Yesterday I was driving down the road in our minivan listening to songs with my middle child who was playing dj. He popped on Kenny Chesney’s new song, Get Along.
As we drove along listening a couple of lyrics really gripped my heart as we sang...
“Scared to live. Scared to die.”
Wow.
I hadn’t realized it until that moment but it hit me that I am scared again.
What do I mean?
Through my walk with cancer I arrived at a place where faith consumed me and I had let go of the fear of dying. I know this is strange to say but I lived in the most peaceful place in my heart when I had cancer. I felt free to love with no excuses and write whatever was on my heart without fear of someone’s response to it.
Yet as I have moved further from treatment I am seeing how fear is slowly trying to weave itself back into my heart and mind and yes, I can say in some ways, I am afraid to live fully as the person God made me to be.
When I heard those words, “scared to live, scared to die” it hit me that if we live in this place, we will never live the full lives God has planned for each of us.
Life is too precious for fear to be a part of my life...and yours. I invite you to join me to...
Pause. Breathe. Pray.
May we let go of any fear that has woven its way into our hearts and minds. May we root ourselves deeply in faith so we may live this life fully, with meaning and purpose. When our time does come, may we have lived so close to the purpose God has for us that we have no regrets. And when fear tries to creep in, making us scared to live, may we instead choose to “always give love the upper hand.” For me, God is love and therefore another way of saying this is to always give God the upper hand.
I know that a life of freedom and peace exists. I experienced it. I know what it is like to not fear living or dying. And it is a beautiful place. My hope for each of us is that we will live a full life, close to our God given purpose and that we all ‘get along’, encouraging each other on our unique paths along the way💕🙏💕
With love and hope,
Shawn
“Do not fear, I am with you.” - Isaiah 41:10