The Paperback Pursuer: Guestpost: Release Your Fears by Shawn & Ron Kilgarlin

Release Your Fears

by Shawn & Ron Kilgarlin

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.

~ H.P. Lovecraft

I have never been one to let my fears get in the way of my dreams. I was the first one in my family to graduate college. I was scared, because I didn't think I was as smart as others, but I preserved and graduated.

I opened my business, and was eventually very successful. Along the way, sometimes I feared I wouldn't make payroll. I stressed about employee functions and many other things that small business owners go through every day. I did a lot of fervent praying in those days.

It wasn't until the writing of this book, however, that my faith was tested. I was very fearful that it wouldn't get published and that my work would be just thrown away.

Then one night, I opened my Bible and some highlighted scripture caught my attention. I realized that my book and these writings came from love, written from a pure mind and heart. This work is from the Lord and he inspires me. I knew it would be published, so I pressed forward, faced my fears, and you are reading this book today.

Whatever you do in life, let go of your fears and give your life to the Lord; he will direct your path. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.
(2 Timothy 1:7, New American Bible)

Courage

Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying “I will try again tomorrow.”
~ Mary Ann Radmacher
Guideposts, June 2005

Feelings are not supposed to be logical. Dangerous is the man who has rationalized his emotions.
~David Borenstein

We all have thoughts that produce emotions, and emotion produces feelings. The more emotional we become, the more thoughts and feelings we have. If these thoughts are negative in nature, this can produce a horrible feeling of anxiety. If these negative thoughts persist, you may have to locate what in your childhood has caused this. It can be fear of abandonment, for example. This is very common for children from abusive, divorced families, where the father or mother were the abuser.

Many fears we experience include fear of abandonment, fear of loss, and we also pull back from social connections. The solution is to seek counseling, or talk with a trusted parent so as to get logical ways to deal with your anxiety. Repeat your concerns or thoughts that are causing anxiety to your trusted person of choice.

You may need medication, and that’s okay. Go and see a psychiatrist. He or she can do a mental evaluation to determine any disorder and needed medication. Sometimes this has to be done, so don’t be afraid, just do it. The psychiatrist is a trained medical doctor and will try different medications until they get the correct therapy for you.

Write a journal every morning about how you feel and how you will conquer your anxiety. Write in your journal, “God grant me the serenity to change the things I can change, accept the things I can’t and have the wisdom to understand the difference between the two.” Also write, “I fear no man, only God, because God grants me life, not man.” And “I will conquer these fears; I expect to conquer my fears.”

~ Ron Kilgarlin

Let Go, Let God

For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.

(Jeremiah 29:11, New American Bible)

I had a friend who told me, “Shawn, I want to get involved in the church, and I want to know God, but I prayed and prayed for a situation in my life not to happen, my pastor prayed, my friends and family prayed, and the situation did happen. Why did it happen? This horrible situation, where I cannot see any good ever coming from it? How am I supposed to put it all in God’s hands, which seems easy for you to say?”

My response to her is that God has a unique plan for each and every one of us. You can’t expect to go to him on a conditional basis. You can’t go to him only when you need something, I told her. You have to be dedicated to him every day. Ask him to forgive your sins, if you haven’t already. You need to pray every day. Every time something good happens to you, you need to thank him, not just ask for your needs. That was my response to my friend, and my advice to you.

We all have storms in our lives. They will come. It’s just a matter of when. They are unexpected. They are meant to bring us closer to God. Sometimes these tragedies happen because we make bad decisions. However,, storms can make us more compassionate and help us grow spiritually. God will protect you…if you only trust!

Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice.

(Isaiah 41:10, New American Bible)

About the Book:

Stress Relief is right here, in your hands.

Are you tense and need a break? You will love this book! Open it to any page on any day. You'll find guidance and useful tips that are positive, fun, light-hearted and profound so you can get the peace of mind you really need - right now. Whenever you feel bothered and annoyed, fearful, insecure, angry or frustrated, it is probably from on of these:

Daily Hassles - traffic jams, lost keys, bills to pay, unruly children
Workplace - office politics, lack of respect, unemployment, helplessness
Environmental - noise, pollution, harsh lighting, crowds
Life Changes - college, marriage, divorce, aging, emergencies, grieving
General Anxiety - holidays, peer pressure, addictions, feeling inadequate

Don't worry, we have you covered. Designed for easy reading and fast relief, Past Tense gives you 365 engaging "page-a-day" stories to put your stress to rest. Each one brings you a healthy does of feeling better every day of the year. Sprinkled with inspiring quotes, thoughtful sayings and profound wisdom from the world's great philosophers, modern thinkers, and major religions, Past Tense give soothing, down-to-earth advice for people of all ages. Use it to get "past tense" right away - and stay that way for life!

Work Stress. Management Stress. Money Stress. Life Stress!

They're All Part of Everyday Life, BUT...

There are practical solutions and secrets that you can start using right away:

Fundamental understanding and management of stress is within your grasp.

With its 365 engaging, "page-a-day" stories, Past Tense offers a healthy dose of stress relief for every day of the year. The book covers every stress-generating scenario imaginable while teaching: the full impact of stress on your life; how to react to any crisis with composure; ways to read the warning signs of stress burnout; and tips on becoming a master of new behavioral patterns that help you live a highly stress-reduced life.

Past Tense is guaranteed to provide guidelines for creative problem solving while giving you positive-habit-forming techniques for tackling difficult situations. In its alternately fun, light-hearted, yet profound pages, you'll discover ways to reduce harmful stress and increase productivity across the spectrum in areas including:

Daily challenges (traffic, lost keys, workplace woes)
Workplace pressures (office politics, lack of control, job loss)
Environmental stressors (noise, pollution, harsh lighting, crowds)
Life changes (college, marriage, divorce, aging, grieving)
Stresses related to family, holidays, peer pressure, addiction, and much more

Sprinkled with quotes, sayings, and profound wisdom from ancient philosophers, modern thinkers, and the world's major religions, Past Tense offers down-to-earth, common sense advice that speaks powerfully to readers of all ages and cultures. Use this lively stress-handling encyclopedia to get "past tense" and stay that way - for life!

About the Author:

Shawn V. Kilgarlin is a writer, speaker, and Chief Operating Officer of Louisiana-based American Screening Corporation (ASC), a nationwide leader in drug testing products since 1999. In 2011, she was named a Cambridge Who's Who Professional of the Year in Health Care Support. Ms. Kilgarlin's husband (and co-author), Ron Kilgarlin is ASC's CEO and an internationally recognized sales expert. Their company has helped over a million people deal with the plague of substance abuse. While unusually active in her industry and community, Ms. Kilgarlin's true passions are writing and helping those in need. She is the author of the book God's Love Letters: Overcoming Adversity. Past Tense is her second book.