Hey there. I know, it’s been awhile.

I’m writing this on the day following President Trump’s airstrikes on the three most prominent Iranian nuclear facilities. It was historic day to be sure. But historicity isn’t what concerns me at the moment.

As you know, I wrote fiction in three series, and endeavor which has largely run its course. As you might not be aware, each of those sixteen titles was structured around a different core theme comprised of an element of character. I did so each time with the ambition of going forward from the novel with my reader from then on, and if you’re one, I surely hope I have. And I still care about that, hence another post, this one, out of semi-retirement.

What I’m seeing too much of today, and what is concerning enough to prompt this column, is fear. Fear is natural, of course, but so are the other vices that challenge us from birth to death. Overcoming those is the function of character, and it’s character with which we should concern ourselves, not the avoidance of situations which might provoke our anxiety.

The wife of a Navy SEAL of my acquaintance had this advice for him prior to leaving on a hazardous deployment during the Global War on Terror (GWOT): “Don’t fear dying. It only makes you weak.”

Stacy is a badass in her own right, but that’s another story.

Our intellectual mind knows that fear isn’t productive. So what do we have available as an alternative?

I would assert that the best option is faith, which in turn arises out of faithfulness. What worries a person is telling in regard to where they are holistically. The primary challenge in life is usually maintaining perspective, gathering information, and acting in the best interest of our hierarchy of concerns. Adrenaline sometimes aids in that, to be sure, but paralyzing fear never does.

This morning in Wayne, Michigan an individual attacked a church with homicidal intent and was cooled down in admirable fashion by the congregation’s security. The video available so far shows church members in fear, and others following a preconceived plan. Guess which of those helped bring the situation to a successful conclusion?

The OODA loop– Observe, Orient, Decide and Act– occurs faster in people who have considered the possibility of a given situation ahead of time. Training does this in a structured fashion, but one doesn’t need formal training to implement a plan. One needs a plan, and hopefully one that been validated by past experience, whether it be firsthand or otherwise.

Having a plan is the best way to negate fear in the tactical sense. Faith is its corollary in the realm of of the spirit. In the matter of past experience, we have the example of the men who walked with Christ, and whose stalwart missionary work for thirty years was, excepting John, ended only by martyrdom. They did not fear death for the same reason we should not, because Jesus is there and nothing will occur that is outside of His will for us once we believe.

Knowing, being convinced, faithfully living in the light of such things leaves no foothold for fear. Caution, certainly, concern always, diligence as a lifestyle, yes. But not fear.

Jesus knew we would, and He told us we should not, and faith will provide all the validating evidence for our courage once we take up our responsibilities to believe. It’s really no more difficult to understand. Of all the things I said in my novels, this might be the most important.

Choose to love – DA

*****

In such news as I have, audio books for the sixteen titles in my catalog, previously available for iOS devices through Apple, are now also available from Amazon via their Audible program. If you at times listen instead of read, I hope you’ll find this of interest. These last, as I’ve been told, are available at a discount for Kindle books you’ve downloaded already (including my three free titles).

So, enjoy, be well, and let not your heart be troubled in the meantime. We’ve really no time for it, anyway.