Sample Story Reading from the Book called Think: From Fear to Faith

Children are pure in heart and not polluted with cares of the world.

Madeline Wright-Soto

The Sliding Board

My first and only granddaughter Monet was delightful and full of energy as most little girls are at four years old. Monet was visiting with us for the weekend in our apartment in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. She arrived that Friday night after attending preschool that morning. I thought that she would be tired from having a full day, not her. I myself had worked all day and was very tried. Saturday morning, of course, she woke up early and was ready to go.

“What are we doing today?” she asked. I told her that we would go to the playground later that afternoon. To Monet, afternoon was in a minute. The time was 9:00 a.m. The playground was only right across the street from the apartment. Off we went to our first outing of the day. She was always excited to go outdoors. When we arrived, she started on the merry-go-around and the the seesaw where she left me on the swings. I thought after a while she would ask to get on it. I asked her why she wouldn’t get on the sliding board and her answer was, “I’m afraid.” I asked her why she was afraid, and she said her mother and other grandmother don’t go on anything that is high. So we began to talk about her fear of heights.

I remember us having this conversation a while ago with her, but here is a teachable moment. I taught her many scripture verses on such verse, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV).” When I started reciting the verse, she finished it and realized that she could repeat what she learned. Now was the time to put words into action.

I walked to the sliding board beside her, and as she went up the stairs, I told her if she started to become afraid ask Jesus to go with her to protect her. The first time she said, “Come on, Jesus,” and sled down the sliding board. I was in front for her to see me as she landed. Then she ran around and proceeded to go again saying, “Come on, Jesus.”

The third time going up the stairs. Monet said, “I don’t want Jesus to go with me.” After being afraid to get on the sliding board, Monet’s attitude changed from I’m afraid to I don’t need help, I got this. Does that sound familiar? One we are sure that we feel safe that is when we feel like I don’t need you now, I got this. I told Monet that she did not have to say “Come on, Jesus” out loud as she was doing; she could say, “Come on, Jesus” in her mind. And then she whisper, “Come on, Jesus.”

Children are sponges, and they listen to what adults say and watch what they do. We are the teachers, and we teach what we know. Do we want them to grow up fearful? I hope not. Now, I’m teaching the same lesson to my great grans. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 KJV) .” This is a warning to parents not to let a child continue in a life filled with fear of people, places, or things; instead, reach them to have faith. The Word of God needs to be more than words, they are to be put into action.

The lesson that was taught on that day applies to…

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