“Tough Love”

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Face My Fears

Growing up, my dad and mom would always make me face my fears, especially my mom. Whatever it was, my sisters and I were going to face what we were dealt with. These were some of the most embarrassing moments and some of the toughest moments to grow through.

My mom had the best hearing and intuition of anyone I have ever known. She could smell a problem before I even knew I had one. I didn’t even need to think about trying to cover up something or pretend all was good, because she could sniff it out in a second. I have shared so many things about my mom and how she was the kindest person I ever knew, but one thing that would change her sweet and delightful spirit was if someone bothered or messed with her three girls.

“The Best Love”

I learned from my mom “tough love” was sometimes the best love. She made us face our bullies, work harder when we failed, and fix our mess ups. In the same way, I think God does this with all of us. He makes us face our fears and demons. God gives us the power and strength to face what we fear. I have learned this through our journey with Jacob so well. Through his recovery, there has been a great deal of anxiety and hoping for his life to come back together quicker than it has.

Tough love has helped me trust in His timing, find joy in all circumstances, and not to live my days in fear. Tough love has reminded me I have the power in me to overcome fear. So even though we might not have been a huge fan of “tough love” growing up and we might not be a huge fan of God’s tough love, we need to be mindful and always remember God loves us all. He wants to help us face our demons and fears. With God’s love, our fear doesn’t stand a chance.

Counting My Blessings,

Susan Browder