Faith over Fear

Melissa Logsdon – June 10, 2025 1 Comment

Confession: I LOVE paper planners AND I use my Google calendar nearly obsessively!

So, this past fall when I was shopping at the local dollar store and came across a cute little paper planner with the words “faith over fear” across the front, well, I HAD to buy it. I justified the unnecessary purchase with the justification that I could give it for a Christmas gift to someone. But really, I REALLY wanted to keep it for me. Now, if only I could find a use for it!

And so it sat. Waiting for a use.

Meanwhile, I was preparing for the new year and how God wanted to guide my year. Seeking God for a “word for the year” has become a welcome rhythm in my faith walk. Each December/January I turn my heart to God to receive what God has to encourage me on my life journey. (In January 2024, I shared in a blog about my process for seeking God for a “word for the year”.)

So this past winter, I was fully expecting to receive a word to guide me through this year. 
Of course. 
As always.

But, rather than receive a word, I felt a God nudge to seek Jesus EVERY DAY this year for a word. 

EVERY DAY?!?! 

I thought that seemed like A LOT. 

God was challenging/inviting me to seek Jesus every day this year for a word of truth. To ask Jesus “What is the truth?” and “When you look at me what do YOU see?” 

This was God’s answer to the fears inside me. I was living in fear of the known and the unknown. I was struggling to see the truth of myself; more readily believing the lies spoken by other people and the lies my own heart was quick to generate.

Truly, this invitation was coming from my loving God. But, I doubted the reality of this invitation. I thought: “What if I ask and I hear only crickets?” and “How can there be enough for God to say SOMETHING NEW about me EVERY DAY?” That doesn’t seem plausible. I mean theologically speaking I believe that God is infinite and knows me better than I know myself. But, I still doubted how God could have this much to say to me.

AND YET…

And yet, I thought it might be worth the experiment. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? And what could be the best?

And so I began.

EVERY DAY. 

Every day asking Jesus “What is the truth you want me to know about myself/my situation today?”

We are now in June, and so far EVERY DAY Jesus has answered me with unique words of truth– each and every day.
Even when I miss a day, or 3, the word is still waiting for me when I seek Jesus. Those words are not lost, rather, they are at the ready for me to record when I sit down with my calendar.  

At the end of each week, I’ve been re-reading the words for the days of the week and writing a one sentence summary. Then at the end of the month, I re-read the weekly summaries and craft a one sentence summary for the month.

Here’s my monthly summaries so far:

“All my springs are in [God].” (Psalm 87:7)

When I need to stop doing–God still is with me and uses me.

I am not defined by disease nor the management of it.

At the end of myself, I find myself on the joyful path of shalom.

My every-day life is sacred.

I share these today in the hope that you might be encouraged by one of these truths. And, that you might be encouraged to seek Jesus to bring you the faith that overcomes fear. –Melissa Logsdon, NCF Associate Pastor