Today’s my son Josh’s 19th birthday.  If you want you can bless him with your happy birthday wishes here on his Facebook.

While I was writing this post I smirked to myself.

My mind filled with witty comments, hilarious stories and silly nicknames that Josh has had over the years.  Since I want him to have a birthday in which he gets attention he wants I’ll save most of them for another day.

I’ll just say, that when I wrote that “Hugs and all genuinely welcoming embraces like handshakes, high-fives and fist bumps,  connect people through meaningful touch” describes what I think of when I think of Josh.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.

I am timid and I am oversensitive

I am a lioness

I am tired and defensive

You take me in your arms

And I fall into you

I have insecurities

You show me I am beautiful

While she was embarrassed to stumble through the National Anthem on Super Bowl Sunday Christina Aguilera is an amazing vocalist. In her song “I Am” she explains her vulnerable weaknesses. Continuing:

Love me or leave me

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]