Worry Archives | Council Fire

July 27, 2026

July 27, 2026

Facing Your Fears

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) Growing up I knew what fear was — I lived with it through a lot of my childhood. I was afraid of the dark. I was afraid of the alcohol related situations in my community and my home. I was afraid of what people thought of me. And I was generally afraid of the unfamiliar and unknown. Things began to change when Jesus came into our home. I began to understand that I was now able to let […]

July 23, 2026

http://Worrying%20Which%20Way%20to%20Go?

July 23, 2026

Worrying Which Way to Go?

“Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink: nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25 (NKJV) You know that feeling, when you are worried about different things in life, and they are just too heavy? Well, this one day I had a major decision to make, and needed to get away and ponder what to do. I jumped in my car and just drove, not knowing where I was going. Stopping at […]

July 17, 2026

July 17, 2026

Trusting God in the Fog

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV) I sometimes think about that first time we flew in a plane where we were totally dependent on instruments. We were coming into Anchorage, Alaska, in a Navajo Chieftain, and the airport was all “socked in” with fog. The pilot kept checking with the tower as to how much visibility we had and, finally, when we were about 10 miles out, got the okay to land. I remember […]

June 26, 2026

June 26, 2026

The Overgrown Trail

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 (NIV) “So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:10 (NIV) “Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV) A while back I went walking down an old trail I hadn’t been on since I was a kid. I guess nobody else had been either because it was all […]

June 8, 2026

June 8, 2026

He Is With Me

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) There are times in life when it feels so overwhelming that we just want to give up. Whether it’s our job, our finances, family problems . . . I’m sure we can all relate in one way or another. I wrote this poem as a reminder of Who is really in control. For those of […]

May 30, 2026

http://My%20Light%20and%20My%20Stronghold

May 30, 2026

My Light and My Stronghold

“The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 (NIV) We all need light in order to walk. That’s why I am thankful that the Lord is my Light, and He helps me to “see” as I walk through this life. He is also my salvation — Jesus Christ has forgiven my sins, which I am very well aware of. I am also aware of my fears, but through God’s Word, He gives me His strength to face them. […]

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

Tough Like a Tree

“For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8 (NKJV) Near my house stand very tall spruce trees. These trees have many branches, and the sum of their weight must be incredibly heavy. One evening, as I observed the trees, I marveled. I thought, “To hold all those heavy branches, those tree trunks must be very strong.” On another […]

May 17, 2026

May 17, 2026

Straight Out of Egypt

“Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them in the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.” Exodus 18:8 (ESV) God’s people suffered 400 years of slavery. That’s a long time, my friends, but during that time the people cried out to God, and He heard them. Out of His mercy, God raised up a leader to deliver them from bondage. Today, people are still enslaved and imprisoned in so many ways. Did you know that we can be […]

May 16, 2026

May 16, 2026

Good Grief

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (ESV) I sure didn’t find anything “good” in the scalding grief I felt when I lost my husband. He was my best friend, the love of my life, the best father, the most loving grandfather and chapan (great-grandfather). He was the backbone of our family, a wonderful friend, and man of God. The person I thought would be with me until the day God called me home. “Jesus loves me, this I know, for […]