I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t afraid. I was scared of people, of speaking, and even of being looked at. As I got older, I worried about everything. I was aware of the physical impact that stress and worry have on our bodies and our mental health, but I couldn’t break the cycle. I declined invitations and stuck with what I knew.

Then we had a child who knew no fear. The person I needed to protect and nurture was vulnerable. There was danger in everything. It got worse. He grew older and more independent. He became a teenager, got a girlfriend and a car, and wanted to try everything. I worried until I got chest pain. Something had to change.

I talked with a wise cardiologist who prescribed pills, and then we got real. She confided about her anxiety, and I no longer felt alone. She encouraged me to do the things I love—writing, walking, and reading my Bible. She told me to schedule those things first every day, and since these were actual doctor’s orders, I did that.

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I wrote and walked and read, and I studied about how men and women in the Bible trusted God and handled their fears—and my life began to change. I realized when I prayed for my son’s safety, I was focusing on what seemed dangerous to me at the moment. It could be a scary drive over snowy mountains, the friends I didn’t know, or places he went. But what if I missed something and catastrophe struck because I didn’t pray enough or God didn’t answer my prayer in the way I hoped?

When my friend’s husband died in an accident at home, he wasn’t doing anything he had not done every day. He did everything right and was a careful, experienced person. There was no way to have prepared. I realized that my prayers serve a purpose, but God decides what will happen, and I must decide how I will live.

Were my fear triggers the things that were really threatening or could harm materialize from anything? I either had to devote more time and energy to praying away every conceivable disaster or I had to double down on faith and learn what trusting God means.

I don’t control what can hurt or bless me and my family, but God does. My worried and fearful prayer served a purpose, but it wasn’t the whole answer. I needed to address the roots of the fear and turn to the One who loves me. Christianity is a religion of knowledge, and the Bible is full of reasons to trust my Creator.

I learned to trust God. I don’t know His will or what He may allow, but I can accept whatever it is. The creator of the universe hears my prayer, knows my weakness, and feels my fear. My life is in His hands. I don’t expect a life shielded from pain and woe, but I will put my faith in Him and leave it there.

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My family and friends are grateful for these changes. I lead a life with more bandwidth because fear no longer blocks the way. Best of all, my son sees a strong mom, and he can spread his wings without guilt. When he understands the Almighty source of our strength, he will soar, and I will rejoice in his independence! Me? Now I can look forward to the future with a light heart and a hopeful smile, with my gaze fixed on Christ.

 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)