Anxiety

Definition of anxiety:

characterized by extreme uneasiness of mind or brooding fear about some contingency

The time has rolled around....once again....for me to spill the beans....or, "spill my guts"....or "true confessions"!!!

There are very few people who know this about me....well, until now, if you're reading this!!!

I have anxiety attacks....better known as panic attacks. I don't do well in large crowds of people.....or closed in spaces....or heights....or traffic....well, you get the picture!!!

For years I didn't even realize that I have this problem. I just try to stay out of situations that I know will cause me to become fidgety, anxious, nervous, etc. Lots of times, I feel that people might have a false impression of me....that I think too highly of myself, or that I'm just an old "stick in the mud"....but this is the reason why I don't do too well in social situations...it's definitely not that I feel I'm any better than anybody else (quite the contrary, actually).

I shared this "secret" with a sweet young lady last week who asked me if I was going to attend the Ladies Retreat that was held at our church this past weekend. I was going to just give her some lame excuse...but I decided that I would just be honest. Just the thought of being in a room....probably a small room....with around 45 other ladies...makes my chest get tight just thinking about it. I know that this has kept me from doing a lot of things in my lifetime....getting more involved in things....attending parties....having more FUN. I do much better if it's on friendly turf...you know what I mean...a place where I'm comfortable, or used to.

Why am I telling you this? I'm not sure....maybe because "confession is good for the soul"....or, so that some of you who know me....will know and understand me a bit better....which happens each time I confess my faults/shortcomings/problems.

Just know....that if you have something similiar going on in your own life....then, I'm right there with 'ya....understanding exactly what you're going thru!!!

Psalm 139:23 (NLT) - Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Proverbs 12:25 (NLT) - An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT) - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

(p.s.....I was hesitant to publish this about myself....because you know....it's not easy to admit a weakness. I already had it written, it just needed a bit of "tweaking"....so I visited a few blogs. One of them had a post about their dog....who has "anxiety issues". I had to laugh out loud....and knew right then that God was giving me my "sign"!!!)

( I'm so glad that our God has a sense of humor!!!)

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!