I remember the summer before I went off to college. My mom and I spent every day preparing me to go.

We shopped for a new wardrobe and bought furnishings for my dorm room, including a much-coveted rainbow comforter. I also spent several weeks in “mobility training”—that is, learning to walk with a cane so that I would be as self-sufficient as possible in my new setting.

(By the way, if you’re new here, this might be a good time to tell you that I’m blind.)

By mid-August the U-Haul was loaded, my suitcases were packed, and I knew how to walk with my cane. I was ready for college and rarin’ to go.

But then it happened.

The day before I was scheduled to leave, my confident expectation suddenly turned to dread. The frightening reality of leaving home squelched all the excitement of preparing to be an independent college student.

I was leaving behind all that was well-known and safe, trading it in for a new kind of darkness that was unfamiliar and scary.

When I began to weigh the new clothes, the new dorm furnishings, and the new cane against the security of my old friends and my old room, my heart froze with fear.

Have you ever had a moment like that?

We all face fear at times. It might be fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of the future, or some other fear. Fear is both a feeling and a condition, and is often a response to the unknown or to a lack of control.

But, did you know fear is also something that can be conditioned? It can easily become a habit. And, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want fear becoming one of my regular tendencies.

Instead, I want to show fear who’s boss! And, the good new is, because of Christ, you and I can!

In this very first episode of the 4:13 Podcast, KC and I get practical about how to overcome fear with faith. We talk about three ways you can decrease your fear and increase your faith.

3 Ways to Decrease Your Fear and Increase Your Faith

1. When fears starts to rise, get on your knees. Girl, this is where we pray. Be honest with God about your struggles, confess your fear, and choose faith.
2. Memorize fear-fighting verses. Next, meditate on and memorize Scripture that I call “fear-fighting” verses. This elevates your faith above your fears. I’ve compiled some of my favorite verses for you in this free  Fear-Fighting Scriptures Printable. You can print it out and hang it on your fridge, tape it to your bathroom mirror, or keep it in your purse.
3. Love! Fear is the ultimate manifestation of insecurity. But, love—it can make you feel secure. Press into the love of God. Think about it. Feel it. Meditate on it. God’s love is far more powerful than anything you fear.

No matter what fear you face, remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Related Resources

Free Download

• Fear-Fighting Scriptures Printable

Books and Bible Studies by Jennifer Rothschild

• Lessons I Learned in the Dark: Steps to Walking By Faith, Not By Sight
• Walking By Faith: Lessons I Learned in the Dark Bible Study

Blog Posts

• How to Calm Your Anxious Thoughts
• How to Turn Worry Into Peace
• 3 Gifts God Gives When You Need Confidence
• Being Wrong Never Tasted So Right

Links Mentioned in This Episode

• Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death and Dying Teach Us About the Mysteries of Life and Living by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler

Stay Connected

• Don’t miss an episode! Subscribe to the 4:13 Podcast here.
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What is one way you are going to show fear who’s boss this week? Share in the comments below.