Hello Prayer Warriors, happy Friday! We had a much needed low key day here at the McClendon house. We’ve spent the last five days running non-stop and next week is going to be just as crazy; but today and tomorrow we get to just be home. Thank you Jesus for small blessings!
Today was an emotionally difficult day for Kayleigh Bug. She was much quieter than usual and a little withdrawn. She also would not allow me out of arms reach. By bedtime she was in tears, consumed with grief and fear. Oh how it hurts my heart to see her struggle so. It consumes her so completely that she struggles to verbalize her fears – like if she speaks them out loud they might actually happen. And the core fears are always the same – the fear of me dying and her not having me, the fear of her dying and being alone in heaven, the fear of me or finding her in heaven, the fear of Jesus forgetting her.
As always God is good to give me words of peace for Kayleigh. Tonight’s words were actually given to me yesterday by a doctor and beautiful woman and I have been speaking them over Kayleigh, out loud, all day. You are safe, you are loved, you are protected. I even changed it to I am safe, I am loved, I am protected and had her repeat it after me multiple times through the day. You should see how her eyes light up when she says she is safe, loved and protected. It is beautiful.
Tonight when she was afraid to verbalize her fears I began repeating those three things over and over. And every time her fears would ease, degree by degree. As we talked through each fear and I consistently reminded her that she was safe, loved and protected, I watched her shed the grief and fear like an old shirt. As I finally tucked her in her eyes were bright again and full of laughter. So much like her old self. I think for the first time Kayleigh was able to get through her entire list of fears, out loud.
I know that tomorrow will be a new day and a new battle for Kayleigh’s emotional well being but I finally feel like we have a battle plan. A proactive approach, building her up, and filling her mind with these three special things – you are safe, you are loved, you are protected. And not just safe, loved & protected by her parents, but by God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Before she drifted off to sleep I asked Kayleigh what to post tonight and she said to tell you how to not be afraid. So here it goes…
1.) Make sure you’ve got Jesus in your heart – that’s where peace and hope come from.
2.) Stop and remind yourself the YOU are safe, YOU are loved, YOU are protected – because when you have Jesus you have access to God Almighty and He loves you and is watching over you.
3.) Verbalize your fears – fears grow huge in our heads and our imaginations can run rampant. But if you speak your fears to God they lose power. Fears don’t have to be a part of you, you can choose to set them down and at the foot of the cross is where they belong. Is it easy, no. If you set them down will they come back? Maybe. But that just means you set them down again. Keep setting them at the foot of the cross until they return no more.
4.) Remember even when things are looking really bad – you are only seeing a single piece of a 1000 piece puzzle. One of these days you’ll be able to look back and see just what God was doing in the background and how He crafted every, single, piece perfectly.
Joshua 1:9
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 34:4-7
4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. 6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. 7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Until tomorrow –
‘Carrow 💜
You are safe, you are loved, you are protected.
