice as likely to be affected as men. Symptoms typically begin in childhood; the average age-of-onset is 7 years old.
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD affects 2.2 million adults, or 1.0% of the U.S. population. OCD is equally common among men and women. The average age of onset is 19, with 25 percent of cases occurring by age 14. One-third of affected adults first experienced symptoms in childhood.
• Post Traumatic Stress or PTSD affects 7.7 million adults, or 3.5% of the U.S. population. Women are more likely to be affected than men. Rape is the most likely trigger of PTSD: 65% of men and 45.9% of women who are raped will develop the disorder. Childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of lifetime likelihood for developing PTSD.

Is there hope or are we doomed to fear?

"Without Jesus, I would not be standing," continues to be my standard answer when people ask me how I made it through the tough times. During the worst of it, I would find myself sobbing, face down on my hardwood floor, uttering out loud, "Jesus, please help me." Over and over. Sometimes for more than an hour. And He always did; He always helped. He would calm me when I was terrified about the situation. He would flood me with peace when my fears made me freak out. He would strengthen me so I could make it one more day. 

There is hope! His name is Jesus. In my journey, I've found there is no fear bigger than Jesus' love. I would cling to Bible verses to help me through. God's promises served as anchors in the raging storm with gale force winds. One of my favorite verses is from Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV):

Make it your verse in your storm. Jesus will help you when you trust in Him.

Please leave a question or comment. Tell me what you'd like to see discussed in this series on "Fear Not." And, stay tuned for the next blog on "Fear Not."

#FearNot 

Sources:
*https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics
**National Institute of Mental Health

 

 

Russell Wilson Quote: "Well done." That's Jesus!

When we are at the worst times of our lives, when we are battling with something, or struggles, whatever it may be, when we are at our highest point as well, when things are going really well, we want somebody to comfort us and be there for us and to say, 'Well done.' That's Jesus!

Russell Wilson

I'm sure Jesus is smiling on him and saying, "Well done!" Russell you make us proud as you always point to God and give him the glory. May God bless you as you serve him. Go Hawks!

Superbowl 2015 bound...Go Hawks!

Unbelievable. What an aweful awesome game. Yay Hawks. Impressed by the effort, the persistence and the faith.

God, Use My Life and Story!

"So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love;
Let my love look like You and what You're made of..."

from "The Proof of Your Love" by For King & Country

God communicates....

The God of the universe loves us. He is God and he is a person. He lives in relationship and created us for relationship...with him and with each other. God communicates most significantly and reliably through his Word, the Bible, but also through nature and other people. Lately, alongside his Word, God has used song lyrics to underscore his messages.

Over the past weeks, I have been reading and meditating on (chewing and ruminating on verses) 1 Peter chapters 1 and 2. As I was reading that again today, "The Proof of Your Love" by For King & Country was playing in the background. The line, "So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love. Let my love look like You and what You're made of..." jumped out at me.

He wants to communicate through us

God wants to use our life and stories to communicate his story of love. Jesus brought us Good News and it's ours to share with others. We are not here for ourselves to enjoy life and have it all. We are "elect exiles" (1 Peter 1:2) and a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). The priest's job was to represent people to God and be God's messenger to people.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2: 9, 10, ESV

Use my life and story

God really wanted me to get this apparently! Besides the song and the Scripture, he also used Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" daily devotional (June 25). The message was about using our lives for God's Kingdom. Blackaby writes, "There are two ways to look at every situation: How it will affect you, and how it will affect God's Kingdom... (the Apostle) Paul's concern was how he could use his current situation to tell others of God's good news of salvation."

God wants to use my life circumstances, my story, to tell others of God's good news of salvation! Blackaby ends with the following challenge, "Ask God to make you aware of how He could use your present circumstances to bless others. Perhaps someone around you needs to see the difference Christ's presence makes in your life. Are you willing for God to use your circumstances to demonstrate His saving power to those around you?"

Today, the answer again is, "Yes Lord! Use my life and my story." What about you? Are you letting God use your life and story? 

Need help with how to live your story to bless others? One resource designed for this is, The Story Lives, www.thestorylives.com. You can also get it at Amazon paperback or for Kindle, or for Nook at Barnes & Noble.

Holland is in the World Cup Finals...and Fans are Keeping the Faith!

It's been a 32-year drought for fans of the Netherlands. The last time Team Orange made it to the World Cup finals was in 1978! They came in second...we (all Dutch fans) are definitely looking for a different result.

Everyone with any Dutch blood has been glued to the television each time this team steps on the field. Many of us have also been watching all the other soccer games during this World Cup. Dutch fans are living the dream. A reported 2500 Dutch people are in South Africa, supporting their team. My mom and I call each other after each game just to relive the excitement.

During the last game, 60,000 fans were watching the game in the Museum Plein (Museum Square) in Amsterdam. That's not counting the fans in Rotterdam, the Hague and other Dutch cities. The team is on fire. The fans are on fire.

Soccer is popular all over the world. It truly is a world sport. Growing up in Holland, I have watched this game for as long as I can remember. It's exciting that it is catching on in the United States. At first I was rooting for both the United States and Holland - since I'm a citizen of both. But really I was for the Dutch mostly. (The U.S. team's time will come.)

Check out these crazy pictures of Dutch supporters following their team. The orange-vehicled convoy stretches 6 kilometers (3.6 miles). It's easy to spot the Dutch supporters - they're oozing orange!

Boldly orange

As a Dutch person, I've been just so excited to follow the team's success. Now it's down to Holland versus Spain. Some of my friends have been calling me crazy because I was up at 4 am for the first two games Holland played in the initial group round. Hey, it's my team. I needed to see it live!

During the first game, my husband, son and I were in our pj's wearing orange hats and scarfs. The Dutch are not shy about showing their orange. (Watch any Olympics and you'll see those boldly orange fans.)

So the Semper Vita-related question for me, thinking through being a great fan, is "As a Christian, do I get this excited about following Jesus? Do I ooze Jesus? Are we so excited about Team Jesus that others can easily spot us? Does our team spirit inspire others?

World Cup Final this Sunday!

This Sunday I'll be rushing home from gathering with the church at Life at the Ridge to watch the World Cup final. I'll be wearing orange and rooting for Holland! Hup Holland Hup! I can report great news next week.

Help! Please Take Our Survey!

Really, if you take this survey you'll really help us! So, can you give us 5 minutes (or less)? Why help and submit yourself to this ordeal? You'd be helping two "desperate" seminary students working on a different kind of final project for their Theology and Pop Culture class. Check it out:

Henriët and Tamara's Final Project Survey

The name describes the purpose but leaves you wanting for more information, doesn't it? What is this project about? Well, in a nutshell, my friend Tamara and I are in the same Theology and Pop Culture class at Fuller. We are doing a joint final project that will help us with Semper Vita, the new non-profit ministry organization we recently formed.

Our final project mixes a little bit of television, specifically "Eli Stone"...with a bit of post-Christianity (huh?)...with a brief theological discussion with Lesslie Newbigin (a missional theologian). The assignment is to take a pop culture medium (we chose TV), relate it to a post-modern phenomenon (we chose post-Christian) in discussion with a theologian (we chose Newbigin). Sounds a bit tough? I thought so too. In fact, I was quite perturbed until Tamara and I sorted out a project we could get excited about and relate to Semper Vita. 

So, will you help? Your input will add an invaluable element of the conversation. So you see, we can't do it without you!

What's the Survey Going to Ask?

This anonymous survey (yep you're totally safe here) has three primary sections, with a handful of questions in each:

• Personal beliefs - about God and spirituality in general

• Television - your likes & dislikes

• "Eli Stone" - a new show on ABC

If you've never seen "Eli Stone," it's on Thursday nights at 10 PM PT. It's a brand new show. It would be great if you could take a little extra time and watch it before responding to the survey. Otherwise, just take the survey. We're interested in (and need) your feedback either way. 

As indicated earlier, all the survey responses are anonymous. We definitely will respect your privacy. Rest assured, we'll have no clue who responded and how each person responded. We're just interested in the summary results-lots of them!

Time is Ticking!!

The survey will be open until midnight on Friday, March 14th. Our final project is due on Friday, March 21st. We will publish the summarized results on our blogs soon thereafter. So jump in now! Proceed to...

Henriët and Tamara's Final Project Survey

THANK YOU!!

Eli Stone, A Prophet?

For my "Theology and Pop Culture" class at Fuller our assignment is to review a show, movie, song or celebrity. I chose to review a new TV show called "Eli Stone":

Can God use a lawyer in San Francisco? According to the new show on ABC, God can-even if the lawyer doesn't believe.

I watched the first three episodes of Eli Stone recently (you can watch the shows on line). The show's premise is that God sends a prophet to every generation. In this case, He's chosen a lawyer, named Eli Stone (played by Johnny Lee Miller), to do His bidding. How does God communicate with this young attorney who doesn't believe in Him? Through visions and sounds. Eli's first experience is hearing George Michael sing the line, "you've got to have faith" from the song "Faith."

What Eli sees, hears and experiences things are actually clues from God regarding Eli's next assignment. The clues turn out to be about cases he's supposed to take on-which result in justice for the poor, needy or disadvantaged.

So is Eli a prophet? During one episode, when Eli is standing on a mountain cliff in his vision, but on the railing of his high-rise apartment in real life, we learn that Eli has an inoperable tumor that "accounts" for his "hallucinations." Eli just wants all the sights and sounds to stop.

On the urging of his assistant, he visits a Chinese acupuncturist, Dr. Chen (James Saito). It turns out that the doctor is a full-blooded American with a degree in philosophy who practices acupuncture and chooses to sport the accent to add to the mystique. Eli tells him what's happening and asks him to fix it. However, Dr. Chen believes Eli might be a prophet despite Eli's lack of faith. Dr. Chen assures Eli that he does believe in God, after all, he says, "you believe in right and wrong, justice, fairness and love. That is God." He also points to a sunset and says, "that's God."

Eli isn't convinced. Dr. Chen tells him that everything has two explanations, one scientific, the other divine. It depends on how you look at it.

I enjoyed the show and character development. However whether Eli is a prophet? Well I'd say the jury is still out. I think you've got to have faith in God before He sends you. What do you think?

Re-framing Christianity

Could it be that the only people going to church are those who already know about God? Could it be that everyone else has little or no interest in spending an hour on Sunday morning to participate in a gathering with strangers? Do you think we need to re-frame what we're doing? Hmmm.

I suspect that if I had invited someone at Starbucks last Sunday morning to come to church with me that I might have had various responses:

"What's my value add to attend church?" (A friend of mine actually asked this question once upon a time.)
"I don't know anyone there."
"Church isn't for me." (What's the implication there? Who is it for?)

Recent research indicates that people think Jesus is cool but church and Christianity is not. In general, people like Jesus and think that he is loving and approachable. Christians on the other hand are viewed as judgmental, critical and exclusive.

Maybe Christianity needs a re-branding campaign. I'm in a "Theology and Pop Culture" class at Fuller this quarter. We were given the task of re-branding Christianity. Here's one of our ads (what do you think?):

Christmas Everyday?!

It's the week after Christmas and all through the land people... have gone back to their regular lives. With all the hubbub leading up to this holy Holiday, it's amazing how fast it's over. The food is consumed, the drinks drunk, and the packages opened. Life returns to, well, normal.

Including for those who are homeless. Their "Christmas" is over too. No more extra attention and people making more effort to provide them with additional food, blankets, socks and toiletries. Yet, they're still cold, still homeless, still in need. As Bart Shatto sang so movingly at the TSO Christmas Show, "why can't it be Christmas everyday?" As I said before, why not indeed?

WHAT IF?

What if we banded together--as people who love God and are spiritual--and partnered to impact the system? What if we organized, looked like the true body of believers, and helped every day? What if we lived, as Jesus told us to, loving one another so that people would be drawn to Him through our love and actions? What if we could make it Christmas every day?

I imagine that if we all worked together--in unity of purpose and service--we could make a real difference for the homeless, for the poor, for the needy...every day!

EVERYONE DOING A SMALL PART

Back to Bart Shatto, do you know what he does with the money he collects? He takes the money that people donate to him, when they think he's homeless,  and buys toys with it. He personally delivers them to the kids in the cancer wing at Methodist Children's Hospital! Thanks Bart for doing your part in large and small ways--by giving of yourself at the show and for giving beyond to the kids who can't be home for Christmas.