Fear took control over my life at a young age. I was never that child who played and hugged dogs. I was afraid of them and hid every time I saw one. During my elementary and middle school years, I had trouble making friends, fearing that they\u2019d reject me. I\u2019d let my classmates cut the line in front of me because I knew if I were to say something, they\u2019d make fun of me.<\/p>\n
So, I stood quietly, allowing fear to take control over the things I said and the many things I didn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n
Those fears were nothing compared to the ones I had in high school. Every morning before school would start, I would overthink about how the day would be. I\u2019d skip breakfast because I was too anxious to eat anything.<\/p>\n
When it came time for Physical Education, I was afraid people would watch me and make fun of the way I exercised. In my algebra class, I was scared to ask for help; I didn\u2019t want the teacher to think of me as \u201cannoying.\u201d<\/p>\n
It got to the point where I just couldn\u2019t do it anymore, and enrolled at a school where I would go only a few times a week. It was exciting at first. The thought of not seeing anyone most of the time made me happy, but I made the mistake by distancing myself from reality. The fears only grew more and more as time passed.<\/p>\n
Missing public school, I enrolled back at my old high school and was sure to finish my last years of high school there. Returning from the first day of school, I set out to pay my phone bill. I looked at myself in the mirror, focusing mostly on my face. The right side was drooping \u2014 or so I thought.<\/p>\n
When I was 15, I was diagnosed with Bell\u2019s Palsy, a condition where one side of the face droops or feels weak. Throughout the entire day, it was the only thing I thought about. I moved and massaged my face, afraid that the drooping would happen again.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d ask my mom several times, \u201cDoes my face look different?\u201d She would respond, \u201cNo, it looks like it looked before it happened.\u201d I never believed her. I\u2019d cry every night, afraid that something would go wrong, whether with my face or at school.<\/p>\n
One night, I opened my Bible and prayed. A verse helped me a lot when it came to stressful and anxious times like this. Isaiah 41:10 said, \u201cSo do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n
During those times of worries and anxiety, I had fallen off the path of the Father. That night I studied and prayed, remembering the day I gave my life to the Lord. He was that peace that I needed all along.<\/p>\n
Now I plan to start college soon and look for a job. I do fear the future, but I know I have God right by my side, guiding me every step of the way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fear took control over my life at a young age. I was never that child who played and hugged dogs. I was afraid of them and hid every time I saw one. During my elementary and middle school years, I had trouble making friends, fearing that they\u2019d reject me. I\u2019d let my classmates cut the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1550,"featured_media":26371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1512,1510,44],"tags":[1558,1559,1560,526,1561,140],"yoast_head":"\n