I’ve had a long standing fear of driving in Jamaica.
The first time I drove there, it was on tiny, hilly roads and I had a small fender bender. I told myself I didn’t need to drive there and stuck with that thought. That was over 20 years ago.
Add in my driving anxiety from the last five years, and I concluded that driving in Jamaica was not going to ever happen.
Then, life changed and I started visiting more frequently, and needed to get around.
I started with driving less than five minutes. To get the familiarity of driving on the other side of the road, the feel of the car, and the roads in general. Then, I increased it to 10, then, on my last trip, I got as far away as a 45 minute drive, including some windy roads.
Progress.
But, there was a stretch that I was very afraid of. It was the road that would lead me from the airport to my ultimate destination, almost an hour and half away. I was terrified just at the thought. I told myself that I would have my mom do that stretch (yay for moms) then I could do the day to day driving.
Then, a thought clicked the day before we were to arrive: ‘if I never face this fear head on, I will always be paralyzed by it’.
I decided to tackle the road, and the fear. My mom as the passenger princess and my daughter in the backseat, cheering me on and telling me how well I’m doing.
And so, I made my way, on the windy, curvy and hilly roads, watching for other cars over taking and even slowing down so they could safely go on their merry way around me.
Then, a few days later as I was doing my devotion, there was this text found in 2 Thessalonians 1:11: May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things our faith prompts you to do.
And, it turned out to be a perfect reminder: it’s ok to do it afraid.
I hope you will do something that has been holding you back because of fear.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your help in being courageous. Thank you for slowly allowing me to get rid of a fear that has been with me for over 20 years. Please continue to embolden me in all the ways I need.