“Panic or Purpose?" Blog #213
What can I do to stop these racing thoughts inside me?
How can I find courage to face my inner self differently?
Is there a way to turn on the light inside me and find purpose?
This defines panic attack, “a sudden feeling of unwelcome, disabling, and disrupting
anxiety”. Then on to define “anxiety”, a feeling of worry, nervousness and unease. Panic
attacks are more prevalent than we realize. Every year thousands upon thousands of
people in the U.S. experience panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden intense feelings of
fear that cause fast breathing, racing heart and sweating. No one really knows why
people get them, yet we do know this, no person has ever died from a panic attack.
I shift gears for a moment to bring in something important here, “grounding”. What does
this mean? If you say someone is “grounded”, this means a person is sensible, reasonable,
and understands the importance of ordinary things in their life.” We live in a world that
idolizes the extraordinary. Yet, it is easy to overlook the beauty and the significance of one
ordinary life. Too often we try to do too much, outside of who we are. Sometimes we have
a “physical situation” happen In our life to bring clarity to “who we really are.”
I believe in panic attacks because I used to have them. They were frightening. Yet, I found
a way to deal with them and they never ever came back again. PRAYER. I faced my
demons head on. Breathing out anxiety, I prayed. “Help me Jesus”. My shallow fast,
fearful breathing slowed way down. Amazingly, after slow, deliberate, deep breaths. I was
able to hear these beautiful soft words, “You are loved”. Somebody might say I was
imagining this. Someone else could say those were your words. Yet I heard those words
loud and clear! “You are loved.”
There’s a famous singer out there who went through years of depression and heart ache.
One day she sat by her bed and was ready to end it all. Just as she was about to open the
drawer next to her bed and do something so horrific and regrettable, a miracle happened
right then! Her little dog came bounding up the stairs and jumped into her lap at that
exact moment. Fate? Coincidence? Perhaps. Dolly Parton believes it was the hand of
God who saved her life that night. And to this day she does not start her morning without
Jesus by her side.
Why does it take times of crisis to turn our hearts and minds to God? Because we are all
alike in one fact. So often we think we can handle things on our own. Of course, this is
where God promised every person has “Free Will” and because of this, God will never
meddle in our lives unless we want him to. So what happens when we do not know HOW
to handle anxiety, and fear of the unknown? Fear takes over our mind with a panic attack!!
No one person has the key to life regardless of who they are or what they achieve. At the
end of the day, it takes one word to over come panic, anxiety, and fear. That word is FAITH.
I have faith in Jesus Christ who is with me regardless of what I go through. I have heard
him speak to me, I have been witness to a miracle and I know there is no other way on
earth to live. Some people could say, “well, if I just had enough money to take care of all
my problems, I would be okay”. It’s not about the money, and we all know that.
Thousands of celebrities, including famous singers, actors, country stars, and talk show
hosts have all had deep, dark depression. Coupled with anxiety and panic attacks, they
confess heart wrenching stories of turning to Christianity. I know I had a life that seemed
idyllic once, everything in place until the unexpected tragedy hit. No one person really
knows how to go forward when depression, anxiety and panic comes. And no one is
prepared for the unexpected. Panic attacks come from internal fear, a feeling of
desperate aloneness and not being grounded. This is internal chaos. This is extremely
dangerous. This is living inside an empty vessel.
The heaviness in my heart is ONLY lifted with HIM. Most of us run daily just as fast as we
can trying to keep up with “the daily minutia”. Deep down inside, I knew now it was time to
“help myself heal from anxious panic”. It was finally time I embrace the light of Jesus to
grow, heal and ground me internally.
Can I let go of the illusion of panic and embrace my higher purpose now?
NOW LISTEN TO SONG FOR TODAY - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW