Thoughts From A Recovering Worried Woman

I’m so excited to offer you this guest post today from Ashley Wells!  I’ve really enjoyed reading her blog, Putting God First Place, and I’m looking forward to getting to know her more in the future. AND, I am happy to tell you that she has just published a book! (I’ll let her tell you more about it in her intro.) I’m excited for what God is doing through her.

Ashley is a 20-something year old seminary wife who lives in Louisville, KY with her husband, Michael. God willing, they are hoping to expand their family through way of adoption later this year. Ashley is passionate about encouraging women to live for the Lord in all aspects of their lives and blogs about it regularly at Putting God First Place. Ashley has recently published her first book, How My Soul Yearns, her story of how God brought her through infertility and beyond!

 

I used to worry. A lot.

When something would happen that would remind me of the unstable nature of this world we live in, the first thing I would do is start to worry.

My mind would begin playing out several worst-case scenarios. Then before I knew it, I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than my worried thoughts!

This happened a lot as a newlywed. I was constantly worried that something was going to happen to my husband.

If he wasn’t home when he said he was going to be, I would (of course) be worried that he was involved in a fatal car crash.

When he went to work as a security officer, I would worry about his safety as soon as he left the door. I wouldn’t feel comfortable again until he was home.

When someone would call me and say that they needed to tell me something, my mind would begin racing with all the horrible, terrible things that they could tell me.

That is too much worry!!!

I knew something needed to change in my life. I could not live with all the worry I laid on my heart. I knew that as a Christian, something should be different.

Then, something happened. Something life-changing!

I was teaching at Vacation Bible School about four years ago. We began singing songs on this particular night. And one came on (I wish I could share the actually song, but I have googled it and cannot find it anywhere!) that was centered around this Bible verse:

Casting all your anxieties on him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Isn’t it funny how God opens our eyes to old truths in new ways? Even more so, in unexpected situations! God used this song, at VBS, to show my heart a new truth about His vast love for me!

I started singing this song about how God cares for me. How He wants me to cast my cares on Him. As the lyrics of this song and Bible verse struck a cord in my heart, I became overwhelmed. Tears formed in my eyes and rolled down my face.

God didn’t want me to live a life of a worried woman any more! He showed me the reality that He wants me to cast all of my anxieties and worries onto Him.

Since that night at VBS, I have never been the same. Instead of going straight to worrying about a problem or situation, I first give it the Lord. I pray to Him and picture myself handing it over. Then, all I have to do is trust.

Some days I could still be characterized as a worried woman, I’m not perfect!

However, the difference is that I am trying to do better!

Do you have a worry that is laying hard on your heart? Hand it over to the One who cares for you. Trust in Him. He created the world, He can carry the weight of your worries!

 

 

 

 

 

Ashley Wells
Creator and Author of Putting God First Place
Co-Owner and Executive Director of At the Well

NOW AVAILABLE: How My Soul Yearns
The story of how God brought me through infertility and beyond

Find me here: 
Recently on Putting God First Place: My Grace Story
Recently on At the Well: Cover to Cover: Interview with Author Teri Lynne Underwood