07/02/2025
July 2025
Dear Friends,
In 2006, I was flying home from a National Healing Conference in Paris with a connecting flight in Chicago. I was exhausted and looking forward to a nap. But just as I began to doze off, the pilot announced that we were returning to the Chicago airport because the landing gear would not retract. He assured us that he did not expect any problems landing, though fire trucks and emergency crews would be waiting on the runway as a precaution.
We spent the next hour and a half circling to burn off fuel before landing safely. During that time, I watched many of the 32 passengers become visibly panicked, some even tried to call home on their cell phones. In that moment, I felt deeply grateful for the peace that comes from knowing God loves me, that His presence is with me, and that I do not have to fear, no matter the circumstances.
Fear Not -- Embrace His Presence
God loves you deeply and unconditionally. And if God loves you, then you can be confident He is on your side, always working for your good. This truth is not something we fully grasp all at once. Rather, the revelation of God’s love is something that continues to grow and develop within us over time, bringing us into greater maturity and a deeper understanding of His heart toward us and others.
As we grow in this understanding, something powerful begins to happen; fear starts to lose its grip. The awareness of God's abiding presence in our lives pushes fear away. In the book of Mark, when Jesus approached His disciples as they struggled on a stormy sea, He said, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” (Mark 6:50)
His voice calmed their fears then, and He speaks the same words to us now. God is saying to you, personally: "Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from Me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with My strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with My victorious right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 TPT)
Fear is a powerful force, but it must not be allowed to rule our lives. We cannot let it control our thoughts, decisions, or our future. When fear dominates, it can block the flow of everything God desires to give us, His joy, His peace, His provision, His freedom, and His power. These gifts are released in our lives through faith. Faith is what activates the promises of God and brings them into our present reality, and His perfect love casts out all fear.
You will find that the desire to draw near to God becomes all the more intense when every worldly source of comfort and security has failed. When human help proves insufficient and the heart is left aching in the emptiness, it is then that the soul begins to awaken to its deepest need, “The Nearness of The Lord.” In those holy moments of surrender, when all else fails and fades, the desire to commune with God burns brightest, and His presence becomes the only true peace that remains.
Do Not Fear – Make God Your Source!
If your heart is broken, you’ll find GOD right there, if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath. (Psalm 34:18 MSG)
In the stillness that follows disappointment or pain, we are drawn closer to the One who never fails. The world offers fleeting comforts and security, but they cannot anchor the soul. Only the presence of God brings a peace that surpasses understanding, a peace not dependent on circumstances, but on His unchanging love.
Father, when the noise of the world fades and the props of security and comfort fall away, I seek to hide in Your presence. Let the emptiness I feel become an open space for Your peace to enter and push out all the fear within. Teach my heart to seek You above all else. You are my refuge, anchor, my joy, and my rest. Even in sorrow, I will discover the beauty of communion with You. Thank You for being near to the brokenhearted and faithful as I call on Your name.
Victorious, only by His GRACE!
Billie B.
