Flee or Faith

Excerpts that stired my soul from Ann Voskamp's blog

“Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”

"The things in my life that require faith are the things that terrify me.”

Fear offers two routes. Flee or faith.
High tail it… or trust.
Is it only faith – bona fide -- when we leap out into life with no trace of fear?
When we dive into the unknown depths with steely confidence?
Or is faith the thing we fearfully jump into?
What we believe will catch us, hold us?
“But what about “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . .”?
Are we to have fear if we love God?”I answer with what I usually have, another question.
“Is fear the emotion we push through, breaking out into faith?
And fear’s what we feel before our love is entirely perfected --- the first stir of love?”
“Fear is the first step through to faith.
Like hurdling through a ring of fire,
certain He waits on the other side.”
“Without stepping into the fear,
the place where faith’s necessary,
it is impossible to please God.”

Lord, where are the places in my life that I live in the wild leap of real faith?
Focus me on the fearful places... t
hat's where we break open into the vastness of You.