Reset Your Worry Meter

Why do I worry so much?

Have you every asked yourself this question?

I’m pretty sure we all have at some point in time. Here’s a story about a time my worry meter went off in a big way. Unexpected news and unwanted change has a way of bringing up fear, worry, and anxiety.[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#quiettime”]How to handle worry is a question we must all grapple with.[/tweetthis]

 

“We’re moving this summer,” my husband announced as we sat down to dinner. Four pairs of eyes open wide with surprise. “Where are we going, Daddy? Is it far away,” my youngest daughter asked?

This wasn’t the conversation I expected or wanted at the dinner table. Unprepared for uncertainty, I tried to take it in. Excited and upset, emotions and thoughts fought an internal tug of war. When is the last time unexpected news or a challenging situation set off your internal worry meter?

Do you need to reset your internal worry-meter?

As military family, we’ve relocated many times, but as our oldest entered the high school years, we hoped to settle in Virginia. That night, I remember sitting straight in my chair, wood pressing against my back, as the vision of moving boxes made me slightly nauseous. What circumstances alert your  worry meter?

Moving has been a personal battle zone of anxiety, and my internal system immediately served up the familiar fears that come with moving (You can read more about learning to trust God during my battle with anxiety in the first chapter of my book).

Squelching my emotions, I jumped into the conversation, doing my best to build excitement and calm concerns of our three children. Enthusiastic on the outside, I pushed back the past worries that threatened to take over.

The next morning, I woke early as the sun began to light the sky with a soft light filtering through the window. As my concerns ramped up for the day, a Bible verse came to mind.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1 NASB).

God used this verse to help me counter my fears.

Read more. . .

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This week I’m guest posting at Salley Matheny’s wonderful website, focused on telling the next generation about the faithfulness of God through sharing stories, encouragement, book reviews, and great resources. Hop over to Sally’s to read the rest of this post.

I’m following up her wonderful review of my book, Holy in the Moment, with this guest post.

Book Review of Holy in the Moment

Here are a few of Sally’s comments:

A little humor tops a mound of truth. . . With heartfelt writing, Harrington builds a genuine sisterhood among Christian women.

Biblical insights, personal stories, and applicable ideas, Harrington helps us discover how our choices in the daily moments of life can promote growth in holiness. 

There are many insightful passages in this book, stated in a way this ordinary mama can understand. I wanted to highlight something on every page.  . . So, I ordered two more copies.

You can read Sally’s review here.

Enjoy Sally’s many book reviews here. 

Are you getting the most out of your summer? In all of your summer activities, don’t forget to nourish your soul. Check out these quick tips for restoring your soul this summer.