Finding Peace When Emotional Overwhelm hits – Guest Post by Melissa Heiland

by Jennifer Slattery on February 12, 2026February 11, 2026

What do you do when you feel bombarded by chaos and hardship in numerous areas of your life? How can you navigate relational tension, or financial challenges or health concerns when you’re already feeling frazzled and like you’re one more catastrophe from a total meltdown?

Disclosure: I don’t handle emotional overwhelm well, which is why I find today’s post, by AWSA sister Melissa Heiland so helpful–and important. It reiterates a message God has been speaking into my soul: I’m not stuck in today’s crisis or my reactive response. Each day, by His grace, I can grow in the peace and confidence befitting a well-cared for child of Almighty God.

May her words encourage you as well.

I woke up on Monday feeling completely overwhelmed, paralyzed by anxiety. I had so much to do yet felt completely unable to focus on even the most basic tasks. Some days, some seasons are like that. Chest pains, anxiety, lethargy, fear – these are all symptoms of emotional overwhelm. We love the Lord. We trust in Him. We know He is all-sufficient, yet we can still become overwhelmed with circumstances, past and present. Sometimes it is a result of current situations. Sometimes a culmination of hurts that hit us like a ton of bricks. Sometimes we know why – an anniversary, a phone call, the sight of someone who looks like someone else.

In my case, it was a storyline seen on television. It started a cascade of memories and feelings that are always there, but not always at the surface of my thoughts. And I was drowning, unable to do the things I needed to do because of the weight of the thoughts. We can know the Lord, love the Lord and trust the Lord and still feel the weight of emotions in our mind, heart and soul. As a woman who has dealt with much trauma, I am quite familiar with overwhelm, Jesus is the answer to all life’s problems, and I’d like to share some things I’ve learned that helped me deal with emotional overwhelm as a daughter of the King.

For me, the most important thing is to give myself grace. I’m learning not to beat myself up for the bad days or seasons. Jesus knows my pain; He keeps my tears in a bottle. He suffered on earth as well. Feeling the pain and the hurt is not a sin. It is a result of sin. When I am feeling this way, it’s not only okay, but necessary to slow down. God has control of my life. When I need to step back, I know that He’s always there filling in the gaps. He is faithful.

Spending time in nature helps me in the seasons. It’s tempting to stay inside, locked away from the world, but fresh air and a change of scenery can be healing. God created so much beauty for us in the mountains, the beach, the flowers, the trees. He’s used all his creation at times as a salve to my wounded soul.

Exercise can be healing. I’m not an athlete by any stretch of imagination, but walking restores balance to my mind. God created our bodies in an incredible way. We know that when we exercise, chemicals that promote feelings of calm are released in our bodies. Exercise, even in small amounts, helps up relax and cope with our emotions.

Listening to worship music when I am overwhelmed is very comforting to me. It helps me to get the perspective that is so easily lost. It reminds me of the truths of the Scripture. When I worship, my thoughts turn to Jesus instead of my circumstances, and I remember I’m not alone.

When I’m overwhelmed, I try to focus on gratitude. I try to remember the good in my life and to speak these things aloud or write them down. Sometimes, I’ll reread things I have written about the goodness of God in my life. This helps ground me when things feel out of control.

Feelings of overwhelm can take me by surprise, like they did on Monday. Monday was a hard day, but Tuesday was much better. I’ve experienced seasons of overwhelm that lasted much longer than a day. But God has always been faithful to me. He’s spoken words of kindness, love and grace to my heart in times of great distress. His presence and love is a constant in my life. My feelings may change like the wind, but God is never-changing. He is with me in the overwhelm comforting me, patiently bringing me back to the peace that passes understanding.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. ~ Psalm 16:11

***

If this post resonated with you, make sure to check out Carol and my conversation on the Faith Over Fear podcast in the episode titled “Emotional Overwhelm: Finding Christ’s Peace When You’ve Reached Your Limit“. Download the free companion guide HERE.

You might find February 10ths episode, titled “Finding God’s Peace When the World Feels Hostile and Out of Control“.

***

Get to Know Melissa Heiland:

Melissa Heiland is a wife, mother of 6, and grandmother of 14. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Beautiful Feet International, a ministry that starts international pregnancy ministries. She is an author, speaker, and missionary. Her passion is teaching others to share the Gospel and to protect life.

Check Out Her Latest Release, You Are Wonderful: Psalm 139 for Children

Who knows you better than anyone? Discover the answers in Psalm 139! No matter where you come from or where you are in the world, you are loved, and you are never alone. Through this timeless message found in Psalm 139, using heartwarming illustrations and simple language, You Are Wonderful brings joy, security, and comfort to little children everywhere. Available in English and also in Spanish as Eres Maravilloso. This beautiful full-color book is a perfect size for little hands, on sturdy paper, perfect for bedtime or anytime. Each captivating illustration represents children from all over the world. In easy-to-understand language, children will receive the comforting security of knowing God is with them and thinks they are wonderful!

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

We've probably all walked into a room and felt unseen, out of place, or excluded. Those experiences can cut deep and leave us feeling alone in the very place where everyone else seems connected with friends. In this episode, Jennifer talks with Dr. Heather Holleman to explore how powerful truths in Ephesians helps us reframes those painful experiences and related insecurities. Together, they unpack what it means to be chosen, included, and seated with Christ and how those realities speak directly into anxiety, comparison, and loneliness. Drawing from Scripture and personal story, this conversation invites listeners to move from striving for belonging to resting in the secure place they already occupy with Jesus. They also discuss the impact of the narratives we carry, what Dr. Holleman calls “shadow stories”, and how replacing those with God’s biblical truth fosters healing and transformation. Through practices like expressive writing and sharing personal “Savior stories,” listeners will discover practical ways to process pain, renew their thinking, and step into their God-given purpose. This episode ultimately shifts the focus from isolation to mission, reminding us that we are not only included in Christ but also sent to reflect Him in a world longing for connection. Resources referenced: Included in Christ: Living A New Story from Ephesians (A Bible Study) by Dr. Heather Holleman "Embracing Your True Self: Living in Your Christ-Centered Identity" Bible reading plan (on the YouVersion Bible app) Connect with Dr. Heather Holleman: On her website On Instagram On Facebook Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Subscribe to her free newsletter Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Praying Against Our Fear

by Jennifer Slattery on February 5, 2026February 3, 2026

(Note: This post first published, in a slightly different form, on October 7, 2021.)

As someone with a long history of anxiety, I’ve learned I can’t experience lasting peace in my own strength. I can’t take my anxious, and often snowballing, thoughts captive (2 Cor. 10:5) without supernatural help. But I’ve also found, each day, I can live more fully in the victory of Christ, during my most hectic and uncertain moments, included, when I actively and consistently pursue Him. When my world feels chaotic and like I’m being whipped about in a never-ending cyclone, I prayed for reprieve from difficult circumstances, yes, but even more so, I prayed against the storm raging within me. That was when I began taking my greatest steps toward freedom.

As some of you know, 2011 was an incredibly rough year for me, for so many reasons. I felt like I was being bombarded, relentless, on each side.

Can you relate?

Now, over a decade later, I can see how my overwhelm built slowly. Eventually, I became completely enslaved to my fear. My anxiety-driven actions also wounded some of the people I hold most dear. Feeling trapped in my inner spiral, I would fantasize about a life free of fear. I’d have so much extra time, so much more joy and peace. Healthier relationships, more restful sleep, more clarity regarding my calling.

But while I frequently dreamt about a peaceful existence, I didn’t believe I’d ever reach such a state. My catastrophic thinking felt far too strong to stop.

then one day, as I was walking to the laundry room, a realization silenced my normally loud brain: This is not how God wants me to live. He promised me freedom.

I knew, with the certainty that can only come from the Holy Spirit, that the same God who called me to live in freedom would give me the tools to do so.

Quote pulled from post on decorative background.

That was my call to action moment, where I sensed God challenging me to make a choice. I could remain stuck in my gunk, slipping further and further into fear. Or I could follow His lead, however He led, in my pursuit of the woman He created me to be.

Praise God, and by His grace alone, I chose the latter and began actively, persistently, and consistently praying against my fear. Every time I felt that knot in my gut, I paused to seek God’s help and His strength. I asked Him to break the power my fear had over me, which at the time felt insurmountable, and in its place, to flood my soul with peace.

I was following the biblical example of the father who began in fear and anguish, but received that which he desperately sought. We read his story in Mark chapter 9, which we discussed in relation to praying versus arguing, a couple months ago. To refresh your memory, Scripture tells us, one day Jesus took Peter, James, and John up onto a mountain where He revealed to them His glory in an unforgettable, awe-inspiring way.

While they were gone, a deeply distressed father came searching for Jesus. Not finding Him, he sought help from His disciples, maybe because he’d heard about all the miracles they’d performed not long before (Matthew 10:1-20). His situation, it seemed, was simply too hard; the disciples failed. But then Jesus arrived, and, noticing a conflict between His followers and the teachers of the law, asked what they were arguing about.

Scripture says, “A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not'” (V. 17-18).

Then Jesus summoned the child, and the demon “threw the boy into a convulsion.” The child “fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth” (v. 20).

After a short explanation, the father said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (v. 21).

To which Jesus responded, “‘If you can’? Everything is possible for one who believes” (v. 22).

Hearing this, the father let out a guttural, shriek-like cry, krazo in the original Greek, perhaps because he feared his son’s healing depended on his faith. He exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (v. 24).

Jesus didn’t get upset at the man. He didn’t rebuke him and send him away for his weak faith. Instead, He responded to the father and son in love and grace. He commanded the demon to leave the boy, never to return again.

This passage reminds me to bring my anxieties to Jesus, and to seek Him in the midst of my doubts, knowing He won’t chastise or reject me. Instead, He’ll give me precisely what I need–increased intimacy with the only One whose love has the power to cast out my fears. (1 John 4:18).

Friends, He’s been so faithful. That fall when I began actively and persistently praying against my fears? That was a life-changer for me. I didn’t notice much difference at first, and there were times I wondered if my constant requests were doing any good. But I kept praying, day after day, sometimes moment by moment, month after month. Then, one day some six months later, I realized a situation that had once triggered intense anxiety barely bothered me anymore, and other situations no longer bothered me at all. God indeed had been working.

He was working on a spiritual level, using His supernatural power to break the chains that kept me bound. He was also teaching me how to grab hold of His freedom, step by step. To turn to Him in times of fear. Through this, I practiced stopping my anxious thoughts before they gained moment and rerouting them onto the good, in essence, onto God.

Lessons I probably wouldn’t have learned, had God immediately eradicated my anxiety.

I’ve adapted my peace-pursuit-plan since I first wrote today’s post. Now, I spend less time praying against my fear and more time praying for peace. I’ve found this especially helpful at night, when what-if thinking seem to multiply. Now, when I sense that first burst of anxiety, I recite Isaiah 26:3, which states:

You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you (NIV).

I make this my prayer, trusting that the Lord will do what He’s promised. This hasn’t eradicated my worries entirely, but it has drastically improved my inner calm.

Let’s talk about this! Do you suffer from anxiety? And if so, how often do you pray against your fear specifically?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, and make sure to connect with me on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out the Faith Over Fear Bible reading plan HERE.

If this encouraged you, make sure to check out both of my conversations with Jamie Hampton, cohost of the Praying Christian Woman podcast. I visited her show January 25th to talk about the healing benefits of interactive journaling. You can listen to that conversation HERE.

Two days later, she joined me on the Faith Over Fear podcast to discuss a powerful, but often misunderstood verse and how prayer–when we find the words to speak and when our anxiety binds our tongue–helps to calm and heal our fearful, wounded souls. Catch that conversation HERE.

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

Trusting God’s Presence When You Feel Lost – Guest Post by Jodie Bailey

by Jennifer Slattery on January 22, 2026January 21, 2026

Note: I first shared this post here in April of 2022.

I’m pretty sure you haven’t missed it. The outside world is a pretty intense place right now. War, division … Honestly, if I start listing everything, we’ll all just get depressed.

For the past few years, it seems I have lived my life by some verses in Psalms:

“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:15-16 NIV)

There’s an immense comfort in knowing God knew everything that was coming before you were even born. When I look back on my life, particularly the times that have taxed me and brought me to the end of myself, I don’t often see the hardship first. What stands out most clearly is God’s presence and how He made a way. It’s not just that God knows what’s coming; it’s that He has already prepared a path through that place. Even my hard places. Even through a pandemic. Even through the threat of war.

Even in the midst of whatever you are personally going through, God knows what’s coming. He has already prepared a path through.

Awhile back, while I was praying some things for my daughter, I went back to Psalm 139 and started looking at it again. This is where I find my comfort. I started wondering: what else does Psalm 139 have for us in these anxious times? It’s a Psalm about God being in charge, so it seems like a good thing to realize right now, in the middle of uncertainty, anxiety and just plain weirdness.

There is so much to see in this chapter. Beautiful promises like, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10 NIV)

It doesn’t matter where we are. At home, away from home, with our family or alone: God is there. In the midst of sin, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. In the midst of fear, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. In the midst of a complete loss of control, God is there, waiting for us to turn to Him. If He feels far away, please know that’s a lie straight from the enemy. Right here in Psalm 139 is the promise that God is right here. Right there. Right where you are.

Even better? Darkness isn’t a thing to God. “Even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You.” (Psalm 139:12 NIV)

When it all seems bleak and we can’t see what’s coming, God can and does. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing startles Him. He’s not wringing His hands in heaven, wondering what to do next. He already knows what’s coming, and He’s already at work in the “what next.”

When it all seems bleak and we can’t see what’s coming, God can and does. Nothing surprises Him.

Know what that means? We don’t need to know everything. One of my precious former students texted me last night and said, “I have never wanted so badly to be able to see the future.” My initial response was, “Me, too.” But then God dropped Psalm 139 on me yet again. He already knows the future. It’s already taken care of. We don’t need to know, because our loving Father does.

He’s already made a way in the darkness. A stream in the desert. If we stop and take some time to look and listen, I know we will see places where He is working. Sometimes it’s in the greater world. Sometimes it’s in our living room. And sometimes it’s right inside of us. But never doubt: He is working all over the place, in every inch of this, even when it seems like the darkness is winning.

But never doubt: He is working, in every inch of this, even when it seems like the darkness is winning.

Know what? I’m praying for you. Praying that if it feels like you’re in the dark, if you’re scared or anxious or
wondering what comes next, God will show you that He is right beside you, no matter where you are.

There is no darkness to God. Only glorious light.

Take a look around, even at the hard places. God is there. Where do you see Him at work today?

We hope this post has blessed you today! If you’d like to support or get involved with Wholly Loved Ministries, check out our upcoming Gala and see how you can be a part of it!

Get to Know Jodie Bailey:

Jodie Bailey is a New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly Best-selling author who writes “soul-stirring suspense” filled with love, faith and intrigue. Her novel, Crossfire, was an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award winner that was commended for addressing “the stigma associated with mental health services and the military.” She is a mom and Army wife who believes dark chocolate cures all ills. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and a lab-husky mix. –This text refers to the paperback edition.

Check out her latest release, Buried Mountain Justice (Trinity Investigative Team Book 3):

These mountains hide many secrets…
and uncovering them could be deadly.

Returning to her hometown has perilous consequences when private investigator Kelsie McIlheney stumbles upon a murderer in the midst of burying their latest victim. To investigate the burial site, she’s forced to team up with her former love, Special Agent Noah Cross, who’s rattled to see Kelsie again after she left without a word nearly two decades ago. When more bodies are uncovered and attacks begin to escalate, it becomes clear that Noah is the killer’s next target. As the past comes back to haunt them and a long-standing vendetta is revealed, Noah and Kelsie must risk everything to ensure justice is served.

From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.

Trinity Investigative Team

Book 1: Taken at Christmas
Book 2: Protecting the Orphan
Book 3: Buried Mountain Justice

Grab your copy here.

If this post resonated with you, you might find this Faith Over Fear podcast episode encouraging: “How God Brings Good Through Wilderness Seasons“

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

When God is still writing your “dream” – Guest post by Laurie Devernoe

by Jennifer Slattery on January 15, 2026January 14, 2026

When the door closed behind me, I didn’t know it would become one of those defining moments God would use to reveal what I’d quietly locked away in my heart. I didn’t think twice as I wheeled out the first load of luggage, my mind fixed on the car and the schedule I was determined to keep.

But when I opened the trunk, it hit me: I’d left my phone inside, along with the app that unlocked the door. All I had were my key fob and suitcase. Everything else, including my supplies and the notes for the meeting I was speaking at in an hour, was locked away inside while I stood outside frozen.

The wind tussled my hair as storm clouds gathered overhead, and panic rose in my chest. I wanted someone to appear out of nowhere and hand me my phone or to rewind those few minutes so I could grab it myself.

Days later, as I replayed the moment in my mind, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, “This is how you have been treating the hopes and tender longings you’ve locked away.” Places where my efforts were crushed and the outcomes fell far from what I had planned for.

So often, when obstacles press down on us, we shrink back. We quit. We tell ourselves the path must not be right and choose the safer, well-traveled road, even as a quiet part of us wonders if maybe we should try again.

Joseph knew this tension well.

Joseph was one of the youngest of the twelve sons of the patriarch Jacob and he was his father’s favorite. Jacob made no attempt to hide his favoritism. He openly displayed his affection by giving Joseph a special coat of many colors and keeping him close while his brothers were out tending the sheep.

Joseph was quick to share the dreams God had placed in his heart with his family, and it cost him dearly. His brothers’ jealousy drove them to sell him into slavery and deceive their father into believing Joseph was dead.

In Egypt, far from home, Joseph’s ability to lead began to emerge. He served faithfully in the household of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Later, Joseph continued to lead even in prison, where he was unjustly confined.

Even behind bars, the language of dreams continued to follow him. Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker were imprisoned alongside Joseph, and both became troubled by what they had seen in their sleep. Gifted by God, Joseph interpreted their visions accurately. The cupbearer was restored to his position; the baker was not. Joseph asked to be remembered, but once the cupbearer returned to serving Pharaoh, Joseph was forgotten.

Scripture does not tell us how often Joseph reflected on the visions God had placed in his heart so long ago. Did he regret sharing them with his family, now knowing it had provoked his brothers’ jealousy? Did he wonder if staying silent might have kept their family dysfunction at bay and he could have remained at home, safe, and loved? Did he ever question whether it was worth believing again in what once felt so real?

I’ve spent so much time looking back—wondering how I might have handled hard situations differently, wishing I had slowed down and thought through the outcomes, and reflecting on how my choices affected others. And too often, I’ve let fear stop me from trying again, convinced that failure had disqualified me.

Do you ever feel that way? Too afraid to try again? Too worn out to believe?

Standing outside that locked condo, I felt that same wave of discouragement. I wanted to give up. But without a phone in my hand, I had to get creative, take a risk, ask for help, and believe that a solution was possible.

Then one day, Joseph’s closed doors opened. He was summoned before Pharaoh because the cupbearer finally remembered him. Standing before Pharaoh, Joseph pointed to God as the true interpreter of dreams and offered wisdom for the future. In a moment, Joseph went from prisoner to second in command over all Egypt.

His long season of hardship had prepared him.

Sometimes, that is exactly what our waiting and our setbacks are doing for us.

Today, I invite you to sit prayerfully with these questions:

• Do you need to do something differently?
• Do you need to ask for help?
• Do you need to believe in yourself again?
• Do you need to grieve the past to embrace the future?
• Do you need to trust God in a new way?

Whatever it is, when we open space in our hearts, we make room for the creativity that helps unlock the hopes we carry and the story God is still writing.

In this new year, let us become people who dream boldly again.

***

If this post encouraged you, check out the Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled “How God Uses Long Waiting Seasons to Bless and Grow Us”

Get to Know Laurie Devernoe:

Laurie Devernoe is a Christian speaker, author, and mental health coach known for bringing faith to life with warmth, humor, and practical Biblical wisdom. Through engaging, down-to-earth teaching, she helps individuals and families move beyond surviving daily routines to living impactful, faith-centered lives that support mental health and strengthen families.

As a mother of five—including triplets—Laurie understands real life and connects with others by blending Scripture with relatable stories and simple, doable practices that help faith take root in everyday moments.

Laurie is the author of Coffee House Parenting, where she invites parents to pull up a chair, breathe deep, and cultivate meaningful, faith-filled rhythms at home through humor, honesty, and hope. Her memoir, Seeing Through the Darkness, shares her journey through vision loss and spiritual awakening, offering encouragement, practical mental health tools, and a powerful reminder that God is present—even in the hard places.

A sought-after retreat and conference speaker, Laurie has been featured on numerous podcasts and most recently on local television, where she speaks openly about faith, mental health, and living fully—even when life doesn’t go as planned.

Check out her book, Seeing Through The Darkness: The Incredible Story of How Losing My Sight Taught Me to See:

Have the broken pieces of life left you uncertain how to go on?

You didn’t think this could ever happen to you? You thought you were a good person? You thought God was real. You did all you knew to do, and you thought everything would work out.

You reach for your faith and feel you are grasping at air. Could your suffering possibly be the very invitation you need to step out of the darkness of the unknown to see life with beauty and grace?

These are the real and difficult questions Laurie Devernoe faced when a lifetime of unwavering faith in God was pushed to the brink. In Seeing Through the Darkness, Laurie shares candidly about the journey she experienced following the trauma of losing her vision in one eye and how the broken pieces of her faith lay before her—pieces she would find in the darkness that now enabled her to see.

Buy it HERE.

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

How knowing God by Name Helps quiet anxiety and fear – Guest post by Grace Fox

by Jennifer Slattery on January 8, 2026January 7, 2026

One of my dear friends was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Another was released from the hospital after a five-week stay for encephalitis. A third battles a malignant brain tumor. And the list goes on.

My human bent tends to feel anxious about what the future holds for these women. How will they and their families cope with the fear giant that comes with suffering and uncertainty?

My human bent fears for my own family, too, but this giant bears the name “financial insecurity.” A gallon of milk costs more than five dollars where we live. Filling a cart with groceries nearly requires a second mortgage—if you’re able to afford a home, that is.

My kids are grown now with children of their own, and it’s easy for my Mama Bear heart to worry. What does the economic future hold? How will my kids make ends meet if prices continue to soar?

Perhaps a greater cause for anxiety is our culture’s moral decline. I have fourteen grandchildren, and I fear society’s influence on their souls. When the time comes for them to leave home, will they remain true to Jesus and His values, or will they conform to the world’s standards instead?

The fear giant looms large for many people. Perhaps you can relate. Maybe it has robbed you of a good night’s sleep, tied your stomach in knots, and made your head throb and your muscles ache. If so, you are not alone.

Knowing God by name helps us fight fear

When the fear giant threatened to consume the population during the pandemic, I dug into Scripture to find verses that showed me how to fight it. That’s when I discovered a weapon that’s proven life-changing. That is—understanding and applying the power of God’s names.

In Old Testament times, God manifested His nature through His names. Like a diamond’s facets, each name reflects a particular aspect of His character so we can better understand who He is. The more complete our understanding of His character, the better able we are to trust Him. Learning to trust God more fully gives us courage to face the fear giant.

Here are three of God’s Hebrew names to remember when the fear giant casts its shadow over you:

El Elyon – “Most High God”

This name declares God to be ultimate in supremacy, sovereignty, and authority. He is the Creator of heaven and earth; therefore, everything belongs to Him and He has the right to do with it as He deems best. He is the boss, and He always has the final say.

When the fear giant struts toward us, let’s remain steadfast, grounded in the truth that God is in control of every detail of our lives. What He says will happen, happens. Because of who He is, He is the final authority. Nothing stops Him from fulfilling His promises and purposes, and those purposes are always good.

Take that, fear giant!

Yahweh Rohi – “the LORD is my Shepherd”

This name reveals God as the almighty Creator who cares for us as a shepherd cares tenderly for his lambs. But there’s more. For instance, the verb “is” denotes God as present-tense. He’s with us every moment of every day to protect, comfort, and guide. The word “my” infers an intimate relationship. We belong to the Shepherd because He bought us with the price of His own blood, and we depend on Him.

When I feel afraid, I envision God cradling me in His arms as Scripture describes:

“…He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart....” (Isaiah 40:11 NIV)

The fear giant can’t touch me when God holds me tight. Be gone, fear giant!

Yahweh Yireh – “the LORD will provide”

This name means more than the obvious. God not only meets our needs, but He sees in advance what those needs will be and then meets them at precisely the right time. He perceives our thoughts and feelings about those needs and enters our experience as He provides for them.

God’s power over our needed provisions stretches beyond the material. He also supplies wisdom, comfort, guidance, discernment, peace, joy, and perseverance. The apostle Paul wrote,

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Let’s recall this promise when the fear of not having enough intimidates us, and let’s find courage in knowing God is the infinite source of whatever we lack.

Get lost, fear giant!

Scripture mentions fear more than 350 times because God knows it’s a big deal for us, but He also gave us the key to victory over it. Understanding His nature as revealed through His names and then choosing to live from the truth transforms us from cowardly to courageous. He’s given us a powerful weapon, so let’s pick it up and use it to topple the fear giant.

If this post encouraged you, you’ll enjoy Jennifer’s conversation with Grace in this Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled, “Knowing God by Name: Finding Peace When Fear Feels Overwhelming”.

Get to Know Grace Fox:

Grace has written 15 books and published hundreds of articles in magazines including “Focus on the Family,” “Insights,” and “Today’s Christian Woman.” She’s a regular contributor to Guideposts’ annual “Mornings With Jesus” and a member of the First 5 writing team (P31 Ministries). Her book, “Finding Hope in Crisis: Devotions for Calm in Chaos” won the Golden Scroll “Devotional Book of the Year” award in 2021. “Keeping Hope Alive: Devotions for Strength in the Storm” won the same award in 2022.

Fox speaks at women’s events worldwide and is the national co-director of International Messengers Canada, an interdenominational ministry that offers creative short-term and career opportunities in more than 30 countries. She and her husband married in 1982 and celebrate three grown children and fourteen grandchildren. They live full-time on a sailboat near Vancouver, British Columbia.

Check Out Her Latest Release, Names of God: Knowing Peace: Devotional Study with Video Access (Names of God Devotional Studies):

Peace. The very word evokes images of serene landscapes and quiet stillness. In today’s chaotic world, peace is a valuable commodity. The Bible has a lot to say about peace, claiming that God himself is the ultimate source. In this follow-up to Names of God: Living Unafraid, Grace Fox reflects on how the following names of God point to the peace our souls so desperately crave:

Yahweh Shalom―The Lord Is Peace
Abba―Father
El Shaddai―God Almighty
El Roi―The God Who Sees Me
Yahweh Ori―The Lord Is My Light
Yahweh Nissi―The Lord Is My Banner
Immanuel―God with Us

Knowing Peace uses examples from Scripture and compelling real-life stories to illustrate how these names can bring inner peace amid life’s storms. Each session includes a guided prayer, reflection questions, and a video link providing additional insights from Grace. Perfect for individual or group study, this new addition to the Names of God series will encourage and inspire readers to draw near to God and receive his peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Buy it HERE.

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

When Relationships Hurt

by Jennifer Slattery on January 1, 2026December 31, 2025

(This first published on March 30, 2023.)

Relationships can lead to great joy and fulfillment, but they can also trigger significant anxiety and pain. While God can, and often does, bring healing, restoration, and wholeness to some of our most challenging relationships, sadly, some connections remain fractured.

This often leaves us wrestling with difficult and confusing questions like, how do we love others well, in a godly and healthy way, without inviting continual injury? How can we protect our hearts from what is harmful while nourishing it with everything life giving and true? How do we grieve well, without bitterness, and while holding tightly to hope?

Or perhaps to phrase it differently, how do we experience the victorious, thriving life Christ promised in every situation? Without allowing other people’s behavior to negatively affect ours?

Is this even possible?

These were some of the questions I addressed last weekend when I spoke to a group of women in Rockford, Michigan. While there, I heard stories of deep mother-daughter wounds. Of seemingly irreparably broken friendships. And listening, I recalled the hurt others had shared withe me shortly before. Of challenging marriages and shattered trust. And on occasion, of situations where women realized, despite their longing for reconciliation, wisdom required distance. And in every instance, I heard sorrow expressed.

I could relate. I imagine you can, too. We’ve all suffered the effects of living in a sin-tainted world that is far from what God intended; far from the joyful paradise for which we’re destined.

We are all living somewhere within the messy middle, and that hurts. But that doesn’t mean we can’t receive joy and peace amidst the storm. While I’m still on this journey of becoming and receiving, God has and is teaching me some things regarding how to thrive, even while my soul aches.

I’m learning to give myself space to mourn, and to recognize the holy thread woven through my grief. God created us to give and receive love, without fear or injury. To crave emotional intimacy and healthy connection. That is what we’re destined for, and therefore the states for which we’ll always long.

But God’s showed me that I also must always grieve with hope, keeping my heart open to the possibility that, one day, things might change. This is and may always feel hard—finding a way to accept what is without hardening myself against potential miracles to come. Even if that means my heart remains a little bruised.

In the meantime, I seek God’s perspective—of my hurts, the other person, and the situation—recognizing my perspective is limited, tainted by scars previously incurred, including past interactions with the individual, and often deceived. Once He’s corrected my view, or removed my plank, so to speak, I ask for His guidance on how to proceed. He usually only tells me my next couple steps, and that always involves resting in Him.

Receiving from Him.

Letting Him fill my soul—with Him. The God who knows me fully, loves me completely, and will never leave.

The God who says to each of us, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10, NIV).

Let’s talk about this. How do you heal, nourish, and protect your heart when others wound it?

If this resonates with you, you might also receive encouragement from this Faith Over Fear episode titled “When Relationships Hurt: Finding Healing, Safety, and Hope in Christ”.

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

Celebrating a joyful, painful, Hope-filled Christmas

by Jennifer Slattery on December 24, 2025December 24, 2025

This Christmas feels paradoxical. I wonder if you can relate. Part of me—the wife and mom in me—is looking forward to a simple celebration with those I love most. But my heart also … carries the weight of conflicting emotions. Perhaps my undercurrents of melancholy stem from the weather—less light each day, the blue sky of fall blanketed in gray, and nights that come sooner and lasts longer. It could also be because holidays and birthdays, historically, haven’t always felt so nostalgic or enjoyable.

And then there’s the loss of my dad, who I would’ve called today, despite the fact that he hated Christmas, and would likely tell me so. And the loss of my funny, brilliant and oh, so humble father-in-law two years prior.

Yet that’s also why Christmas feels so profound. Christ entered a world with relational, emotional, and global chaos. He saw our darkness and despair and didn’t turn away. Instead, He responded with a compassion that drew Him close. He left heaven’s glory, took on flesh, stepped into our brokenness, and later, carried the weight of the world’s sin and sorrow on His shoulders so we could experience healing, freedom, and relational intimacy with the God who never leaves.

When this season feels confusing, when praise and sorrow, joy and grief, intertwine, I celebrate because:

Christ came.
Pain and hardship won’t get the final say.
Love reigns.
Hope prevails.
Light remains and holds the power to chase the deepest darkness away.

If your heart feels torn…
If you’re grateful and grieving…
If you love the season but feel the ache beneath it…
If anxiety hums quietly in the background alongside your smiles…

I see you. I get it. And so does Jesus. On Christmas morning, He came for you. He’s still coming for you—in your hard and in your joy—and He won’t leave.

Because of His presence, Immanuel, God with us: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”— Isaiah 9:2

Merry Christmas, friend. Hold tight to this truth: the best is yet to come.

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

When Christmas Feels Exhausting: Pursuing Peace in Christ’s Presence–Guest post by peyton Garland

by Jennifer Slattery on December 18, 2025December 17, 2025

First, I must tell you how FUN it is to share today’s content with you as Peyton was my editor at iBelieve for some time. I love how God allows connections to form and remain in this industry! But, enough of my sentimentality.

When Christmas Feels Exhausting

by Peyton Garland

“I don’t enjoy Christmas anymore,” I told my husband just this year. There have been so many hurt feelings stirred between family members, so many endless demands to bend to others’ holiday schedules, that I spend Christmas surviving, not celebrating. But I don’t want that, especially for my son who needs to know that this holiday is centered on our salvation—our reason for joy, no matter the season.

So where is my disconnect? What am I lacking to feel and appreciate Christmas deep in my soul?

Vulnerability.

2 Corinthians 8:21 reminds us, “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” Notice, we are called to do what is right—to be lovingly open and honest with others and ourselves included.

True connection requires vulnerability, which demands that you get a bit uncomfortable. It asks you to share the pieces of yourself that aren’t always right or put together. Connection won’t allot extra time for you to create a presentable version of yourself because it wants more from you than a mere presentation. Connection needs authenticity that will sustain relationships long after the curtains close and the audience goes home.

The answer to unlocking true connection is prayer. It’s honest, open, holding-nothing-back conversations with God. It requires you to silence the electronic devices and be uncomfortable in the quiet, letting God have a turn to share what your soul needs to change for the better.

Your response to prayer is vital in determining just how rooted you stay in Christ and how connected you stay with others this busy season. When your response to prayer is repentance, your heart softens. It gives way to honest, encouraging conversations with others. It fosters better patience with family, friends, and coworkers.

When there’s nothing to mask, there’s no hidden exhaustion from creating, presenting, and maintaining a false persona that your heart knows is fake.

This Christmas, don’t neglect the joy of your salvation to check off all the holiday to-do’s. Set reasonable boundaries for your family to protect the true meaning of this season: soul-filled peace.

Of course, this isn’t a free ticket to be hateful or rude to others, but recognize when you are sacrificing the spiritual well-being of yourself and your family to please others. Be honest, even if it’s uncomfortable, when you must say, “Our family is maxed out right now. Unfortunately, we can’t come.”

Instead of obeying a hectic schedule solely for the sake of always seeming prepared enough to do all the things, create traditions rooted in intimacy and slower evenings, traditions centered on celebrating Jesus and honoring His blessing of life-giving family and friends.

Let true connection keep you grounded this Christmas season, as truth fills your heart and stills your mind to take in the vulnerable beauty of the Savior in a manger.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Get to Know Peyton Garland:

Peyton Garland is an author, editor, and boy mama who lives in the beautiful foothills of East Tennessee. Subscribe to her blog Uncured+Okay for more encouragement.

Check Out Her Book, Tired, Hungry, and Kinda Faithful: Where Exhaustion and Exile Meet God:

“For I know the plans I have for—”

No doubt, you know that Jeremiah 29:11 is all about a promising future for the believer. But what about Jeremiah 29:14, which tells us God will drive his children into a treacherous exile—the very place he wants to be found?

How can exile offer hope? Why would a good God force his beloved into life’s wastelands? Often, our Christian bubbles water down the answer to surviving on life’s grim, bland manna, but what if the wilderness isn’t as draining and barren as we thought? What if we are called to exile’s supposed desolation to, instead, discover God’s vibrant works in the most impossible situations?

If you are juggling spiritual and physical hunger, exhaustion, and a mediocre faith that constantly thirsts for more of God’s true nature, I invite you to traverse both lush and lacking terrains as we discover an even brighter, more real picture of God’s goodness.

For more encouragement and tips on creating the Christmas your heart and soul needs, check out the Faith Over Fear episode titled “Anxiety and Stress Threatening Your Christmas? Practical Steps to Find Holiday Peace“

Feeling Left Out? Christ Seats You at the Table of Honor – Faith Over Fear

When Family Drama Threatens to Sour Christmas – Guest post by peggysue wells

by Jennifer Slattery on December 11, 2025December 10, 2025

One morning, my teen groused around the house.

I tried to cheer her with pancakes and jokes.

She absently pushed a pancake around on her plate.

My efforts didn’t improve her attitude. Feeling rejected, I was tempted to give her the silent treatment. How easy to say, “When will you clean your bathroom?”

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all,” Romans 12:18. If we’re doing our best to live peaceably, why do family gatherings become a place where we emotionally abuse one another and have pie?

1. Something happens or is said, done, not said, or not done that results in me feeling rejected. Efforts to cheer my daughter were rebuffed.

2. Resentful about feeling rejected, I make up a story about my teen’s behavior.

3. Feeling resentment, I resist relationship by giving the silent treatment.

4. Resistance turns into revenge. My verbal attack about her bathroom would hurt her in the same way I feel she has hurt me.

5. Repeat.. She didn’t engage with me, I disengaged from her, she distances herself from my barbs, and the pattern continues.

These 5 Rs destroy relationships: rejection, resentment, resistance, revenge, repeat.

This cycle becomes automatic and expected. The aunt perpetually offended with someone. The relative who plays favorites. The sibling who pouts when he doesn’t get his way.

Reverse the 5 Rs.

1. Resentment You are stuck in resentment when you are stuck in drama.

“He needs to …”

“I’m not perfect but …”

“She should …”

Solution: Shift to gratitude.

“I’m grateful he …”

“What fun to …”

“I’m thankful she …”

2. Resistance is shutting down emotionally and relationally.

Solution: Engage. Make eye contact, have conversations. Get clear by saying, “The story I’m making up in my head about (situation) is _______________.”

3. Revenge is wanting another to feel hurt.

Words like, “Now he will know how it feels.”

“Serves her right.”

“He had it coming,” signal revenge.

Solution: Give grace generously for healthy relationships.

4. Repeat. Being hurt, you hurt someone, and they hurt you, and you are offended, and they are offended, and both people dive into the 5 Rs.

Solution: Release others from your expectations of how they should act or behave.

“Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult.” ~ King Solomon (Prov. 12:16).

The moment you feel rejected, choose the 5 Rs, or choose grace, joy, and health.

Rejection is based on understanding what is fact and what is fiction. The fact is:

1. my teen refused to be cheered up

2. my adult child has a life that doesn’t center around me

3. I was not recognized at an important event

We instantly make up a story about what those facts mean.

1. My teenager thinks I stink as a parent

2. My adult child keeps me out of their life

3. I am not important

We act and react based on the made-up story as if the fictional story were truth.

Instead, stick to the facts.

1. To my teen, I said, “The story I’m making up in my head is I stink as a parent and you’d rather be anywhere than here with me.”

My teen responded, “I just learned the boy I babysit has leukemia.” (Note to self: Most folks are not even thinking about me.)

2. Adult children are not obligated to keep their parents updated on their schedules. I can be thankful they have productive lives.

3. Though it doesn’t look as I expected, I am important and part of the event. Will this situation matter in five years? Maybe. Now, I choose to enjoy the celebration.

Most things people say or do, don’t say, don’t do, and accidentally do or don’t do rarely have anything to do with you. (Yes, that’s a lot of do-do.) We’re doing our best to live as well as we can.

Occasionally, people reject you. The vital aspect is how you respond. Without the 5 Rs, family gatherings are no emotional drama and all of the pie.

For more tips on building family relationships, see The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make by Pam Farrel and PeggySue Wells.

Get to Know PeggySue Wells:

PeggySue Wells is an award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, writing coach, and independent publishing strategist who inspires readers and writers alike with nearly 50 captivating books and practical guides.

Check Out Her and Pam Ferrel’s book, The 10 Best Decisions a Single Mom Can Make: A Biblical Guide for Navigating Family Life on Your Own:

No matter how you became a single mom, you share the same challenges and fears all single moms have. You may feel stretched to the limit. You may suspect your children need more than you’re able to give. How are you going to do this on your own?

With humor, Scripture, and sage advice, Pam Farrel (child of a single mother) and PeggySue Wells (single parent of 7 children) show you how to

– be decisive
– create a nurturing home
– be proactive
– date wisely
– pray for your child
– embrace your happily-ever-after
– and more

You are capable of parenting your children with courage, confidence, and clarity. This loving, practical guide shows you how.