The Sandbag Times Issue No: 21

Have Faith
I found myself in one of these worry cycles for the last few years,
it just crept up on me & it got so bad that it paralysed me with fear
and made me dread waking up in the mornings. I didn’t realise it was
coming until it hit me like a brick! So then I felt trapped in that place,
with no way out. I prayed and prayed and
kept reminding myself that the Bible says:
‘Cast your anxieties on Him because He
cares for you.’
(1 Peter 5:7)
I read Bible verse after Bible verse some of
them included in this article, however I still
could not escape. I pleaded with God for
help, help with all the things going on in mine
& my childrens lives, and waited and waited
for an answer. The answer finally came.
So, let’s stop for a moment
stop struggling
stop stressing
stop worrying
stop thinking the worst
Just breathe
God sent me an ‘angel’ in the form of a
support worker, an advocate for me & my
kids, to support us, and ensure that we had the
right help we needed. She really has been a
‘God send’, but the turning point came when
she introduced me to the ‘control dartboard’.
She felt it would help me with my worries.
The idea is I write down my worries on post it
notes and then stick them in the corresponding
zones. It’s helped me to really think about what my concerns/worries
are and whether I am able to do anything about them or not. It
actually makes
me feel more ‘in
control’ if you
like. I can take
positive action in
the things that are
within my control
or that I can
influence, and am
learning to accept
that there are
some things that
are beyond my
control.
Now, this a
really helpful tool
on two levels. It helps me to get my worries out of my head and down
on paper in front of me, which in some way gives me order, especially
in my head. It also helps me spiritually, because I have those worries
written down & am able to pray about each one. It’s helped my
prayer life, because I
am no longer so
overwhelmed by
worry that I struggle
to pray about them, it
has also helped to
remind me that ‘God
is in control’.
In the Bible
countless times it is
written ‘Fear not’, well this Control Dartboard has actually helped to
remind me to seek God first. To pass on my worries to Him. He does
not want me to carry that heavy burden, but He wants to carry it for
me. Let’s be honest, each worry is like a
heavy rock that we carry in our back pack, the
more worry the heavier the pack, the more
tired & stressed we get. What God is saying is
take that pack off empty all those rocks into
my pack and carry on your walk with a light
load. I know this is not easy, I have struggle
for years with worry, but I want to encourage
you to let Him carry your burden. It makes
your journey a lot easier an it gives you peace
of mind.
‘Don’t worry about anything; instead,
pray about everything. Tell God what you
need, and thank him for all he has done. 7
Then you will experience God’s peace, which
exceeds anything we can understand. His
peace will guard your hearts and minds as
you live in Christ Jesus.’ (Phillipians 4:6-7)
Will we ever live a worry-free life? No.
There will always be those moments of worry,
but let’s try and get into a habit of praying
about situations instead of
worrying. I read a great
quote today from Martin
Luther, that made me smile
because it fitted so well with
what I wanted to share with
you this week.
‘You can’t stop the birds
from flying over your head,
but you can stop them from
making a nest in your hair!’
Have a great week and
Have Faith -Vickie xx
I want to reassure you that however alone you are feeling
right now, you are NOT alone in your battle. Please message
me if you have any questions or if you would like us to pray
for you or for someone you know.
Please contact me at havefaith@sandbagtimes.com
www.sandbagtimes.co.uk 15 |