I'm Kelly Ann Snyder. Welcome to Living Perfectly Loved, the podcast created to encourage, equip, and inspire you to live free from fear and full of joy, secure in God's perfect love. If you're longing to stand firm in Christ amidst the storms of life with a faith deeply rooted in God's perfect love, stop anxiety and fear from stealing your joy and controlling your life, shine brightly and love fearlessly, confident in who God uniquely created and called you to be, then this faith-inspiring podcast, full of practical help and spiritual tools, is for you. You're listening to Season One, Episode 11: Let Your Light Shine by Helping Others. Brought to you by Living Perfectly Loved Ministries and my new book, Living Perfectly Loved: A Christian's 12-Step Journey to Freedom from the Grip of Anxiety and Fear. For all recommended resources, products, and freebies discussed in this episode, please see the notes for this episode. I'm happy to announce that in each episode this season, I will be sharing an excerpt from my book containing each of the 12 steps the Lord used to deliver me from the grip of anxiety and fear. In this way, you'll be getting a sneak peek into my book, Living Perfectly Loved. I'm so glad you've decided to join me. Subscribe to my email list today at kellyandsnyder.com and you will be kept in the loop with all book and ministry-related announcements I make, and be eligible to receive all free resources I create and share with my subscribers. Visit my website at kellyandsnyder.com to learn more about Living Perfectly Loved Ministries, including direct links to purchase my book and information that can help you take the next step forward in your faith journey. If you haven't yet listened to my podcast trailer, I'd like to invite you to do so after listening to this episode. All right, let's get started! The following is an excerpt from Step 10 of my book, Living Perfectly Loved, titled: Let Your Light Shine by Helping Others. Have you ever been afraid to pray aloud in front of everyone? After uncovering the root cause of this fear and making progress through the steps God used to rescue and restore me in my struggle with anxiety and fear, God gave me another opportunity to confront this fear. My phone rang. It was my pastor calling me to ask me if I would pray onstage over the congregation for both Sunday services. It was the start of the new year and our church was about to begin a corporate 40-day fast, and the members would commit to read through the entire Bible in one year. My pastor specifically asked me to, quote unquote, pray Heaven to Earth. Good grief! No pressure. I wanted to break it to him gently that I was not the right person for this job. But I managed to refrain from doing so. While I was both honored and humbled he had asked me, I wasn't sure I fit the profile of the person he was looking for. I was not a bold dynamic speaker, but rather soft-spoken, insecure, and easily intimidated by large crowds. To get up on stage and pray at the Sunday services in front of hundreds, maybe thousands, of people was certainly not within my comfort zone. Just thinking about doing so, I felt my palms get sweaty and my heart rate go up. My flesh screamed no! Despite my insecurities and trepidation, however, deep down I knew that God had already been speaking to my heart about being bold and brave, and stepping outside of my comfort zone and this was an opportunity to trust Him. This was a test of my obedience to do what He was calling me to do: to help others, regardless of whether I felt qualified, and in spite of whatever fears I was still learning to work through. He wanted me to let my light shine. I couldn't deny that there was a big part of me that really wanted to go for it. Somewhere deep within me an emphatic resounding yes was desperately trying to make its way out of my mouth and into my pastor's ear. The Holy Spirit urged me to go for it. I wanted to be faithful. I didn't want to cower in fear and insecurity at the opportunity and say, like Moses,"please send someone else," Exodus four verse 13. This prayer wasn't about me anyway, it was about encouraging my church family, praying God's blessing over them for the coming year, and humbling myself in service to the body of Christ. God would be faithful to give me the words He wanted me to pray over them and to Him. So after much deliberation during our brief five minute phone conversation, I finally said yes and committed myself. Even if it meant doing it afraid, I was not going to let this opportunity pass me by. The truth is, God doesn't always call the most eloquent orators to be a voice for him. It's often the most unlikely of people who shine His light. Take Moses for example. The Bible says in Exodus three that Moses was out tending to his father-in-law's flocks when the Lord called him. On Mount Horeb, the mountain of God, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that, though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up, Exodus three verse two. The Lord said to Moses,"I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them. So now go, I am sending you," Exodus three verse seven, eight, and 10. God called on Moses to help deliver His people out of slavery. However, Moses was very much afraid and insecure. Bottom line: he felt unqualified for what God was calling him to do. Rather than humbly obey God, Moses was reluctant to comply. He questioned God's plans, argued with Him, and essentially declared himself unfit for the job. He said,"who am I that I should go to Pharaoh," Exodus three verse 11. And,"I've never been eloquent. I am slow of speech and tongue," Exodus four verse 10. At this point, Moses is unable to move past his insecurities and fears, and he's looking for a way out of his God-given assignment. He sees what God is asking him to do only in terms of his limitations. Rather than seeing what God can do in and through him. Knowing Moses' weaknesses full well, God patiently waited for him to come around to obedience. He gently responded to Moses' insecurities and fears with a variety of assurances, miraculous signs, and wonders. He said,"I will be with you," Exodus three verse 12, and"I will help you," Exodus four verse 12. Rather than accept God's reassurances, though, Moses questioned God, further revealing his insecurity, fears, and doubts."Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them,'the God of your fathers has sent me to you,' And they ask me,'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" Exodus three verse 13. Unfortunately, Moses still doesn't get it. He isn't ready to grasp the fullness of who God is. God answered Moses,"I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites. I AM has sent me to you," Exodus three verse 14. Mic drop. I want you to catch the power and weight of this statement. I AM is the name God gives to himself as first revealed to Moses. This name is all encompassing, describing God's presence, sovereignty, sustainability, and power over all. Our God who was, who is, and who is to come. By God calling himself I AM, He was essentially revealing to Moses the fullness of who He is. Whatever it was the Israelites lacked or that Moses lacked, I AM would be for them. The leaders of the Israelites would have grasped the significance of this declaration and been in awe. In God, referring to himself as I AM, I believe it's as if God was saying to Moses: I know who I AM, but do you know who I AM? I know who you are, but do you know who I AM in you? It's worth noting that God's name is transcribed as Yahweh, Y-H-W-H, in the original Hebrew Old Testament. This is because the Jews believed God's name was too sacred to be uttered out loud and therefore had to find substitutions for it. Since there is not an exact translation in the English language for Yahweh, we usually find God's name written as Lord in all capital letters in our English Bible. These different forms of God's name all refer back to I AM. Like Moses, we have been called to lead people into the promised land of eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. We are people on mission,"sent to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light," see first Peter two verse nine. We can fight, flail, get anxious, angry, and argue with God about what He's calling us to do. We can doubt ourselves or see ourselves as unqualified for the opportunities God gives us to help others. Or we can take our eyes off of ourselves and see God, looking to all that I AM is rather than fearing all that I am, lowercase, not. The Bible says, I am your deliver, Psalms one 40 verse seven. I am your strength, Psalms 28 verse seven. I am your righteousness, Isaiah 61 verse 10. I am your light, Psalm 27 verse one. I am your shepherd, John 10 verse 11. I am your provider, Genesis 22 verse 14. I am your defender, Proverbs 23 verse 11. I am the way, the truth, and the life, John 14 verse six. I am everything that you need, Second Corinthians nine verse eight. With Christ in you and you and Him, you will shine bright in this world. Not because of who you are, but because of who He is in you. Christ within you is like the fire inside the burning bush. His presence turns you into a soul burning with a passion to see God's kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. See Matthew six verse 10. Matthew five verse 16 says,"In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." Just as the fire within the Bush did not burn out, so the fire of the Holy Spirit within you will never be extinguished. So never be afraid to let your light shine. No matter what God has called you to, He will be with you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Thank You for choosing to reveal Your glory to me through the Spirit of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for the fact that no matter how difficult my circumstances are or how dark the atmosphere is, I can still choose to shine my light and help others, thereby claiming more territory for Your kingdom. Help me remember You are with me always, allowing me to continue to be a source of light and love to those around me. Reveal to me how to shine my light in a way that will lead others closer to You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thanks for listening to this episode of the Living Perfectly Loved podcast. While it's true that God is love and we are perfectly loved by Him, we all struggle at times to live like this true. While we should strive to grow in Christ likeness, we can rest in knowing God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are or anything we could ever do for Him. In Jesus Christ, we are enough! Remember, you don't have to be perfect to live perfectly loved. You have always been and will always be a completely forgiven, fully accepted, deeply loved, daughter the King. Beautiful friend, His grace is for you. Please subscribe to my podcast now and stay tuned for another episode of Living Perfectly Loved. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He shine His face on you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace, in Jesus' name.