The Single Mom Journeyنموونە

Day 7: Overcoming Fear

Ever since I was a little girl, fear seemed to follow me.

I was afraid of the woods behind our house, the dark basement inside it—anything unknown would scare me. But as I got older, those childhood fears were replaced by something even more overwhelming: fear of real-life situations.

A few months after I got married, I realized the painful truth: my husband was an abusive alcoholic. There were many nights when he would come home completely drunk, and I never knew what to expect. My body would shake with fear at the sound of the door opening.

You might wonder why I didn’t just leave. He told me if I ever tried to go, he would find me and take our son away. That fear of losing my child kept me trapped. I also held tightly to my wedding vow, "till death do us part." On the nights he would come home and simply pass out, I would breathe a sigh of relief because at least that meant I was safe for one more night.

After he finally left, the fear didn’t go away—it just changed. I was afraid someone would break into our home. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to raise my children well. I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough to provide for them. The questions and fears just kept coming, and to be honest, they stayed with me for years.

It wasn’t until my children were grown and out of the house that I finally learned to rest in God’s arms. Only then did the truth of God’s Word come alive in me—that He is my refuge, my strength, my protector.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by fear right now, I challenge you not to let it rule your life as it did mine for far too long. Instead, surrender that fear to God and rest in His almighty arms. He is with you, and He will carry you through.

Day 7: Challenge

September 11, 2001, is a day that changed America forever.

Most people remember exactly where they were when they first heard the news. The events of that day shook our nation to its core—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But out of that tragedy, heroes emerged—ordinary people who chose courage in the face of fear.

One of those heroes was Todd Beamer. Todd was a passenger on United Flight 93, traveling from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, California. Partway through the flight, terrorists hijacked the plane and redirected it toward Washington, D.C. Todd and a small group of passengers realized what was happening. They knew they couldn’t just sit by and do nothing.

Instead of letting fear paralyze them, they acted. Todd’s final recorded words were, “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” With incredible bravery, they stormed the cockpit and fought back. The plane crashed in a field in Somerset, Pennsylvania, never reaching the terrorists’ intended target. All on board lost their lives, but countless others were saved because of their courage.

Todd Beamer became a national hero—not because he lived, but because he chose to do what was right, even when it cost him everything.

The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV): “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Fear does not come from God—it holds us back and keeps us from living the full life He has for us. But God has given us power, love, and a sound mind to face every challenge.

What are you afraid of today?

Whatever it is, give it to the Lord. Let His power strengthen you, His love sustain you, and His peace guard your heart. Like Todd Beamer and so many others, you don’t have to let fear win.

Let’s roll—with God leading the way.

Day 7: Action

Write out a list of your fears. Begin meditating on II Timothy 1:7 daily, thinking of your fears and asking God to help you conquer them.