A Story About Fear

I had an amazing experience the other day, but before I get to that, I need to back track a little bit.
I hear too many stories of horrible things that happen. Lately, I have heard of things that happen within an hour of my house. When I'm home alone is when I'm the most scared (at night mainly). When Matt is gone, I don't sleep well. I have to either bring the kids in bed with me, or go sleep in the spare bed and keep a lot of lights on. I have nightmares just from seeing a commercial of a scarey movie! When I go to the store, I am constantly on alert of everyone around me. I think it's good to see the news so that I am more aware of things sometimes, but lately it has made me go crazy to the point of not even wanting to go anywhere unless I have someone else with me. I didn't think as much into things before I was a mom, but now that I have two little ones to protect, makes it a lot scarier.
I was talking to a family friend at church a couple weeks ago and I was talking to her about how scared I get (since Matt was out of town). She told me to pray and ask God to watch over us and to say the prayer out loud. Normally, I pray quietly to myself.
Well, the other day I heard a horrible story of a murder that happened pretty close to where we live and I was feeling so hopeless, I remembered what my friend said. So, I broke down and cried out to God. I know I have done that before, but it had been awhile since I really just cried it out to him aloud. It's kind of hard to explain this, but as I was praying, I felt him near me. Like he was hugging me and letting me know that he is always with me and to not be afraid. Then, all of the sudden my tears stopped and I was smiling! I think God put that friend in my life to remind me that He is in control, He is always there for me, and that I need to put all my trust in Him!

"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

"The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4