"Save us, Lord;

    we are perishing."

And He said to them,

"Why are you afraid,

    O you of little faith?"

Then He rose and rebuked

    the winds and the sea,

and there was great calm.

And the men marveled,

saying,

"What sort of man is this,

that even the winds and sea

                      obey Him?"

                 Matthew 8. 25-27

(Anxiety,

panic,

worry,

stress

are covered over and over

                 in Scripture.

What part of

   "Fear not. I am with you."

don't we understand?

Our youngest daughter

once woke fearful

       in the darkness of the night.

I reached over and patted her.

"Oh, if I had known you were here,"

she said,

     "I wouldn't have been afraid.")

  

O LORD,

You are with us,

despite the storms all around.

This is not the end of my world,

  but just one of the exciting parts

              of Your narrative

              and my story.

Please help me

              to trust You through it.

Help me

   to take You at Your Word,

  "Fear not.  I am with you."

Even in this.

Help us to dwell on being blessed,

    not on being stressed.