There’s a new author in Dodge!
Her name is Maria Furlough, a mom of five (5!), who wrote Breaking the Fear Cycle: How to Find Peace for Your Anxious Heart. (The title alone had me.) It’s a wonderful read, filled with thoughtful moments from Maria’s own journey to freedom from fear and anxiety. Keep a tissue handy! And prepare to feel empowered as you finish this memorable book.
Here’s the backstory: Maria Furlough is a wife, a mother of five, and the head of women’s ministry at Lake Forest Church in Huntersville, North Carolina. She has been writing and teaching Bible studies for 14 years and currently writes on the blog True Worthat www.mytrueworth.org.
Despite it being release week for Maria, she made time to answer a few questions for my blog. Read on!
Q: What’s something hard you’ve learned so we don’t have to?
A: I’ve learned that fear is an important habit to kick. I often thought that I did not have a problem with fear. I saw my fears as part of life, almost welcomed at times as feigned protectors. I allowed myself to be tricked into the thinking that if I feared something enough maybe God would not allow it to happen to me. Lies. Fear lies, it steals joy, and it impacts decisions. I wish I had known this all along. I wish I had mustered up the courage earlier to conquer it in my life once and for all. The freedom on the other side of fear is a magnificent thing, it is a joy that I pray that many will experience. Not only that, God has important work for us to do on the other side of fearful living.
Q: How has your own life changed since you broke your own fear cycle?
A: My life is wide open to God. Before, there were parts closed off. Parts of my life I said I trusted Him with, but deep down fear still gripped control. Things like my children, my marriage, my family decisions, travelling, work, ministry. It all wound up so tightly around what my fear of the day was. Now every morning I start palms open with a small prayer on my lips, “Lord may your will be done in this day and may I have the courage and strength to serve you in whatever way you most desire.” It doesn’t mean life is easy all the time. Pain is still pain and trials still come. But the in between moments of the sufferings live a joy that will no longer be stolen by the fear filled lies. I’ve said “yes” to things I never imagined I could. When fear takes a hike God has so much more room in you to work!
Q: Why are so many Christians constantly plagued with fear?
A: Because we are smart. We know the word of God never promises us “easy” and we know that we live in a pain-filled fallen world. It makes complete sense that we fear for the truth is we are not yet truly home. But in John 14:27 Jesus says, “I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” God left behind in us a super power called the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus speaks of when he says, “I do not give to you as the world gives.” Yes, it is clear, the world around us quantifies all the things that we should fear. Yet we have been give this supernatural gift. It lives inside of us and it beckons us to not be afraid. We need to close our eyes to all the reasons to fear and instead trust fall into the presence of God within us.
Q: How can we put our trust in God when facing our fears?
A: Baby steps of faith. It doesn’t take much, but it does take our effort to make a change. When I was struggling through carrying my baby boy Gideon, whom I knew would soon be ushered into heaven, I did not have a whole ton of strength or faith. I had a little mustard sized seed within me, I just had to keep moving forward. Towards God, away from the fear, in small ways each day. By the end of the journey I looked back to see how far I had come! In Breaking the Fear Cycle I like to answer the question “how” in each chapter with a tangible step forward. For example in chapter 1 the call is hard but simple: write them all down. Each and every fear you have, in gruesome detail, bringing it all out into the light where God can minister to it fully. Baby steps, one chapter at a time, with my full fledged heart’s prayer that when you close the book you will stand free.
Readers: Leave an encouraging comment for Maria if you’d like a chance to win a copy of Breaking the Fear Cycle: How to Find Peace for Your Anxious Heart.
I thought I new fear, till I lost my husband of 40+ years. I was his caretaker for 9 of his 14 years of illness. FEAR has now become my new norm. The REAL fear. The kind that takes your breath away, your sleep away, your joy away. your confidence away.
I have tried everything, read everything and PRAYED about everything.
Fear is my new four letter word, that has taken over ME.
Thank you Maria for writing a book that acknowledges anxiety and how to hopefully overcome the fears that we all have. I look forward to reading your insightful book and I hope it helps me to overcome my anxiety as well.
Stephanie, I pray that it can help you too! My deepest prayer as I wrote every word was that God would bring freedom to many. I pray for hope over you, that where ever the most anxious parts of you may be that it is in those places where God’s peace would reside most.
This is an interesting & much needed topic/ book in the Christian churches–FEAR–There’s a reason there are 365 scriptures telling up to “fear not” (yet, it’s much easier said than done!) Thank you for writing this book!
Yes Barb, there are SO many “fear not” verses and yet it is something we struggle with so much! Why is that? I found so much hope digging through Scripture with this exact question in mind and God proved so very faithful.
I am so glad you have written a book about anxiety. I have PTSD so I know very well about anxiety. I live with it everyday. I would love to get a copy of your book. I know it is filled with encouraging information,
Hi Deana, yes I pray you would find much encouragement. I am so sorry for your struggle with PTSD, I imagine that is a weight you carry heavily each day. I pray over you sister, that God would move this mountain for you and that you will find much comfort in His powerful presence and His rock solid promises. If He can rescue me sister I am confident He can rescue you too. So much love to you, thank you for commenting!
Yes Barb, there are SO many “fear not” verses and yet it is something we struggle with so much! Why is that? I found so much hope digging through Scripture with this exact question in mind and God proved so very faithful.
I have struggled with anxiety my whole life, recently I have been conquering it one step at a time!!! This book is definitely on my to read list, thank you for encouraging people like me to conquer our struggle!!!
This book looks truly amazing and very insightful . Thank you for bringing awareness to a subject clearly overlooked .
What an encouraging book you have written. It’s something we all should probably read and benefit from. Thanks for this opportunity.
nice interview
Try to find someone that you can talk to who will listen to you and you can trust will be there for you.
I have a few fears that i dont open up to the Lord with hope reading your book helps i know that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle though i guess he thinks im super with all ive been through lol!
Hi Jean! I can resonate with having fears that I don’t give over to the Lord. I did that for so many years. It was so vulnerable to finally and fully give them over to Him, and such freedom and peace came! I am praying for you Jean, that you will find the courage to try it too and that maybe just maybe the book would be a blessing to help you. God surely does not give us more than HE can handle 💙
Thank you Maria Furlough for dealing with a topic that is vital in Christians’ lives to overcome. God doesn’t want us to live in fear, anxiety and always dwelling on the what if’s or past experiences. I believe as Christians, we should look at all the blessings and forget the past that was filled with fear to live a peaceful life of joy, happiness in the present. I look forward to reading this book and providing tidbits to clients.
Thank you Nancy, I hope so! That is my deepest prayer.
Yes Marilyn, I believe fully that God does not want us to live in fear!! Amen sister.
Thank you for dealing with the topic of fear. Your book sounds awesome. I know I can benefit from the book. Thanks
I took over a year before I was successful giving my cares over to the Lord and LEAVE THEM WITH HIM.
I keep a diary of these and write when my fears are answered, many times resulting in a miracle. It’s nice to go back and see the time frame between “giving cares over” and not taking fears back.☺
PS-I want to encourage you to read books by Suzanne Woods Fisher and other Christian fiction writers as a gentle way to learn about conquering fears and other issues that bother us as life goes on. Also read Maria Furlough’s book and, it goes without saying keep reading your Bible daily. If you would like a gentle lead in a devotional book, try Sarah Young’s books, particularly “Jesus Calling.” Her books were instrumental in gently leading me where Jesus would call his flock to go. She backs her readings up with Bible verses to support her writings. All these books together have given me a deep peace. I never thought that would happen to me plus I’ve learned and grown in other ways as well. Suzanne , you’ve shown me that in partial ways through your writing, particularly “The Inn At Eagle Hill” series. Thank you so much for all the good you’ve taught us. God truly blesses you through the books you write. Thank you so much!