Nothing To Fear

One thing I have battled my entire life is fear.  Fear is the reason why I have panic attacks and I'm sure fear has a lot to do with my bouts with depression as well.  Let's face it, we live in a tough, cruel world.  So many things happen that cannot be easily explained and even though I am a Christian I sometimes wonder where God is in all of this.  We as humans are constantly haunted by some form of fear.  Fear of the unknown, the fear of 'how,' or fear of the future of our country.  So much fear.

I have never been able to imagine a life truly without fear but after reading Nothing to Fear by Barry C. Black I am now on the road to living a fear-free life.  How is that possible?  Faith.

Barry C. Black is the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate which is what really grabbed my attention and motivated me to read this book.  Talk about someone being on the front lines!  My curiosity did not disappoint as this is a wonderful and well-written book.  Mr. Black has a very down-to-earth writing style and after you read each chapter you have a vision of what you need to do to take that next step to live without fear.

The book is broken down into seven parts which coincide with seven principles that Jesus gave His disciples before sending them into the world to spread the Gospel.

1.  Prepare to be sent
2. Do a reality check
3. Thrive in a predatory world
4. Be as wise as a serpent
5. Be as innocent as a dove
6. Concentrate on the task
7. Persevere through rejection

Within each chapter, there are "Fearless Principles" that dig deeper into the chapter's main theme and each chapter ends with a "Purposeful Prayer" which are simple yet very powerful.  This book is not full of one man's opinions of how to live a life without fear but consistently points you back to the Bible and back to the Lord to back up his point.

There is so much encouragement and practical application within these pages!  I am so thankful that I was able to read it and will continue to have in my arsenal when fear starts to creep up in my life.

"Remember, 'it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13 ESV).'  He keeps us fearlessly thriving in a threatening world." 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review