YES to GOD study: CH. 9~ The Right Kind of Fear

WELCOME to


So glad you have come by to discussion Micca Campbell's first book, an awesome book called

CHAPTER 9: THE RIGHT KIND OF FEAR

Anything in blue is quote from the book.

In this incredible chapter Micca shares with us how the right kind of fear is when we fear God.

Not all fear is bad.

The right kind of fear motivates us to obey God.

Those who respect God are motivated to walk in obedience.

I loved how Micca explained "fear of God" to us...To have godly fear means to revere and hold God in awe, not offending Him with sin.

On page 175 at the end of the chapter, the author shares that While the Bible commands us to fear God, it also commands us to love Him. This may seem like a contradiction, but it's our love for God that compels us toward passionate obedience and enables us to receive His blessings. To fear God is not to shrink back from Him in terror. It's to live an obedient life, showing admiration to the one who loves us so. Only then will we love and serve and revere Him as we should.

She goes on to close out the chapter with this encouragement:

Understanding God's love in fearful times can be difficult. When circumstances are hard, it feels like anything other than love. Yet situations are not alwsays as they appear. You and I must devote ourselves more to the revealed nature of God's love than to the reason of our natural minds. Only then will we experience His love to the full extent.

Yesterday my husband and I attended the Celebration of Charity's life.

Bittersweet.

Beautiful.

Tender.

Sad.

Joyful.

Hope.

And much reverance for this friend and family member of many.

To have respect in any relationship, you have to be worthy of honor.

The family had Sue share and it was so neat when Sue told the story about asking Charity from God: Do you love Me? She shared how Charity's response was, "Well, Sue, I really don't know Him." Taking a break from going to yard sales, they sat in Sue's car and just talked. And in the middle of June on a hot summer Saturday, Charity made her decision to invite Jesus into her life. She may not have been in control of when she died, but on that day she did know where she would spend eternity because she chose to say Yes to God. When Sue shared this everyone started clapping. It was really neat.

There was so much love for this woman and her son in the room, it was just amazing. Sue was joined by her husband and sister and they sang the last song Charity heard on earth that Sue sang over her on Thursday, Amazing Grace. I wish you all could have you heard it. It was gorgeous and at the end of the song, to the tune of Amazing Grace, they just started singing

Praise God

Praise God

Praise God

Praise God.

Praise God

Pra---ise God...praise God!

Praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God.

Pra---ise God, Praise God

Praise God!

The one thing I really loved about what was said about Charity was not how sweet or funny she was. 

Not what a great friend she was to so many. 

Not how she would tell you like it is and be real with you. 

Not how she was dedicated to healthy eating. 

Not how even while sick she treated her body well and  faithfully got up at 4:30 to get on the treadmill.

It was that when it came to her son Tre...she told the pastor she had no regrets.

As a Mom that really touched my heart.

Since last Thursday I have had a lot to time to pray and think about what God allowed me to witness. I just didn't see someone die. I watched someone really begin to live.

No more chemo. No more vomiting or diarrhea. No more pain. There was nothing but pure joy on her face as she left all that behind.

She knew she had fought hard.

She knew giving up was never an option for her and yet when her body became too weak, she could leave this world knowing she had no regrets. Doesn't mean she did things perfect, but she worked hard. Not only worked hard to live, but worked hard to raise a son by herself.

A son that shows adults respect in a world where baggy jeans and attitude are part of kids' everyday attire. Doesn't mean she didn't worry or want to stay with him, but she knew she had no choice but to go and she was gonna go out doing a job well done.

She wrote this in on her Caring Bridge March 16, 2009:

I love him so much it kills me to see him hurting like this and not be able to do anything about it, but I'll love him as hard and as tight as I can while I'm here. Leaving Tre will be the hardest thing I have to do. I worry what will happen to him. I don't want him to be scorned. I want him to grow up to be a loving man who is happy.

Please keep 15 year old Tre in your prayers. He has grown up without a Dad and now he has lost his Mom. Gene told him yesterday that they will get together soon. Losing his Mom to cancer at the age of 5 he can somewhat relate to what Tre is going through. He will be living with one of Charity's sisters and her family. And they will be caring for a kid with manners and morals because of a Mom who left him with no regrets. She did her job well and she knew it. I loved that.

We all have roles to fill in life. Whether we are a mom, wife, girlfriend, daughter, sister,

grandma, aunt, teacher...whatever role God gives me in my lifetime I want to do well for Him. I don't want to leave this earth regretting anything. Especially when it comes to saying Yes to God and taking care of my family.

One role I was not given was to "save Charity's soul" like I was trying to figure out how to do. Sue's job wasn't even to "save her soul". That role belonged only to Jesus. Jesus is the only soul saver there is. Our role is the introduction.

Sue's role was to be her friend, her confidant and the one who would introduce her to Jesus Christ. And like Charity, Sue has no regrets. She did her job and she did it well.

On Sunday during church I just teared up with joy for Sue. God blessed her faithfulness to Him by allowing her to be with Charity when she passed from death to life in both the spiritual and the physical. Wow. What an honor is how Sue described it to me after the graveside service with her hand over her heart and tears in her eyes. What an honor.

Since last Thursday evening I have learned:

That no matter what, our God is in control.

That God will do things His way, not ours.

That He is the Savior, not us. I once heard that "we are just the straw to a fantastic drink."

I also learned that there is not just one view of God. Some see Him as harsh as the pastor shared that Charity did at first. Then she saw the tender side of Him toward the end of her life and she had no regrets of her choice to say yes to Him.

I also learned that when we keep our focus on Him and make our life about Him that He works out all the details.

That fearing God comes from loving God. (Thank you Micca for teaching me this.)

God is good my friends. He is worth all of what we endure. It took witnessing the power of God as a Mom only 2 years younger than myself took her last breath to realize that I want more of God. I want a relationship with Jesus that has no regrets.

And a no-regret relationship with Jesus Christ demands me to have a fear of God. A good fear.

I know yesterday was not only a celebration of a life lived well while on earth, but a life that eternally will be spent with You. As Gene said, "God stirred some hearts" yesterday. May the hearts stirred up become curious about You Lord because getting to know You as Charity did, is a decision that no one regrets making.

Once upon at time in June of 2008...Sue asked Charity,

"God wants to know, Do you love Me?"

"Well, Sue, I really don't know Him." Charity said.

Then while sitting in a car Sue introduced Jesus Christ to Charity Snell.

And this cancer filled, young single Mom took hold of His scarred hands and said yes to her Prince.

And with no regrets while Sue was singing over her friend on May 14th 2009, Charity once again took hold of her Savior's scarred hands, except this time for good.

And she is now living happily ever after.

With no cancer.

With no regrets.

That my friend is Amazing Grace.

~Many Blessings~

If you have something to share about chapter 9 from Micca's book...please sign up below with Mr. Linky so we can visit you.

Have a blessed week, I'll be back on Friday.

Next Tuesday: Chapter 10: The Love of a Father.