Fear Not....

Fear Not..... How many times have I heard that statement.  There are so many things to be fearful of in this life.  So many reasons for doubt and fear.  Here are a few that I have encountered in my own life over time:
Loosing a loved through divorce/death/or other means where all hope of regaining love is lost
Finances/economy
Government
Health
Uncertainty of the future
Loosing one's identity
Loss of faith/spirituality
Not "being" good enough
Being something outside of the acceptable "norm"
Being harmed emotionally, physically, sexually, spiritually
Not being able to change/being stuck

These are a few from my life.  Those who know me can probably identify events related to some of these.  I don't usually see myself as someone who is fearful or anxious.  While life in general does produce times of both fear and anxiety, it is not a normal state for me on a day in and day out basis.  So why have I been thinking of the phrase, Fear Not, lately?

When I say "lately", it has been since around Christmas 2016.  It first came to mind during a lesson at church.  The angel said to the shepherds, Fear Not, because the sight of angels inspired fear in the shepherds.  Since then, it has been a recurring thought and theme in my life.  So again, I ask, why now?

This is not a political blog, but I have to admit, the current POTUS inspires fear.  Fear of war, fear of hatred, fear of loved ones being harmed, fear of loosing our humanity.  What he has done in the first 8 days of office has been truly terrifying.  As a married lesbian, we worry that our marriage will be annulled/stripped away.  We worry about our education system for our almost 13 year old twin daughters and what the upcoming educational years will look like.  Will there be internment camps for our Muslim brothers and sisters?  What about our ethnically diverse population?  Will religious freedom be allowed to continue?  As a Mormon family, we understand the persecution of our religion in the past and believe strongly that all Americans should practice the religion they wish. 

My wife has been very ill for the last year.  We haven't been able to find a medication that helps her gastric condition.  We are hoping that a medication from Canada will be the help we are looking for.  Because of the FDA and how expensive it is to get medications approved, the USA does not carry this medication.  In Canada, you can get it w/ a prescription, but it takes 2-4 weeks to get here and that is if US Customs allows the medication to come through.  The UK has the medication as over the counter, but it is difficult to find places that will send it to you related to the exchange rates and customs. 

My twins are on the brink of being teenagers.  They will tell you they are 3, their birthday is 2/29, Leap Day.  Some how, my wife and I have raised warrior women.  We constantly ask ourselves, how we have managed to raise confident young ladies who are kind, compassionate, smart, and funny.  Each girl is their own person and I love them both.  I fear for the world they are growing up in. I worry about how their lives will be as they become more and more independent.  I know I need to trust my parenting and know that they will be ok, but hey, I'm a Mom :)

I love my job as a Palliative Care RN in the clinic.  I worry about making mistakes that will impact someone's life negatively.  I get concerned that I may not be the most compassionate, or not listen well enough, that I miss a symptom that could mean the difference between life and death.  I want to be the positive face of the company I work for.  We do good work, and I see myself as an ambassador to our members.  I have only been in this position 6 months, so it is new and unlike any job I've had before. 

I need to find a way to take care of myself.  My fear of not being around to provide for my family is huge.  I always put everyone else first, me second.  I have to find a way to work out, to study scripture, to journal, to spend time w/ those that I love.  Where do I find the time?  Where do I find the energy?  Where do I find myself? 

BUT.... Fear Not

This is not a religious blog either, but I do want to share this:

This phrase is uses for the first time in Genesis 15:1 in a Vision to Abram, ..."fear not...I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward."

In the Old Testament, the phrase is used 450 times-King James Bible
In the New Testament, the phrase is used 133 times- King James Bible
In the Book of Mormon, the phrase is used 161 times
In the Torah, the phrase is Al Tira and it is used more than 80 times per Rabbi Sonia Saltzman
I did attempt to see how many times this phrase is used in the Quran, but could not find a reference
Knowing that the first 5 books of the Torah, Bible, and Quran are the same, I believe the above verse is universal
Hinduism and Buddhism both use their teachings to free the mind of fear

So while fear is part of the human condition, our spirits yearn to be fear free.  We look for ways to conquer fear and those things that cause us to be fearful. As shown above, many of us look to religion as a way to find comfort and strength in times of fear.  Religion provides us with a way to "shore" up our loins and get down and dirty in life.  Reminds us that we have a higher purpose and gives us the strength, how ever we define that, to move through our darkness. 

We have other examples of how to be "brave" and combat fear.  We have historical figures like Mahatma Gandhi (one of my heroes) who fought against British Imperialism in India with non-violence and civil disobedience.  Also, in the USA, Martin Luther King Jr. again used non-violence and civil disobedience during the civil rights movement. All the people who helped Jews and those condemned to the concentration camps under the Nazi rule in Europe, and those willing to take the chance of escape.  All the men and women who go into combat for their country, regardless of which country.  The bravery it takes to face a foe who is intent on killing you because of who you represent is amazing.  Are we willing to face that fear for what we believe in?

There are fictional characters that we can turn to.  Harry Potter, the boy who from the age of 1 was targeted by the most powerful, evil, wizard, Voldemort.  Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games, who refused to play by the system rules when she felt the rules were wrong.  What about Winston, in George Orwell's 1984.  How many times did he have to be reprogrammed?  Even Milo, from the Phantom Tollbooth, had to face his fear of new things so he could get out of his hum drum life. 

There are characters like Helen Magnus from Sanctuary, who is a kick butt, one woman army, who seeks abnormals to protect them and the human race.  Fox Mulder who, on the X-files, took his fear regarding abductions and aliens and made it a personal hunt for his sister.  John Nash, in A Beautiful Mind, based on a true story, fought the fear of his schizophrenia and overcame it to become a Nobel Prize winner.

These are just a few examples that come to mind.  I am sure there are so many more stories of bravery in the face of fear.  We all have it within us to find our brave.  It isn't easy.  Sometimes we have to dig deep and not give up.  We can't let the doubts interfere with our brave.  Dieter F. Uchtdorf tells us to "doubt your doubts".  I have found this very helpful when I start doubting my own bravery.

SO...be brave...doubt your doubts...and above all  FEAR NOT!