Chapter One
Praying God's
Purposes
for Your Life
For the next sixty days, absorb the wisdom of God's
Word and the wisdom of a wide cross-section of
Christian women who will share with you their journey
on the pathway to purpose. As you do, pray
intentionally for the Lord to direct you on your own
specific journey.
Day 1
What Are You Afraid Of?
What is the first fear that jumps into your mind? We all struggle
with fears, some paralyzing, others mildly nagging. What
about you? What is your greatest fear? Fear can motivate you
to seek God's strength and power, or it can keep you from
embracing new opportunities, including those that would help
you fulfill his plan for your life.
You Are Not Alone
I cross paths with women every day who have fears like
these: heights, snakes, public speaking, cancer, terrorism, financial
ruin, spiders, bridges, or dogs. Some have a fear of flying,
falling, enclosed spaces, job loss, husband's death, being alone,
fish, or chemical warfare. You may know someone who has a
fear of abandonment, rejection, being attacked, failure, success,
ridicule, or being found out that she's not smart. What about
an extreme fear of dying, which causes you to avoid your annual
checkup? Let's peek into the life of Michelle Akers, an Olympic
soccer gold medalist, to see how she has wrestled with fear.
Michelle Akers Was Afraid
Michelle pursued and realized a successful career as an
Olympian and world champion soccer player with the US
women's national team. She spent fifteen years traveling around
the world, living out of a suitcase, battling a serious illness
(Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome), and
undergoing twenty-five surgeries on her knees, shoulder, and
face. She is now retired and spends quality time with her husband,
family and friends, horses, and Australian shepherd dogs.
Michelle has a soft heart for kids going through difficult circumstances,
and so she participates in several summer soccer
camps.
Michelle recalls that her initial impression of Christians was
that they were extremely judgmental, rigid in their behavior,
and generally unimpressive in how they lived out their faith.
But after a series of tragedies and tough circumstances, Michelle
came to understand God's abundant love, grace, and goodness-and
she chose to trust him with her life and heart.
Michelle admits that she continues to struggle with a stubborn,
independent streak, but for the most part, she is holding steady
to the road that God has chosen for her and relies daily on the
strength and courage he provides her.
As Michelle stood on the gold medal platform after the
1996 Atlanta games and acknowledged the stadium full of
cheering crowds and media, she felt that God was saying, "To
whom much is given, much is required." He impressed upon
her the vastness of his chosen sphere of influence for her. She
understood that her assignment was to inspire and encourage
people who were struggling through difficult life circumstances,
especially those who wondered what their purpose was and how
they were going to make it through another day. Since then,
she has been determined to implant the Joshua 1:9 promise
("God will be with you") in as many hearts as possible.
Michelle's greatest, unrelenting fear has been that she will
get her heart broken. Some rough family relationships set the
stage for disappointment and broken trust. After much counseling,
she is learning to put this fear behind her. Now, she has
a deeper understanding of her relationship with God and with
her husband, who "would outrun a herd of wild horses and
wrestle six lions to be sure she was loved and safe."
Michelle sums up her feelings by saying: "With God's promise
to be with me echoing loud and clear every day of my life,
there is nothing too big, too terrible, too strong, or too disappointing
for me to overcome."
What Are You Afraid Of?
__________________________________
__________________________________
The Israelite Spies Were Afraid
Twelve spies were sent to explore the land of Canaan. Ten
of them came back and instilled fear into the hearts of the
Israelites with their reports of giants in the land. Only Caleb
and Joshua were courageous. Read Numbers 13-14. If you
had been one of the spies, would you have been described as
courageous or fearful?
____________________________________
____________________________________
SCRIPTURE TO PONDER
The Lord said . "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord
your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:1, 9)
Suggested Prayer
Dear Lord, you want me, _________ [your first name],
to be strong and courageous. You said, "Do not be terrified;
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you
wherever you go." Today I pray that I will learn to trust you
more and more. Help me track my progress toward freedom
from fear, so that I can always remember how far you've
brought me. I thank you in advance for delivering me from
my fears.
So . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step
Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
(Continues.)
