Fear. It is one of the most powerful motivators on the face of the planet. Fear is a double edged sword. On one end, fear can keep us safe. It is nearly impossible for me to pull out of my driveway without looking both ways for fear of getting hit. However, on the other end of the spectrum fear can stop us from trying something new or doing something we feel called to. I have experienced my share of both ends of that spectrum, like most people.

My senior year of college, I decided to face some nerves and a little fear of the future and go on a date with a guy that I ended up marrying a year and a half later. Sometimes facing our fears is the very thing that propels us into the next phase of life.  Straight out of college, I landed a job 8 hours away from home, 2 states away from my hometown. Talk about a little bit of fear.  I pushed through the fear, made the move, and 3 1/2 years later got laid off from the job. Sounds terrible, but turned out to be a blessing. If you know much about my story, you will know I experienced a lot of fear during that time. That fear drove me to getting another job fairly quickly. A job I HATED after just 3 weeks. Fear kept me in that job for 6 months before I finally left it to go to a job that I was fearful to admit I wanted to try…teaching. Facing that fear turning into a great change in my life’s direction!

Time and time again, we will hit times where we are fearful. Healthy fear has kept me safe from danger, while irrational fear has held me back from taking a leap of faith. However, one of my favorite verses from one of my favorite stories in the Bible, the story of the Israelites crossing into the promised land, says it perfectly: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:6. Oh how true this is!

So what are you afraid of? More importantly, what might you be missing out on by not facing that fear? Who knows where a leap of faith could take you! I know for me that first step is terrifying, but when I look in the rearview mirror, I am so glad I did it. I truly believe that if you have prayed about something and still feel like you should do it, God will protect you even if it is a bit of a detour. Some of our best lessons can come from a not so well-beaten path. So what’s stopping you! Take the leap!