“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” — 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)

There’s a certain kind of fear that doesn’t roar… it whispers.

It’s the kind that disguises itself as responsibility, caution, or “just being realistic.” It doesn’t make a scene, but it makes you stall. You don’t freeze because you’re weak. You freeze because your mind is tangled in what-ifs, worst-case scenarios, and lies dressed up like wisdom.

I’ve been working on a writing project for a long time now, and one theme keeps surfacing over and over again… Fear doesn’t always storm in with flashing lights. More often, it sneaks in through the back door of our hearts. Sometimes it hides under people-pleasing. Sometimes it disguises itself as overplanning, overcommitting, or control. But underneath it all is one central lie:
“It’s all on me.”

When that fog rolls in, the clarity we crave won’t come from trying harder to think our way through it. It comes from remembering who is with us in it.

The Holy Spirit is not a hype man. He’s not shouting over your fear. He’s replacing it with what you actually need: power, love, and a sound mind. That word for “sound mind” in Greek implies self-control, balance, steadiness. It means you have access to spiritual clarity even when fear is pitching lies. Not because you’re strong, but because truth has taken the mic.

When I was tangled in anxiety, the battle wasn’t loud. It was constant.
Fear wasn’t a scream, it was a static hum just under the surface of every decision I made. What if I mess this up? What if they think I’m too much, or not enough? What if I misheard God and I’m leading everyone in the wrong direction?
That’s what fear does. It gets in the sound booth of your mind and adjusts the levels. It turns up the noise of self-doubt, turns down the voice of God, and leaves you second-guessing your peace. But here’s what I’ve learned:

The Holy Spirit doesn’t compete with that noise.
He doesn’t barge in with volume. He waits for space.

That’s why 2 Timothy 1:7 matters. Because when you start filtering your thoughts through what He gave you, not what fear sold you, you’ll notice the shift. He gave you power, love, and a sound mind. That’s not hype. That’s clarity. That’s the fruit of a renewed mind, not a revved-up one.

That doesn’t mean the fear won’t whisper. It means you don’t have to agree with it. Clarity isn’t the absence of fear… It’s the presence of truth.

And friend, truth is what sets you free.

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Reflection

• What is fear whispering to you this week?
• What would it look like to respond with power, love, and a sound mind instead?
• Is there a decision or conversation you’ve been avoiding because fear blurred your confidence?

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Reset Step

Grab your journal and draw two columns:
Left side: “Fear Says…”
Right side: “God Says…”

Start listing. Don’t hold back. Let every anxious thought come to the surface, and then meet each one with the clarity of Scripture.

You’ll be shocked how fast the fog lifts when truth is given space to speak.

Something New Is Coming (and You Can Get It First)

For months, I’ve been working on something close to my heart. It’s finally finished, and it will be available any day now.

Because it’s not live just yet, I want to do something special: if you sign up below, you’ll be the first to know the second it’s available, and you’ll get it free. This is my gift to you for walking with me through this season.

The moment Amazon flips the switch, it’s yours.

Living, Learning, and Seeing it all through the lens of grace,
Jessica