Do Not Be Anxious

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philipians 4:6-7

Now more than ever, there is a reason Philippians 4:6-7 is my life verse. I will admit, it has been easy to give in to the fear and anxiety over COVID-19, especially when I realized it is a respiratory disease. Pneumonia, another type of respiratory illness, contributed to my mom’s death in December 2017 and to my dad’s death in January 2019. In October 2019, my husband had his own health scare from contracting pneumonia to having a needle biopsy in his lung. Praise the Lord, as of last week, the scan showed the mass-like area had significantly shrunk in size and he was given the all clear.

Have I been a little anxious? Yes, absolutely. Have I taken all of the necessary precautions and preparations seriously? Yes, absolutely.

However, I keep coming back to what keeps me grounded and that is the Word of God. In Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” And 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

As a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor, I will continue to keep my office open to see clients. I am also available to serve you through online sessions if that works better for you.  Over this last week, life as we knew it changed rapidly and none of us really knows what to expect in the days and weeks to come. What I do know is that I am here to serve you, to offer you a listening ear, to encourage you, and most importantly to pray with you and for you.

I do ask a favor from you. If you have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, please be respectful to others by following CDC’s guidelines before coming in for an in-person session. I will be more than happy to convert your scheduled appointment to an online session.

Thank you and God bless you all.  Here are some helpful resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html

https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/how-to-manage-fear-anxiety-and-panic-during-a-pandemic-or-any-acute-event-specifically-related-to-the-current-coronavirus-covid-19?_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJkZWFubmFAZWFnbGVzcmVzdGNvdW5zZWxpbmcuY29tIiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAiS3FnSDlkIn0%3D

https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/33-verses-to-remind-us–we-do-not-have-to-fear.html