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LISTEN

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”—PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (NIV)

Reflect
Heart races. Palms get sweaty. The ever-familiar feeling of dread. What are your worry symptoms? I have never really
understood why people tell you: “don’t worry” or “calm down.” Has it ever worked? I guess people love to get bossy when someone is up to their hairline in worry. But maybe there is a different way to respond to worry—a way that makes room for our greatest fears to live alongside our greatest loves. So the next time you feel worry rising in your chest or body or mind, start by naming what it is you’re worried about. What does it tell you about what you love? What you’re afraid to lose or live without?

Respond
Start a worry book (or note on your phone) and write down your worries once a week. Every once in a while, scroll through those worries and see what has changed or not changed. Tell God what you need help with on this list.

Blessing for having a beautiful, terrible day

Blessed are we, the worried,
with eyes open to it all.
Blessed are we, the aware,
knowing that the only sane thing is
admit to the fear in our peripherals.

Blessed are we, the hopeful,
eyes searching for the horizon,
ready to meet the next miracle.
Yes, blessed are we, the grateful,
awake to this beautiful, terrible day.32

32 Kate Bowler. “For a Beautiful, Terrible Day” in Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day: Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs, and In-Betweens. (New York: Convergent Books, 2024). XXVII.

© KateBowler.com