Choice Morsels" Friends,
   In one week's time we are due to be on our way back to S Africa. We will miss the graduation of our grandson, David Donyes, but will be able to attend his graduation party this weekend. Several of our family, including David, plan to visit us in S Africa this summer. David plans to spend time assisting us in any way he can in mission work. We need your prayers.   David and Donna Haag

TUMBLE WEED ANXIETY

   "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7 - "perfect love casts out fear, because fear has
torment." (I John 4:18b) (MKJV)

   While driving on the interstate highway across the western Kansas prairies in strong winds, suddenly our quite new vehicle started making a strange grinding noise.
Immediately, fearful thoughts entered our minds. What if it were brakes, or a wheel, or even a broken transmission? We had been visiting churches and telling about the work in South Africa, and had a schedule to meet. What if mechanics in the nearest small town could not fix it? We reasoned that the nearest garage for our type of vehicle could be a few hundred miles away. Praying for God to see us through this difficulty, we got out of the vehicle, but saw nothing underneath the vehicle or under the hood, that could be making that bad noise. Finally, we drove slowly and found a tire garage where they jacked up our vehicle. A short while earlier, while driving in the strong winds, we did see thistles (tumble weeds) flying across the highway and, unbeknown to us, one had come across our path and had firmly lodged itself between the front tire and frame of our vehicle. All that had to be done was pull it out - whew, there we were, breathing a sigh a relief and offering up a prayer of thanks that there was nothing seriously wrong.

   How often in life when some disruption comes into our lives, fear at that moment becomes more prevalent than faith. We feel a pain in our bodies and the enemy tells us, "what if it is cancer or some other serious illness?" We hear that people are losing their jobs where we work, and we think "what will we ever do if my spouse or I lose our jobs?" Someone in our family is late arriving home, and fear comes of what if they are in a bad accident? Newspaper reports tell of dreadful things happening in our country, and fear arises in our hearts making us think, "What will ever happen to my family?" The list goes on and on.

   Now we know just as oil and water do not mix, so faith and fear do not mix. God is not the author of fear - the old devil is. Therefore, when fear takes over our minds, we need to first stop and realize that it is not God talking to us. Then, we need to remember that things are likely not as bad as they may seem at that moment.  Sure, there may be a problem, but we are serving a God Who wants us to just trust and believe Him in faith. God may not always keep us from problems, but He has promised to be with us and bring us through those problems. "I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be)."  (Amp) (Matthew 28:20b). Perhaps the perceived problem may only be a minor one - like a tumble weed rubbing somewhere!

Fear Has Torment - So Why Go There