Thursday, June 2, 2016

52 Lists: The Things That Keep Me Up At Night

This week, as I join Chasing Slow and several other blogs in The 52 Lists Project, we have to list the things that keep us up at night. As anxiety and fear are two of the 'thorns in my side', this list was easy to compose. I chose to write about the two top things that keep me awake at night. Anxiety is a constant struggle for me, although I do know that God is in control of all and sees the big picture. He knows what is best for my life, and if I trust Him, I will be in His Will.
 
Traveling is a big part of my life. Most of you know that my husband is a Pipeline Construction Tie-In Foreman. We travel. A lot. The jobs he works usually last three to six months - some shorter and some longer. The kids and I travel with him.
 
Travel...makes me anxious. A few weeks before I know we will be leaving, I lay awake at night worrying. "What if we have a wreck?" "What if we have a flat tire?" "What if we have car trouble?" The "what ifs" are never ending and get worse and worse...Getting control of my thoughts is not easy, but when I realize the enemy is trying to steal my joy and hinder my relationship and TOTAL TRUST in God, I can rebuke him in the Name of Jesus.
 
 
My children's salvation is also something that I worry about, when I should be praying about it! I know that I'm doing my best to lay the foundation of Christ in my children, but ultimately it's up to THEM to decide to surrender all and follow Him. Laying awake at night, I think of all of the things I should be doing differently, all of the mistake I've made in parenting, and all of the moments I wish I could take back. I worry that I won't do the right thing by my children, and that they will rebel against everything they've been taught. But...
 
 
I have to remember that worry doesn't help anything...but prayer does!
 
 
So when I am lying awake in bed, worrying and fretting over things that are truly OUT OF MY CONTROL, I remember WHO is IN CONTROL. I cry out to HIM, and HE HEARS ME. And therefore...
 

 
Linking up with Chasing Slow:
http://www.chasingslow.net/2016/06/52-lists-things-that-keep-you-up-at.html
 
And I'm sorry if this became a sermon instead of a list.

5 comments:

  1. Enjoyed your verses!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can only imagine the anxiety you experience with all the traveling and moving around. ((hugs))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yeah I am a wreck before vacations; but I've gotten better... mostly I worry about forgetting something we need and my husband loves to remind me that there are stores everywhere and we can always buy it if we have to.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I understand your anxieties. We travel full-time with no house to go back to, and there are many considerations and scenarios that could steal a mama's sleep and joy. We also have a child with an auto-immune disease; it's genetic, and I have 8 kids, so I worry about all of them...often at night instead of sleeping. My favorite verse is "Be still." Your verse selections are wonderful. Thank you for being vulnerable and for sharing. You're in my prayers. Maybe we'll see you out on the road one of these days.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I understand your anxiety. It must be so hard to travel so much. Praying for God's peace to abide in your heart and in your mind.

    ReplyDelete