My husband Laurence will be admitted tomorrow to OHSU for a bone marrow transplant. The process is grueling on the body and taxing on the emotions. You wouldn’t know it by Laurence’s joyful smile and upbeat attitude. If he is anxious, he is keeping it to himself.

His attitude is a stark contrast from the experience I had with my Dad last week. The difference is not in the personalities of these two men but in their practice of faith.

The spiritual journey begins with the simple practice of observing our thoughts and emotions and the willingness to train them. Simple but not easy. It takes persistence and patience to identify our fear thoughts and replace them with new ones. It takes dedicated practice to turn away from the appearances of the world and focus on God instead. Each time we conquer fear we develop faith. Each experience helps us build courage to face the fear and walk through it.

Three steps for releasing fear:
1. What is the fear that is haunting you? Fear of lack, fear of illness, fear of being alone are examples of fears that are connected to very powerful emotions.

2. Choose a word of faith that is the opposite of your fear. Examples: lack = abundance, illness = wholeness, being alone = love. Connect it with your experience of God.

3. Create a statement of truth and speak it aloud. Often. Every time the fear thought comes up.
I release my fear of lack and am grateful for God’s abundance that is the source of my good.
I release my fear of illness and am grateful for the wholeness of God that is the truth of my body.
I release my fear of loneliness and am grateful for God’s abundant love that is present in every area of my life.

Replacing fear with faith is not easy but is incredibly a powerful way to shift our emotions and our thinking. It transforms our experience from being a victim to be victorious in life. Blessings for an empowered l