I used to be extremely shy. I didn’t think I would ever change. I thought that was just the way I was. That is, until I read 2 Timothy 1:7 in the New Living Translation version, which says:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity…

I knew that timidity was another word for shy, but I didn’t realize that it was another word for fear. However, when I began to think about why I was shy, I realized that it was because I was afraid…

Afraid of being rejected, afraid of being laughed at, afraid of being misunderstood, afraid of not being accepted…

So I began claiming this word as truth, saying…

I thank you God, that you have not given me a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.

Little by little I began to notice that I was a little less afraid. I began to discipline myself to do or say something bold, even though I still felt afraid. And now, even though I still have a very quiet personality, I am no longer a slave to fear. I am not loud or extremely talkative, but if I have something I want to say, I am not afraid to say it.

(Photo of coloring page from Delight in the Word of God Devotional Coloring Book by JoDitt Williams, page colored by Sue Moore.)

That is why I love the song, No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music. That is my testimony!

Choosing faith over fear means walking by faith, not by sight.

{Click image to purchase Walk by Faith mousepad.}

What God is teaching me is that things we see with our natural eyes are temporal and subject to change. They may look scary, but there is an invisible realm that is more real than what we can see.

According to my mentor, Lyn Lasneski, (founder of Your Creative Genius, Inc.), nueroscience research says that “what we call ‘memory’ actually works in the future and the past equally, but most people are completely unaware of this ‘hidden’ aspect of consciousness.”  Interesting!!!  When our subconscious mind views visual images we see daily… and with the help of our imagination… it implants it into our “memory” as being already true in our future. 

Since we cannot go around with our eyes closed every day, and because our subconscious minds (what the Bible refers to as the heart) are visual based, I try to be very intentional about what I do see. I fill my life with beautiful things to see, (like the Walk by Faith mousepad shown above) that remind me to walk by faith and not by sight, and to choose faith over fear. Because the visual image helps the belief to get into our visual-based subconscious hearts.

And then when I SEE those beautiful Scripture items, I pray and decree that Bible verse out loud – because there is also much power in the spoken word. That is, after all, how God created the whole world.

I love helping others BRIGHTEN their corner as well. That is why I create pretty home decor, gift items and accessories that are encouraging and uplifting.

{Click the image to buy faith gifts now.}

Another strategy that helps to to choose faith over fear is coloring Scriptures.

Coloring is scientifically proven to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. Combine coloring with Scripture and you’ve got a very powerful weapon against fear. I want to help you make war on your fear today in a way that is both fun and therapeutic!

So I created this fun, printable FAITH over FEAR coloring page (and printable sticker sheet) for you. Just click the image below to download them for free!

I’ve also created a few coloring prayer journals. Check them out HERE.

What are YOUR tips for choosing FAITH over fear?

I’d love for you to share your tips in the comments below so we can all learn from one another.