I was out walking my dog the other evening and he was so playful and wanted to run and be petted so we just had us a little time together. When he right up against me and craving for attention I wondered to myself, is his life good and enjoyable and satisfying? We crate train him during the day and then he gets out in the mornings and evenings. It sounds crazy I know, but I just wondered what it would be like to wait on your owner for 8 hours until they get home. So is he satisfied with his life? I think in the dog world, he is. I personally believe (this is completely unfounded) that the good Lord created all the other animals first and then for the last animal he created one that would need and love the companionship of humans. He created a dog. They are the only animal that needs the love of a human. To a cat, you are simply an inconvenience that they have to put up with to get food. Ha. Not so with a dog. A dog wants and needs you and his life is simply satisfying if he has you.

So enough about dogs. Are you satisfied with your life? Are there fears in your life that only you know about that is holding you back? Is there a history in your life that you just can’t get past. Do you look at your life and wish you could change it? Is there a fear or anxiety that keeps coming up in different areas of your life?

My wife loves to watch the show “Dancing with the Stars”. Because I love my wife, I watch it with her. Well, a new season started last night that will probably be on for two nights a week for the next five years. Ha, but last night there was this one contestant, a young father of three named Noah Galloway that has lost an arm and half of a leg in Iraq and yet is competing in dancing with the Stars. He said “it’s not about what we can’t do, but more about what we can.” What a statement.

What is holding you back? Embarrassment, fear, anxiety, anger, awkwardness, inferiority, health, handicap? What is it? I believe the very first step in getting past a fear is it to identify it and call it by name. Once it is named and recognized, you can began the process of dealing with it out loud and out smarting it. Fear is Satan’s greatest weapon he uses to control us. If he can get you to be afraid, he has won that area of your life. My belief if that if you allow one fear to exist in your life you will not struggle with the second or third fear. Before you know it, you have several fears holding you back.

Fighting fear is not easy in any regard but if you want to teach your children how to combat their fears, you need to first fight and overcome yours. KT