Navigating life is hard. To say that the past few years have been filled with changes and uncertainty is simply an understatement. We have all had to learn to adjust. To look at things differently and adapt. Our children are no different. They have been riding this ship of unpredictability and for the most part, know no different. However, occasionally fears and anxieties can creep in. It may be a new school, a new house, going to sleep at night, or a simple change in routine, but sooner or later our kids will show fear towards something.
Night time fears were a giant hurdle in our home, and we would always fall back on the premise that God was with us. That God would always be with us. This was and is an idea that I firmly believe. That no matter the problem, God is with us. This does not necessarily stop bad things from happening (cue Jesus, and John the Baptist), but He will be there to help us through those bad things.
I am a children’s book author. My first book BRAVE, was inspired by my children. My kids were terrified to go to sleep and would wake me up throughout the wee hours of the night. I decided to triumph this issue by illustrating and describing my kiddos as children who were in fact not scared of anything, and in the end could always rely on God to be with them. It worked. Of course my kids would go in and out of their nighttime fears, but we would always go back to our book and remind ourselves that we are safe.
My second book, Feathers From Above, also came from my children. My daughter would find feathers around the house and outside. With childlike innocence she would run up to me declaring that her “Guardian Angel, must have dropped their feather!” I loved this. She believed she was protected by God through an angel, and the feathers were little reminders of their existence. It was beautiful. I knew right away this must be a message for all children: finding solace in feathers fallen from the wings of our angels who are messengers and protectors from God.
As my children are growing I have noticed their fears are continuously transforming. Our kids are just like us, and with each new day we will inevitably find something to worry about (probably mostly them). I can not shield them from their worries anymore than I can shield myself from my anxieties. They are a part of life. I can reinforce the idea that even when we are scared, God is with us. I can remind my children that not only are they protected throughout the night, but they are also protected throughout their entire life.
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