Queen Esther- Fearlessness

 This Sunday, we're kicking off our sermon series on Queen Esther! We're diving into fearlessness, courage, and bravery—basically, the holy trinity of "I can do this!" As always, I spend the week obsessively thinking about the topic. I have so many stories and ideas flowing through my head. 

A few years ago, our family took a scenic drive down the coast of California from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Naturally, we had to make a pit stop at Disneyland, the place where dreams come true—unless you’re afraid of roller coasters. I’m not what you'd call “brave” when it comes to rides; my idea of thrill is It’s A Small World. But this particular day, I had a moment of courage—or perhaps a severe lapse in judgment—and decided to hop on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride.

As I stepped into the building, which looked suspiciously like an industrial electrical plant, my body immediately started plotting its escape. But I thought, “No! I’m going to be brave! I’m going to face my fears!” 

So, against all instincts, I bravely strapped myself in. For those who haven’t experienced this ride, it’s basically a 13-story elevator that drops over and over again.  All I could think was, “This is it. I’m going to have a heart attack.

I resorted to deep yoga breathing—if you’ve never counted to ten while gasping for air, it’s quite the workout! I was practically auditioning for a role in a meditation app.

When the ride finally ended, I was relieved, but my anxiety decided to stick around like an uninvited relative. I think I even saw my heart trying to escape through my throat! Now, even thinking about that ride gets my heart racing.

So, yes, being brave is not for the faint of heart. It takes a whole lot of courage and determination—especially to keep yourself from sprinting away screaming like a banshee! But sometimes, in life, we have to face our fears… even if it means we might end up in the “I survived the Guardians of the Galaxy” support group afterward!

While Esther might not be as exhilarating as the Guardian of the Galaxy ride, it has a lot to teach us about being fearless. As a church community, we too need courage as we face the challenges of surviving in a secular world. I hope you will join me this week as we explore fearlessness and courage. 

Blessings

Kim

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