Just in time for Mother’s Day weekend, I’ve invited my friend Karen Ehman to share a devotional with us from her new book, Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus. We’re also giving away TWO COPIES of the book and one beautiful bracelet. Keeping reading to find out more.
As a little girl I loved being outdoors. I could often be found playing kickball with the neighborhood kids or riding my bike around the block. I liked to splash in puddles and jump in piles of leaves. There was one aspect, however, about being outside that I didn’t particularly care for: the critters.
Spiders were scary … dogs terrifying. And I couldn’t even bear the thought of snakes.
My intense fear of these creatures often kept me from fully engaging in play.
Unfortunately, even when I didn’t encounter creepy-crawlies outdoors, they occasionally wound up in my dreams at night. I would have the same reoccurring nightmare of snakes slithering toward me while I stood frozen, unable to run away. When I would wake up, I would be in a panic, heart wildly beating, palms sweating. I never thought my fears would go away until the one summer when I had no other choice.
The summer I turned 20, I took a job at a nature center teaching four-year-olds. It didn’t cross my mind that keeping company with critters would be a part of my duties. I had to capture insects to examine and release, scoop tadpoles to study pond life, and even hold the snakes that were kept in glass tanks in the main building.
Although everything in me wanted to run away, there were little eyes on me. So, I whispered a prayer for strength, pushed past my fears, and made those kids think I was a critter-lovin’ instructor whose calm demeanor (and lack of screaming!) showed them there was nothing to fear. If their teacher wasn’t freaking out, why should they?
Even though I worked through my fear that summer, as an adult now, I’m still tempted to “freak out” with fear. My imagination concocts all sorts of scenarios peppered with dread and doom. Sometimes I can’t shake fear as I try to fall asleep.
But I have come to trust this perspective-shifting truth: God is not worried. He’s not in heaven wringing His hands, wondering just how everything will eventually turn out. He is in control. He is loving.
God longs to use the circumstances of our lives to mold our mind, craft our character, and chase away the fears that threaten to slither in, paralyzing us and rendering us ineffective.
Ever the patient and wise teacher, if He isn’t freaking out, why should we?
Proverbs 3:24-26a is a sweet promise to us…
Now that passage doesn’t promise that we won’t ever encounter sudden disasters in life. But it does reassure us that we have no need to fear them. Why? Because the Lord—our gracious and wise teacher—is our security. He will be there to comfort and to guide as He teaches us the lessons we need to learn.
With God as our security, we can have calm in our present.
With God as our security, we can face the future without fear. And we can share this confidence we gain to inspire others, helping to keep them from unnecessary fret and worry.
Why it even helps me deal with little critters that get inside my house without squirming.
Well . . . without squirming too much.
Enter to Win
We are giving away two Pressing Pause devotionals and a beautiful bracelet from Fashion & Compassion. Written by my dear friends Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk, Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments to Meet with Jesus offers us a calm way to start our day, to refresh ourselves in Christ and drink deeply of His presence so we are ready to pour out love, time, and energy into the people who matter most!
These 100 encouraging devotions for moms has helped me start each day with Scripture, drawing on God’s power, soaking up His Word, and learning practical ways to love and 
serve my family more like Christ each day. And one of my favorite features is the set of questions and optional journaling or notes area at the end of each day’s devotional.
Just a few minutes each day can help you center your heart and mind on what God has for you as His beloved daughter. So resist the rush. Halt the hustle. Press pause and find some calm in the chaos.
TO ENTER TO WIN simply click “Share Your Thoughts” below today’s post and do just that. Your comment will be your entry into the drawing! Two winners will be chosen and contacted on Monday, May 9th.
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The critters in my life are not insects or animals. It’s my daughters battling cancer. Jesus, prayers and devotions have been our strength. So what ever your critters are keep your eyes upon Jesus. In Him Susie
I fear spiders and often wonder why God created them! I know they do some good, so He was wise a king them. What a great scripture to keep close in my mind and heart to help accept the little things.
One of my fears also are spiders, especially the ones you can buy in the pet store. I will not even go down that isle with my boys. I can see a picture of them and get the hebby jebbies. And if i see a picture of one before i go to sleep at night…not cool. When my fears take over I too have to remind myself that GOD is in control. I have been debating on buying this book. It would be an awesome gift.
Love to find time to pause and feel the calm that can come into my life.
Oh my gosh! We could be twins up to the point of the being brave and holding a snake! I still can’t do snakes! but life is definitely to a point of needing a pause!@ We got really bogged down when we were given the word Cancer for my husband with then having to wait another 3 months before knowing what kind and then another month for treatment to start. that first time we were given the word – Satan had a field day! All the different things that assault your mind – Until you give reign to Christ! These verses, or prayers cause they would work as prayers too! are perfect! God is so good – He puts those things we need most in our path right when we need them most! He is so faithful! Blessings to all~!
Thanks for this giveaway! !! Blessings
This is a devotion I will bookmark, print out, and plaster as wallpaper! I am often consumed with fear over everything, forgetting that God is my ultimate security. Thank you for the reminder. Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers and women who touch the lives of others on a daily basis!
Happy Mothers Day!
Really needed this right now! Thank you and Thank God for giving it to you!
When we surrender our wills to God and let Him have control what is there to worry about. He loves us so much. He will take care of us once we surrender. Praise Him!
I’ve had my eyes on this book for awhile now and would love to win this! I definitely need to press pause!!
Wow, how much I needed this reminder that GOD is not afraid and He’s in control. I unfortunately live so fearful of almost anything and everything regarding my kids. I know this is NOT what God wants for me, or for them, yet I struggle so much with just letting go. I have prayed about this over and over, and still struggle with this problem. I want to be free of this completely paralyzing emotion. I know this affects them as kids. I see it. I fear it will continue to affect their life and the way they will one day parent their own children. I want to feel that freedom that comes living in pure PEACE. Thank you for this reminder today. I know I need this book.
Since becoming a single mom, pressing pause for me has been hard. But I have learned that I can only be the best single mom for my kids when I am filled with God. I don’t understand why my husband left, but I trust God.
As a mother and grandmother, my faith keeps my fears and worries manageable. My instinct is to try to “fix” everything that goes wrong, but the awesome truth is that God will take care of us. It would be so easy to allow troubles to rule my thoughts and waste my time, but with God’s love I am determined to stay focused on my many blessings. I am so thankful for your posts! Bless you!
I too had to get over my fear of critters after I moved to the country with my husband. but I discovered something wonderful in the country and that was a small country church with wonderful people
such a timely devotion for me today…many thanks for sharing. Fear has held too much power in my life lately!
Trying to put into practice: Do. Not. Be. Anxious. About. Anything. Thanks for sharing today.
Because of some physical abuse, I was often fearful. Time in the military and as a single parent forced me to “get over it” and become a strong, independent woman. It is so hard for me to “let go and let God” – my control issues are a real sore spot at times in my current marriage.
I would love to win this to gift it to a sweet friend whose infant son was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness. Her nights are often filled with fear. We know God is holding them closely but it’s so hard. Thank you for sharing this opportunity to win this gift of encouragement.
Thank you for your timely post and the chance to win a book. Blessings to you.