Friday, July 3, 2015

Casting Anxieties on Him

The best part of being a sidewalk counselor on the sidewalks of the abortion center is when a mama chooses life, and I get to bring her to her 3D-Ultrasound. Some of our awesome supporters for Cities4Life paid for the ultrasound for "S" and her baby. "S" chose life, but has had periods of being overcome with fear and worry for her future. Cities4Life supporters have stepped in and provided maternity clothes, gifts, diapers, and in a few months, a lavish baby shower. I send "S" daily Bible verses, as I do all the women I counsel. A few weeks back, she wrote me in a panic, "Send Bible verses! I am having a bad day!" I sent a whole bunch, and we texted back and forth a while. Finally she said, "I am ok now. I stopped crying and can go to work. Thank you."

When we arrived at the Sweet Pea 3-D Imaging in Concord, NC, who partners with Cities4Life to provide special 3-d ultrasounds, "S" said she was very scared.
"This makes it all so real," she said, and collapsed in my arms in tears. I had no idea she had still been worried. I was so glad I had accompanied her to help her through her anxiety and fears.

As I'd hoped, after seeing her little girl's pictures, she calmed, and was soon chatting about all the people who would love her new daughter. The baby put on quite a show. She was very active, and at several points seemed to look straight at us, opening and closing her mouth.
"Oh, she's talking to us," S cried.
She did indeed seem to have a lot to say.
"She looks like she's wearing a halo," I said. If you look closely at the pictures, you can see it.
Morgan, the ultrasound nurse, was wonderful. She piggy-backed seamlessly on my comments about God's provision and care, and the miracle of this new life. She was gentle, and kind, and S felt safe and loved. It was exactly what she needed.

As we drove home, S told me she felt much better. She said she always worried so much about the future. Since I have that tendency as well, I repeated my mom's sage advice to consider what you have to do in the next 5 minutes, and do that. Then move on to the 5 minutes after that. Eventually, the future takes care of itself.

God advises similarly. He tells us that God is the one that grants us peace, and we do not need to be anxious about anything! He who feeds even the smallest birds, knows and will provide our needs. Anxiety never adds a single positive moment to our life, no matter how ardently we fret. God loves us immeasurably, and He will carry our burdens if we let Him. Deal only with the issues of today, and when tomorrow comes, that will be time enough to worry about its issues. In the end, it is God who will strengthen us to deal with whatever He sets before us. Cast all our anxieties to Him, and He will exalt us!

I was so glad to have told dear S all these pearls of wisdom, because shortly after returning home, walked back outside to a flat tire. (In case you are keeping track, this is the third flat tire in ten days.) I drove the car a half mile (praying I wasn't ruining the rim) to Woody's Automotive. They were closed. I parked the car,  put the key in the night key drop slot, and pulled my little folding bike out of my van to pedal home. A car pulled up, and the driver got out.
"Are you all squared away?"  he asked.
"Well, I left my key..."
"Did you call ahead?"
"No..."
"Well, come on in. Let me unlock the office and I'll do your paperwork. By the way, I'm Woody."
"There is a Woody!?" I cried. I hadn't known that.There are Woody's Automotive shops all over the place. I was speaking to the owner of the chain! How fortuitous that he would show up at just the moment I needed someone when the store was closed an hour ago. And not just any someone. THE Someone.

Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6-7 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ...

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.


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