What Women Fear: review
I’ve always struggled with fear. When I was a little girl, it was the thought that E.T. might come bursting through our roof and take me away. As a young teen, I was terrified that the Bubonic Plague would come again and we would all die a horrible death from it. (Can you tell I also have a very overactive imagination?!) And now, as a wife and mother, I battle thoughts of the possibility of my husband or one of my children dying.
My fears have changed over the years, but how I need to deal with them has not. I still need to bring my fears to Jesus and trust Him and His goodness.
With my history of fear and current struggles, What Women Fear by Angie Smith seemed like something I should definitely read. And it was. Throughout the book, I gathered pieces of Angie’s story and found that she has struggled with fear to an even greater degree than I have. Some of her greatest fears even came true. And yet, this book is a testimony of all that the Lord taught her through those times and how He is ultimately faithful.
Don’t let your fear convince you that Love isn’t bigger. Treasure the moments you see His favor and His mercy, and when you fear (and you will), remember that we need only have the fear that comes inexplicably wound to the love we have for Him. It isn’t an easy trade, and it isn’t a one-time deal, but when you have learned the joy in trusting, you will love the Lord in a way you never have before, I promise.
-Angie Smith, What Women Fear, page 178
Each chapter of What Women Fear deals with a particular fear that women struggle with. For every one, Angie shares certain truths the Lord has taught her regarding those fears, relating the fear to specific characters in Scripture. From Peter, to Gideon, to the woman caught in adultery, to Jesus Himself, the biblical stories are brought to life and the different fears exposed. Not only do readers see the Lord’s promises regarding each fear but we also hear how those promises have shown true in Angie’s life. This is a book brimming with truth and stories of the Lord’s goodness, showing that indeed only Jesus’ perfect love will cast out fear (1 John 4:18).
YLCF is excited to be giving away a (gently-used) copy of What Women Fear. To enter the giveaway, share a promise you cling to in times of fear. (Giveaway ends April 2. Congratulations to April, commenter #17 — selected by random.org as the winner!)
I remind myself that God is good and that all good gifts are from Him.
And Zephaniah 3:17.
I cling to 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us the spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” The spirit within me is NOT timid or fearful! God made it full of power, full of love, and full of self-discipline!
Some of the things that help me are remembering that the Lord will never give me anything that he won’t give the grace to deal with! And that He has my BEST in mind. And that He will always be there. And so many more wonderful promises! But I’ll stop there. 🙂
Isaiah 26:3 and 4 and Isaiah 40 are my favorites. I also try to look for passages that specifically address the reason I’m fearful.
I cling to the words “Perfect love casts out fear” in 1 Jn 4:18, beautifully illustrated in Lucien & Annette’s stories in Patricia St John’s book Treasures of the Snow. If I truly believe that the Lord Jesus loves me perfectly, He cares and holds me forever in His hands, so I have no reason to fear.
I cling to 2nd Corinthians 1:3-4
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
These verses help me deal with my many fears:
For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. (1 Peter 3:5, 6 NASB)
Fear has definitely been a huge struggle for me over the years, too. This book sounds wonderful, especially as I already know some of Angie’s testimony from her blog.
One verse I’ve clung to very tightly in recent years is from Isaiah 42:16 —
“And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.”
When I’m afraid that I’m missing the boat, I cling to Isaiah 43. “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it.” And I rest in the assurance that God not only wants me to watch Him work, He invites me to participate. Sparkling truth!
What time I am afraid I will trust in thee.
Psalm 56:3
Love that verse! And guess what? You’re our winner! 🙂
I cling to Hebrews 13:5b and Isaiah 26:3. I also remember that the Lord is not the author of fear.
Psalms 91 is one of my favorite Bible passages because fear controlled me for so long. As I’ve learned to trust the Lord more in my life, everything has been so much better. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Ps 91:5-7
When I go through hard times I always cling to the promise in Isaiah 41:10, my baptismal verse. “So do not fear, for I with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” God will always be with us no matter where we are. He will protect us, and will give us strength to fight our fears.
Sounds like a great book. I cling to 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
I cling to this promise: “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13)
Whenever I am going through circumstances and situations that I don’t understand, I continue to trust that the Lord will take care of me and bring me through it. One scripture that gives me hope for the future is Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have toward you, saith the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. I also love the verse where it said I would have fainted if I had not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
I cling to the promise that God will never leave me nor forsake me. He is with me, always. Forever.
Because one of my greatest fears is heartache and loneliness, I cling to the verse in Psalm 73, “Though my flesh and my heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
I cling to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” He WILL deliver us from our fear (or temptation), we only have to believe it.
Wow, this sounds like a book I need to read, as I struggle with different fears as well. Psalms 91 and Philippians 4:6-7 are among my favorite passages of scriptures.
1. Satan is a liar and fear (of that sort) is not from God. I need not be bound by fear, but can rest in the knowledge that God’s grace is sufficient!
I love Psalm 46, and what it says about God being in control. Especially verse 10: “Be still and know that I am God…”
I always recite Psalms 23. It started back the first time I went into the playplace at MacDonalds and was absolutely terrified! lol
I hold to the fact that God is faithful and nothing can touch me that He does not allow. And that He has my best planned and He knows the way. That knowledge is what keeps me strong.
would love to win. I cling to the promise that God is good.
I cling to 1 John 4:18…”There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”