Mari addresses the very real and common issues of fear and anxiety that so many of us are often crippled by. Mari offers insightful discussions and actionable steps rooted in faith and scripture to help listeners overcome these emotions. She emphasizes the importance of prayer, scripture, Christ-centered community, and the transformative power of the rosary. Mari also shares personal stories of her own struggles and how she found peace through her faith. Tune in for a comforting and empowering conversation that reminds you that you are never alone in your struggles.

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Hey, I'm your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to the ever be

2

podcast where faith meets lifestyle.

3

I'm so excited you're here, whether you're

a new listener or a longtime follower,

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I know there's something here for you.

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Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful real life conversations

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and actionable steps on how to claim

the full life God created you for.

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If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ centered life in today's

8

modern world, then this is for you.

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Welcome to Ever Be.

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mari-wagner_2_10-01-2024_153255: Welcome

back, everybody to the ever be podcast.

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I'm your host, Mari Wagner,

in case you're new here.

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Hello and welcome.

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And today we're going to be talking

about a topic that unfortunately,

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I think really resonates with so

much of us and especially so much

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of so many of us that are kind of

in like the younger generations.

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We hear more and more how much fear

and anxiety is taking over our culture,

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um, and the young generations of today.

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So we're going to be talking

about fear and anxiety.

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I'm not excited to record this because

I like fear and anxiety, of course,

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but I'm excited to record it because

I truly feel like this episode is

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going to be so Holy Spirit led.

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It just came upon my

heart to talk about this.

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Um, and I know that when we are

rooted in God's truth in God's word.

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Clarity comes to our mind and

peace washes over our soul and it

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overcomes all fear and anxiety.

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Even if you still feel fear,

because that's a very human

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feeling, being rooted in God's

truth and his presence in our life

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overcomes anything and surpasses anything.

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So I'm excited to talk about this

today because I hope it's going to be

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a really helpful tool tool for you.

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And I'll say now, like send

this episode to a friend.

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If you feel like you know, a friend

that's struggling, or if you and a friend

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have had a conversation recently about

how you're in a really stressful time

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or a really anxious time or a difficult

time or whatever, this is a good episode

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to send to a friend, um, to bless

their day, to lift their spirits and

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to remind them that they're not alone.

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And the Lord did not make

them to go through this.

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life on earth alone, this broken

life alone, um, this broken world.

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But he gave us his son.

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He gave us his Holy Spirit.

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He gave us his fatherhood.

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He gave us his mother, the saints,

um, in a Christ centered friendships

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and community and our church to.

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Help us in the journey and to

give us strength in the journey.

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So this episode could really

build up the church, could

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really build up someone's faith.

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Um, so if you have somebody in mind,

that's really struggling, please send

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them this episode to bless their day.

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So we've all faced moments in our life

where fear really can It like grips

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us, grips our hearts and it feels

like it almost paralyzes us, right?

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And leads into, I feel like what we call

anxiety where it's kind of that, um,

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irrational thought process or irrational

fears or like a rational, like what if

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cycle that we kind of get into sometimes.

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And so what I want to talk about today

is how we overcome that fear and anxiety

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with God's peace through his word.

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Through the sacraments, um, just through

the tools and the Holy Spirit that the

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Lord has given us, because fear is not of

the Lord and anxiety is not of the Lord.

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And so when those emotions are

gripping you, you are currently like

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in a state that is not of the Lord.

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Now it doesn't mean that The Lord

is not allowing it to happen.

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He is allowing it to happen in your life.

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And sometimes he allows hard things

in our life to strengthen our faith

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and to strengthen our character,

our surrender, our devotion to him,

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um, and to sanctify us truly because

this world, we can't, we can't get

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to the next world without suffering.

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So in the end, it's

for our sanctification.

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And I know that that might be hard

to hear sometimes, and especially if

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you're going through something really

hard right now, and I mean, we all

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are, um, but it's just the truth.

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I mean, Jesus opened the gates

of heaven through the cross.

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So if we're called to be like

him and follow in his footsteps,

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we can't expect to get through

heaven without our own cross.

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So let's just, let's

just keep that in mind.

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Um, But we are, we aren't meant to

do it alone and truly, I want you to

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know that it's not about eliminating

the emotion of fear or just pushing

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it aside, but really instead allowing

God to come into those spaces.

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And fill us with his peace, fill

us with his Holy Spirit that

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surpasses all understanding.

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Cause I think that's one thing that

we get really caught up on these days,

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at least I do, is understanding what

the heck is going on, understanding

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the plan, wanting that understanding

of God, what are you calling me to?

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What do you, why are you

allowing this in my life?

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What do you want for me?

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What decision do you want me to make?

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What is the right decision?

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What is a bad decision?

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We seek peace through understanding.

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And I feel like that's such a human

experience and it's totally fine that

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we feel that because it's so normal

and so natural for us to logically

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find our way to a peaceful state.

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Now, faith.

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Is when we trust in the Lord and

rest in his peace without that

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understanding, because we don't

trust in the logic or in the outcome.

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We trust in the person of God.

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We trust in his, who he is, his

character and what that means

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for us as his sons and daughters.

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Um, that's what gives us peace

that surpasses all understanding.

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And that's how we were able

to overcome fear and anxiety

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and find peace amidst our.

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Misunderstanding of why we're

going through what we're

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going through at the moment.

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So this episode is going to be all about

some practical steps of how to do this.

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I want to dive into scripture and some

specific Bible verses that can be your

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lifeline, that can be your anchor as

you're walking through a time of anxiety.

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And I'm going to share some

personal stories too, because

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I am not excluded out of this.

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I'm truly, I feel like I'm

preaching to myself in this episode.

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I'm, I'm literally going to listen

to it after it airs again, to just

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remind myself of these truths.

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Um, so yeah, so I'm just going to

share a little bit of my journey as

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well, and I hope that it's helpful.

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So first let's dive into scripture.

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Let's look at what the Bible

says about fear and anxiety.

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Because if you look hard

enough, or honestly, you don't

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have to look hard enough.

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If you open the Bible, you'll realize

that the word of God is filled

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with reminders to not be afraid.

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Fun fact, the phrase do not

be afraid appears I'm pretty

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sure 365 times in the Bible.

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Okay, that's once for

every day of the year.

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So here's what this tells me.

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The Lord knows who his

sons and daughters are.

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He knows our humanity because he

created us and because he made every

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part of our being, our emotion and

our nervous system and our, our

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mental state, our physiological

state, um, our emotional state.

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He made.

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All of that, and even how that

interacts with our physical being

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and our spiritual being, he knows

every intricate part of who we are.

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And when.

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humanity fell, right?

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And we entered into this

broken state of who we are.

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He knew that we would

experience fear and anxiety.

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He knew that we would

experience these fallen broken

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emotions that are not of him.

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And so I think in his wisdom, right,

since he inspired the word of God,

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the Bible, um, he made sure to speak

to those emotions that he knew we

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would feel, all the time in our life.

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I'm, I'm pulling up these verses right

now online, and I just want to read

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them out just so that you can hear them.

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And it's reiterated over and over

again, that the Lord is constantly

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trying to get our attention and

tell us you have nothing to fear.

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I am with you.

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Okay.

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So in Matthew 10 29, he says, do not fear.

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Therefore, you are of more value than.

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The sparrows in Deuteronomy.

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And do not panic in Joshua one, nine,

it says, be strong and courageous.

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Psalm 23, four, I will fear no evil

Psalm 27, one of whom shall I be afraid?

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Psalm 34, four through eight.

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He delivered me from my fears.

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Psalm 46, one through three.

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God is our refuge in our strength.

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Psalm 56, three through four.

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When I am afraid, I trust in you.

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Dang, that one hits.

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I love that one.

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Psalm 56 verse three through four.

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When I am afraid, I trust in you

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and so many other, so many other

verses, um, that we can find

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that tell us to not be afraid.

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And so what I was saying was, yeah, I

think the Lord included that in there.

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Cause he knew that we would.

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Yeah.

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fall into fear and anxiety often.

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Um, but he knew that he would

be the solution to that.

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And so that anytime we open the

Bible, there's a big chance that

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we'll find a verse that speaks to

that human, um, experience of ours,

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of, of being afraid of being anxious.

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And I think he uses them to remind us

that you don't, you don't just need

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to not be afraid, but you don't need

to be afraid because he is with us.

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And that's the biggest takeaway I want

all of us to take from today is that

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we are never alone in our suffering.

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We are never alone.

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Alone in our fear and our anxiety

it might feel that way and anxiety

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is a feeling that makes you feel

like Just like so out of your body

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and isolated and like everything

is the worst But you are not alone.

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The Lord is always always with

you and he is your strength.

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So Isaiah 41 10 tells us do

not fear for I am with you.

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I want you to, to memorize that.

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Do not fear for I am with you.

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And just say that under your breath.

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When you feel that anxiety,

do not fear for I am with you.

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Let it be a reminder that the

Lord is speaking to your heart.

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Every time you feel that fear,

because God doesn't tell us

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that we won't face fear, right?

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He's not telling us.

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In the Bible, like this isn't real.

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You're not going to face it.

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He says you're going to, but he

reassures us that we won't face it alone.

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And when we're filled with

anxiety, we need to remember that.

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And in Philippians four,

six through seven, it reads,

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do not be anxious about

anything, but in every situation.

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By prayer and petition with thanksgiving,

present your request to God, and

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the peace of God, which transcends

all understanding will guard your

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hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

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This peace is real.

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You guys, this piece is

something the world can't offer.

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It's something that

only Jesus can give us.

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And it's truly available to us in every

situation, in every moment of our life.

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The Lord just tell us, tells

us by prayer and petition,

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experience this peace from Christ.

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So when we feel that fear and

anxiety grip us in those moments,

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we just need to take, we need to

remember, like to take a second.

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To pray and ask the Lord to pray for a

moment of peace, to pray for a moment

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of stillness in our mind and in our

soul for a moment of calm, to pray

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for the Lord's peace to wash over us,

for him to be with us, even though

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he already is with us, but mostly to.

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To ask Him to be with us and to ask

Him to allow us to feel His comfort,

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His presence, His consolation.

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And it's been really helpful for me

in my life to have either a verse or,

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um, they're called like scriptural

declarations, like Bible declarations.

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Um, you may have heard of them before.

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And it's basically these like phrases

that are either are rooted in scripture

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or, um, Truth, um, that give us peace,

give us confidence that kind of like, is

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it like a positive talk, a positive, like

talking voice that we can have in our

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head and in our hearts to affirm us of our

identity and to affirm us of the goodness

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of Christ or the peace that you're seeking

or his providence or whatever it is that

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you're struggling with in that moment.

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And at first, when I first heard of these.

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Like years ago, I'm going

to be completely honest.

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I thought they were kind of dumb.

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I was like, okay, so just saying

a few positive phrases over and

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over again, like you really think

that's going to solve my problem?

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Like you really think that's

going to make me feel better?

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Like I'm smarter than that, you know?

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And I never tried them.

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And it wasn't until last year, like

exactly a year ago, last fall, that I

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was going through something really hard.

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Um, I won't go into detail because

I don't really share a lot of

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my medical journey publicly.

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Um, but as you all know, my husband and

I, Trey, we've been trying to conceive

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for a few years now, um, almost three

years, and we've had to go through

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different testings, different procedures.

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Um, Just a whole journey in seeking

answers and trying to find healing

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for our hormones and fertility

and all that kind of stuff.

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And I happen to hate medical things.

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I don't really like the doctor's office.

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I don't like the hospital.

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I hate getting my butch on.

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I don't like procedures.

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I don't even really

like taking medication.

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It kind of all freaks me out and

gives me anxiety and I don't really

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know why or how but It just does.

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Okay.

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Um, it just does.

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And so this has been a cross for more

reasons than one, more than just because

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it's really hard emotionally, um, to

desire this vocation of motherhood and

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have to wait for the Lord's timing and

have it be a much, much different plan

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than what I ever thought I would face.

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But also because I have to

face the doctor so many times.

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I have to get my blood drawn.

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I have to take stuff.

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I have had to go through

different procedures.

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I've had to do different things.

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Um, last year I had a really big

procedure that I had to do and I

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honestly, you guys was terrified.

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Like, I was just, I was so scared.

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I think it's probably one of the most

scared times I've ever been in my life.

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Um, whoo!

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It's taking me back, um, to last fall.

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And I had to draw on the

Lord's strength so much.

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I did not think I was going

to get emotional about this.

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I had to draw on the Lord's

strength so much because I had to

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face some really real fears and

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do that on top of the very, Difficult

cross that we were going through.

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And so it was very trying on

many different emotional and

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mental and spiritual levels.

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Because not only did I have to

overcome times of anxiety and fear,

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like mentally and emotionally, but I

also had to face the Lord spiritually.

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and still trust Him, and still love

Him, and still surrender myself,

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and still trust that He was good.

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I still had to trust and believe it

with every fiber of my being, that

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even though the Lord was allowing me

to face these really difficult moments,

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and face these really big fears,

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He was good.

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I had to, I had to believe that.

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And I had to understand that even

though the Lord was leading me

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to these really difficult places,

that I had to trust him through it.

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And that no matter what,

he was my source of peace.

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That even though he was allowing this

in my life and that I know he has

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the power and had the power to To

take it all away in an instant, in a

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miraculous instant, if it was his will.

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I still knew and had to constantly

remind myself that my peace

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would be drawn from him and my

strength would be drawn from him.

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And the only way I would overcome these

fears and face these difficulties and face

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my fear and anxiety would be through him.

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It's such a paradox, it's such an

interesting experience of loving the one

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who is allowing your cross to happen.

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And I truly felt like Jesus in the

garden of, not the garden, um, well

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yeah, the garden of Gethsemane,

like the mountain of olives.

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When he died.

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Uh, knew the fullness of what was

coming in his crucifixion when he

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said, Lord, take this cup from me.

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But if it's not your will,

let your will be done.

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Like like if it's not your will

that this cup would be taken,

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then I will still do your will.

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I had moments where I really resonated

with that, with those words that

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Christ said, where it was like,

Lord, I know you can take this away.

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But if it's not your will, give me the

strength and the grace to be obedient

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to you, to continue to love and trust

you and follow you in all things.

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And through this process of knowing

that this procedure was coming up, I

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leaned hard into prayer and I leaned

hard into the, I leaned hard into the

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word of God and certain declarations.

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I spoke over myself daily, several

times a day, whenever I felt that fear.

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And I kid you not, you guys, it works.

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Like I seriously experienced, even

though I still had fear, cause

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that's what I want you guys to know.

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It's not eliminating fear cause that's

a normal human experience and the Lord's

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not saying you're not going to face it.

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But even though I had that

fear, I was given the grace of.

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Courage, I was given the grace of

almost like peace amidst that fear and

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that comes from a deep seated trust in

the Lord and, and a trust that comes

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from like not even knowing the plan.

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Truly, like, I feel like the whole

experience is miraculous because fear and

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anxiety, like I said, can be so crippling,

but to come to a place where you're like,

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I literally still don't know the plan.

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And yet I feel at peace

because I know the Lord.

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is with me and I know

the Lord is behind it.

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Um, that's grace.

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That's grace.

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And I want you to experience that if you

haven't before, if you're struggling,

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like, I want you to feel that and I'm

telling you, you can, you can get there.

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You just need to cling to the Lord.

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And I think a really beautiful way

to do this is to clothe ourselves

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in scripture and clothe ourselves

in, these declarations of truth.

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So for me personally,

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the one line, I can do all things

through Christ who strengthens me.

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I don't know where I heard that.

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That's like your classic Pinterest quote.

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Okay.

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Like you're just scrolling Pinterest and

you freaking see that quote everywhere.

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Like I can do all things through

Christ who strengthens me.

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You know, it's just like your

basic girl, Christian quote.

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But that one was the one that came

to my mind one day or that I came

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across it and it stuck with me.

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And every day in that

season, multiple times a day.

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I spoke that over myself.

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I can do all things through, Christ.

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That strengthens me in a mirror, in a,

in a moment of anxiety, I can do all

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things through Christ that strengthens

me in a moment of like fear where

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I'm like scared and like sobbing.

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I'm like, I can do all

things through Christ.

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That strengthens me in a moment

of uncertainty or sorrow.

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I can do all things through Christ.

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That strengthens me.

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The Lord doesn't give us anything more

than we can handle, and if He has given

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you a season of fear, depression, or

anxiety, or even if that's just a cross

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that you've carried for most of your

life or a lot of your life, He, He

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doesn't give you anything that you can

handle because you can do it with Him.

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Right?

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We can't do anything alone.

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But with the Lord, we can do

anything because truly he takes,

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he takes the yoke, he takes the

cross and alleviates it for us.

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I was also praying with

the Psalms of Ascent a lot.

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And honestly, I don't have it memorized,

like what passage, like what, like.

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Number, chapter, and verse it is, but if

you look it up, like Psalms of Ascent,

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there's like, it's like a collection of

these Psalms and I prayed with those often

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and I felt like a lot of those rooted me

back in God's trust, um, God's goodness.

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his providence,

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and gave me words to praise the Lord in

a time where I found, where I found it

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really difficult to find the words myself,

where I was in a lot of fear and sorrow,

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and I found it difficult to find words to

worship and, and praise and love the Lord.

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These, Psalms of ascent

really gave me those words.

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So I really recommend that you look

into those and pray with those.

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Um, and then lastly, the

rosary, you guys is a lifesaver.

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You've heard me talk about it before

and I'll never stop talking about it.

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The rosary is miraculous.

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I straight up say that with so much

confidence and I've said it before.

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It's like math, like one plus

one equals two every single time.

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The rosary brings peace into

your life every single time.

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I will not budge on that, and if

you are not praying it at all, like,

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You need to change that right now.

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I'm going to speak with this confidence

and conviction and authority as your

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like sister in Christ alongside you or

older sister, wherever you are in your

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life, in your faith journey, like, please

pray the rosary and start to do it.

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Like, Often, I recommend you do it

every day, like you try to, like,

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trust me, I try to pray it every day.

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I'm not perfect.

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There are many days where I don't

pray it, but it is probably one of my

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number one go to prayer routines that

I incorporated into my life because

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it pours out grace like no other.

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Mary, our lady is known to be like,

she's called the mediatrix of graces.

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Like, the Lord gives her the ability

to distribute graces on his behalf.

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So everything is coming

from the Lord, right?

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Mary is not God.

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She's not omnipotent.

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Only God is.

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But the Lord gives her this special

role in our lives to administer

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his graces as she sees fit.

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Just like a mother would.

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Right?

392

Our moms take care of us, and they tend

to our needs in every way, even though our

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fathers love us as well, and our fathers

provide for our families and our homes.

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It's kind of like how dad, um, goes

to work and provides for his family,

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and by providing, Uh, like security,

both like physically and emotionally,

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as well as providing like financially,

he allows her to be like this sense of

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like safety in the home where the mother

can then provide so much care, um, in

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so many different ways, ways, right?

399

Like food nourishment, nurturing of

like your emotional side, your spiritual

400

side, um, fostering relationships

within the home, uh, friendships,

401

like the mom can tend to so many

parts of her family because the

402

father is providing that foundation

of security and safety and protection.

403

It's this is like an analogy that I

literally just made up on the spot

404

right now, but I feel like it's kind of

making sense for me in that same way.

405

Like the Lord provides that security

and foundation of his fatherhood

406

and like just who he is as Lord and

he gives Mary this like special.

407

role to tend for her children.

408

And it's all coming from the Lord,

but she has that ability to give

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us grace in so many different ways.

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And so the rosary is a way that

grace can be poured out upon us.

411

And.

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I still have it as part of my prayer

routine often, and especially in

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times of fear and anxiety, I bring

the rosary into my life once a day.

414

And honestly, guys, there's been seasons

where I've prayed it more than once a day.

415

And I don't know if

you've ever heard this.

416

I listened to a podcast episode

on pints of Aquinas with Gabby.

417

Ooh, what's his last name?

418

I don't remember his last name.

419

He talks about the rosary all the time.

420

And he actually encouraged us to

like, he encouraged the listeners

421

to play the rosary, the full rosary.

422

So like four times a day, like

all the mysteries in one day.

423

Um, and I did that for a little

bit and I mean, it was awesome.

424

And I hope that one day I can do

it all the time because there's so

425

many promises and graces with that,

but now we're getting off topic.

426

Um, you don't, It's not required

to pray the rosary every day or

427

even the full rosary every day.

428

But a lot of really beautiful

graces can come from that.

429

But at least incorporating the

rosary into your life more often.

430

And like I said, I encourage

you to do it every day.

431

I in my life have experienced

transformational peace

432

from praying the rosary.

433

It literally can lessen

and remove your anxiety.

434

And there were times when I was, you

know, recovering from this procedure or

435

facing this procedure and I was like,

I, like, cannot calm my racing thoughts.

436

I'm like, my breath is like hard to catch.

437

I would go to the rosary and

it would instantly like bring a

438

stillness to my soul, instantly

bring a stillness to my being.

439

And I knew that it was just this like

supernatural grace that was coming from.

440

The Lord through his mother.

441

So I really, really encourage

you to pray the rosary, um,

442

to overcome fear and anxiety.

443

And through rooting myself in

scripture and prayer and the

444

rosary in these declarations, I

was given just this overwhelming

445

sense of confidence in God and just

peace that can only come from him.

446

And it's in moments like these that we

can truly Place our trust in him and trust

447

him to handle the things that we can't

448

Now Let's talk about some practical

steps that we can take to overcome

449

our fear and anxiety With our faith

450

step one surrender your fear to God

When anxiety hits, our natural instinct

451

is to try and control the situation.

452

Our natural instinct is to try and seek

understanding and, like, control all the

453

moving pieces so that we feel like we know

what's going on and we have got it all

454

together, when the truth is, we don't.

455

We don't.

456

Matthew 6 is one of my favorite

chapters and so much of it talks about

457

not worrying, not having anxiety,

trusting in the Lord's providence.

458

So that is another place in

scripture where you can go to

459

and pray with to really ground

yourself in this truth of trusting

460

in God and letting go of that fear

461

because that's the truth.

462

What the devil wants us to do, you guys,

the devil wants us to hold on to that

463

fear, to hold on to that anxiety, to hold

on to all of these like crippling thoughts

464

that make us go, you know, swirling in

this like endless cycle of like, what

465

if, what if, what if, what if, what if,

and so really we need to like, let go of

466

it, um, and hand it over to the Lord and

trust that he can handle it for us truly.

467

And I've kind of already said this, but

the best way to do that is through prayer.

468

And so making space often throughout

your week, if not daily, I mean,

469

I encourage you to do it daily.

470

If you're not already doing that,

then at least a few times a week,

471

um, to create space for prayer.

472

Prayer is like our super food to our soul.

473

Okay.

474

I mean, if we're talking about like.

475

kale or beef liver or like, you know, all

these like super foods that people talk

476

about that like protect us from cancer and

give us all this like health and vitality.

477

It's like, like prayer

is that for our soul.

478

Like our soul needs that super food

of prayer to strengthen it, to build

479

it up, to trust in the Lord, um,

to recognize the Lord in our life.

480

So make time for it daily

481

because prayer is our refuge.

482

And this can be.

483

Um, contemplative prayer, like you

just sitting with the Lord, um,

484

and sharing your heart, just trying

to hear him journaling through

485

those thoughts, like journaling

your prayer, sitting in adoration.

486

I mean, being in his presence, you

guys is like nothing compares to that.

487

Nothing compares to sitting in

his presence and adoration and

488

the peace that comes from that.

489

And honestly, the graces and the

miracles that can just happen

490

just by being in his presence.

491

So I highly encourage,

um, that you do that.

492

And then scripture, like I said, I feel

like one of the reasons I love scripture

493

and especially the Psalms is because

it gives me words to pray in times

494

when I feel like I don't have them.

495

Whether you're going through like sorrow

and depression and you just feel so

496

down that you like have no words of

praise or life within you, the words.

497

in scripture can give those to you.

498

Or if you feel so wrapped up in

fear, so stuck in fear, the word in

499

scripture can give you that courage

and that confidence of what is true.

500

A verse that I feel like is really

helpful for this is Psalm 23 verse four.

501

Even though I walk through

the darkest valley, I fear

502

no evil for you are with me.

503

Even though I walk through

the darkest valley, I fear no

504

evil because you are with me.

505

Wherever you're at, the Lord is with you.

506

And these are truths that maybe we know,

maybe we've heard, but we forget them.

507

Okay, and we like brush them off

because we feel like yeah, I already

508

know that I already know that but

it doesn't help But it does you guys

509

God's Word is living and true and

it is healing in itself So seek it.

510

It's healing.

511

It's empowering.

512

Like I said, it's that super food

for your soul to build you up.

513

So spend time in prayer,

meditating on God's word.

514

Next, I would say, surround

yourself with good community.

515

Um, Christ and Earth's

friendships are really special.

516

If you have really good friends in

your life that aren't, um, Catholic

517

or Christian, that's great too.

518

But if you have friends that are rooted

in faith, there's something so powerful

519

and so, so consoling about that.

520

Because these friends, Can join

you in prayer whether like actively

521

in the moment can pray for you

with you or can pray for you

522

and also can just kind of be a space

of like a safe space for you to open

523

up for you to openly talk about your

struggles and get support from friends

524

who um, maybe aren't like in a better

place and are confident and are grounded

525

in like what is true and can remind

us of truth because anxiety and fear,

526

um, like I said, they're They're not

of the Lord, they're of the evil one.

527

And what he wants to do often, the

evil one is isolate us in these

528

feelings and keep us feeling like

the things that we are thinking are

529

true when they're not, they're lies.

530

Um, and that like, we're the only

ones feeling them in that because

531

we're feeling this, like we are

alone and we are unworthy and we are

532

stupid for feeling these things and

we are just weak and whatever lies.

533

Right.

534

That are going through our brain.

535

And so Christ centered community and

having the courage to open up about what

536

you're going through with a friend can

really bring us strength, um, and show us

537

the truth and kind of like wipe away those

lies that the evil one is speaking to us.

538

And then lastly, I would say like actively

seek activities that bring you calm

539

and peace in your life, whether it's.

540

Through worship and prayer, like

we've been talking about or an

541

activity that kind of like takes you

away from your day to day stressors

542

and kind of like grounds you.

543

I like doing things physically with

my body, like whether it be like

544

going to a workout class where I'm

like actually letting out stress and

545

like physical stress, um, and energy.

546

Or I personally like, I love making

sourdough bread, um, or baking.

547

And I feel like especially baking

bread, like you have to like,

548

you need it with your hands.

549

You have to mix it.

550

You have to stretch it.

551

You have to fold it.

552

And kind of like that use of my

hands brings me out of myself,

553

out of my, like work, my screens,

whatever is clouding my mind.

554

It kind of just connects that like

mental, emotional, physical, spiritual

555

all into one in a hobby that is like

very relaxing and peaceful for me, um,

556

walking outside with your bare feet.

557

is really helpful.

558

I feel like I would do this a lot.

559

Um, last fall when I feel like I was

going through a hard time, I would

560

spend every single morning outside.

561

I would eat my breakfast on the

patio, get some sunlight on my

562

skin, on my eyes, on my face.

563

Um, just a disclaimer, you're not looking

at the sun directly with your eyes.

564

I'm not saying that you should do that.

565

I just mean like getting

sunlight in your face.

566

On you is really good.

567

Um, and then I would walk barefoot on

our grass in the backyard and like,

568

it's almost just like, this is not

a weird woo woo thing, but it's like

569

almost being like grounded on the

earth, one with nature and just being

570

like, okay, these are my real feelings.

571

I am a real human being.

572

The Lord has created me.

573

The Lord has created this earth.

574

Everything he has created is good.

575

It's just like a way to center yourself,

bare feet on the ground, sun on your skin.

576

It's a way to like reset

your nervous system.

577

And I'm pretty sure this is all

scientific, but like, I'm not a scientist,

578

so don't quote me on any of this, but

I'm pretty sure it's scientific that it

579

like helps regulate your nervous system.

580

So highly recommend that you do that too.

581

Or going on a walk, like

just like anything else.

582

Getting ourselves out of our regular

space and like moving, getting some

583

movement and some fresh air is so helpful.

584

And I feel like can create a space

of peace for you to clear your mind.

585

Or if you're going to walk and talk

things out with a friend or your

586

husband or a family member, whoever

it is that is there to support you.

587

Um, those things can be really,

really helpful to create atmospheres

588

of peace in the midst of your

difficult time of fear and anxiety.

589

Okay, friends.

590

I hope that was helpful, you guys.

591

I hope that this episode reminded

you in the midst of fear,

592

God's peace is there for you.

593

It's available to you and it's

like the Lord is readily available

594

and wanting to give it to you.

595

And that just reminds me

of, um, this line in St.

596

Faustina's diary where it kind of talks

about his grace and his mercy and how

597

it like hurts the Lord that we like

don't ask him for grace and mercy,

598

um, because he has so much to give us.

599

But we just don't ask for it because we

feel like we can do it all by ourselves

600

or we like feel like we don't need

him or like it's bad to ask when he's

601

actually so honored when we recognize

our littleness and he's so honored when

602

we recognize our deep need for him.

603

So when we do that and we come

before the Lord, crippled as we

604

are, In whatever state you're in and

you're just like, Lord, I literally

605

am a shred of nothing right now.

606

I am so small.

607

I need you.

608

I have nothing left within me.

609

Please wash over me your mercy, your

strength, your grace, your peace.

610

Um, because I, I'm just, I'm just a kid.

611

You know, in the end, I'm just a kid

and you're my dad and I need my dad

612

and you can go in prayer and say that.

613

And the Lord would be so

delighted to provide for you

614

and to care for you in that way.

615

I know it.

616

And I know that he's waiting

for you to just ask him.

617

So let's take a moment to

just close in a prayer.

618

I want to pray for all you.

619

Um, and yeah, if you would just say a

prayer for me as well and, and my journey.

620

After you listen to this,

it would be so appreciated.

621

And like I said, share this with a

friend, um, to bless someone else.

622

Cause I feel like so many of us need

to hear this message these days.

623

Um, we need to overcome this fear

and anxiety that is not of the Lord

624

and overcome it with, with the Lord's

peace that surpasses all understanding.

625

So let's pray.

626

In the name of the

Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

627

Amen.

628

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your

peace that surpasses all understanding.

629

Lord.

630

Um, I ask that you calm the hearts of

those listening today who are struggling

631

with fear and anxiety, especially, um,

remind them that you are with them in

632

every valley, every moment, um, that

they feel alone, that they feel low.

633

That they feel gripped by fear

634

and Lord, I pray that you give them the

strength to surrender their fears to you.

635

Um, just fill them with your

Holy spirit and help them to

636

trust in your perfect plan.

637

And mother Mary, I just asked for you

in her session, um, that you would

638

give us all, um, a grace and a

desire to encounter the piece of the

639

rosary, um, that you would put it

on our to seek this prayer out more.

640

Um, we just ask for your intercession.

641

Yeah, of everything we're struggling for.

642

So we pray, Hail Mary, full of

grace, the Lord is with thee.

643

Blessed art thou among women, and

blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

644

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us

sinners now and at the hour of our death.

645

Amen.

646

In the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

647

Amen.