FEAR, it's something that affects everybody at some time in their lives. Fear can be destructive, but can it be constructive? Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inaugural address at the hight of America's Great Depression declared, “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-nameless,unreasoning,unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” WOW!
Fear is also one of our most basic emotions, it is the first emotion mentioned in the bible. (Genesis chapter3 verses7-10). Today the fear of something evil happening overwhelms many people who give an inordinate amount of attention to the media, which constantly report bad news and violence happening around the world. So, why talk about fear?
In April 08, a large group of ladies from St Ives and Hayle were joined by ladies from Porthleven as they presented various personal accounts on how fear had affected their lives.
Lizzie, from Hayle, reflects, who would of thought that in this day and age women could or would want to sit and talk about fear!! I guess it's one of those things that we 'brush under the carpet', but then there are those obvious fears like spiders, snakes, heights and thunder, which are acceptable to talk of openly.
Sharon and Mary, from Porthleven, shared poems and a testimony respectively. Mary shared that fear can be crippling, robbing you of experiences and relationships, as it had done in her life. She now works with a group of 10-16 year olds, something which even a year ago would have rendered the bathroom as her best friend!! One of her sayings are good to remember, 'fear is the darkroom, where Satan develops your negatives'!
Sarah Chaplin co-paster of Porthleven Apostolic church presented an illuminating and sometimes humorous slide show, giving the scientific names of 'fears' and we had to try and guess what the fear was. There were some very strange ones indeed!!
In her book, which we are following in this course, Marion Meyers says “Healthy guilt says our conscience is functioning and allows us to look back long enough to learn a lesson.” “We can, however, get stuck in overwhelming and crippling guilt regarding our past failures,mistakes and sins when we continue to review them in our minds and live backward. We torment ourselves with images of what could have, would have or should have been!”
Marion Meyers co pasters at www.riverdreamcentre.com in Exeter.
Sarah Chaplin co pasters at www.apostolic-church-porthleven.org
Lizzie Hornby is a member of church@hayle on www.cryglory.com
