Pink & Purple Hippos Eating Ice Cream
I recently asked my 8 year old daughter Abby to tell me what she does to overcome her fears - such as when she is getting up in front of people to speak (like at school) or to dance. Without skipping a beat she said - "Pink and purple hippos eating ice cream"... We had a good laugh and she told me that she really does this. She said she overheard me one time telling her older sister Elizabeth to think of Pink hippos whenever she was nervous. Abby picked up on that and took it an extra step.
When I was younger I rarely got nervous before performing or getting in front of people... I've been doing it since I was 6 years old, singing in front of my family and then at church. I'm just comfortable. As a younger adult, I rarely if ever faced something that I wasn't willing to try - preaching, weddings & funerals, you name it - just put me up there and I was confident in my skills and confident that God would give me the words to say and would help me to be effective.
As I get older though, for the first time in my life I face fears. I recently was asked to consider taking a position leading worship at a very large church - rather than just jumping at the opportunity, I slowly and methodically considered it - weighing the pro and cons, and mostly - fighting fears. Fears of making the wrong choice, fears of losing income to provide for my kids college education, fears of losing retirement and financial security, fears of leaving friends and familiar places, fears of having to start over, fears that it wouldn't work out - and most of all, fears that it wasn't God's will.
What I really needed to do - and need to do - is just think of pink and purple hippos eating ice cream. The mythical pursuit of "God perfect will for our lives" is not a narrow path where one slip and you will fall into an abyss - God just wants us to be willing to take another step on a path that is not well lit beyond the step for that day, or that moment. He promises to never 'leave us or forsake us' - he promises to 'make your path straight' - he doesn't promise to show his physical presence when we are afraid, or to give us light for the entire journey. If he did - then when wouldn't need faith.
So next time I'm faced with a fear (like recently when I was coming back to play basketball after 2 months of sitting out due to multiple hamstring injuries) I am going to think of Pink and Purple Hippos Eating Ice Cream, and in that, give no place for anything other than faith in my heart and in my mind.
Labels: Facing Fears
posted by Blackie's Tour @ 7:15 AM
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