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Last night as I sat in a TreeHouse support group I was awed with the humility and accountability of the teens present. They listened patiently and compassionately.

Directly and indirectly each teen reminded the other that “this is a safe place.”

Each teen who wanted caring support received it. And, remembering previous concerns, teens asked one another about issues and concerns that were mentioned in previous groups.

Without breaking confidentiality, similar questions include “How’s it going with…?”, “You said that…?”, “Wait, did you…or didn’t you?”

Loving God includes being willing to allow the bright light of God’s word shine in your life. While, from personal experience I know how scary that can be, it truly is freeing to live with integrity. It’s scary living in the fear of God, but it’s amazingly freeing to rest in an awareness of your own imperfections without pretensions. It’s then that we can truly experience the wonderfulness of God’s love.

Have you ever been handcuffed? Even for fun? It’s limiting, restrictive and a bit intimidating.

That’s how I feel about fear. Fear limits, restricts and intimidates me. And it limits, restricts and intimidates you. Doesn’t it?

What causes your fears may be different than what causes mine, but we feel the same way. God wants to free us from the handcuffs that bind us. God wants to free us to be who we were created to be:

“Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” [Isaiah 41:10]

Our Pandemic

“While the H1N1 virus has sickened tens of thousands of people and closed summer camps in a season when there should be little flu activity, it has killed far fewer than the 36,000 Americans who die from seasonal influenza each year. ”

I had not idea — no idea — that the “flu” was so deadly. I was blind to the pain and suffering that people experience.

In order to protect themselves many people defensively protect themselves with masks.