Do not fear

    the king of Babylon,

of whom you are afraid.

Do not fear him,

      declares the LORD,

for I am with you,

to save you and

  to deliver you from his hand.

            Jeremiah 42. 11

(Circumstances may not change,

but knowing God is with us

always takes us

     in a different direction,

changes the path,

          the journey

          and the outcome.

We don't have

          to be afraid,

    just faithful.

God does not just

    change our emotions,

    but what we think about,

          how we think about it,

          what we see,

          and how we respond.

"I never thought about it

                that way before."

Fear drains us and blocks out

       all available light.

Trusting God strengthens us

and guides us

     on a different adventure.

Deliverance may not be from it,

        but through it.

God never works in

              singular outcomes.

There is always something deeper

          at stake here.)

O LORD,

Grant to us Your strength

   and Your mind in this

             scary situation

that we would be free

   from the tangling barbed wire

                        of fear

   and able to run with You.

Set the pace, O God,

      set the course and

open our eyes to Your wonders.

May we not be burdened

           by fear,

but choose instead

      Your power and love.

The strength is not our own

          but in You.

Help us to not be afraid

         but to seek You

    and follow You faithfully.

You reign, O LORD,

            even in this.