Psalm 27:1 
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 
(NKJV)

I was recently on an airplane, and as we sipped our coffee, my seatmate and I started chatting.  We went through the usual “Where are you going?”  “How long is your layover in Atlanta?” (if  you use air travel in eastern part of the US, you go through Atlanta!)  Then we got to the “Where do you live?”  My seatmate lived about an hour from the shore in NC.  He said that even though his family loved the beach and that his wife went almost every day, he refuses to live any closer to the ocean.  When I shared with him that it was my dream to live near the ocean, he said “What about when the hurricanes come in?”  Without thinking I replied “But, what about when they don’t?”  I started thinking about that conversation.  He based his lifestyle on the bad things that might happen.  Hurricanes have great power and are devastating when they hit, but a hurricane coming ashore in North Carolina is not a common occurrence.  I have a friend whose mother stayed by her side until she was in senior high school because of the fear of kidnapping.  Not only did she live in fear, but also she planted the seed of fear in her daughter.  She based both of their lifestyles on the bad things that might happen.  Lord, You know that we live in a sinful world.  You gave us senses to be aware of our surroundings and the knowledge to avoid an openly dangerous situation.  2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”   Over and over You tell us “fear not.”  Isaiah 41:13 says “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. “  Lord, thank You for holding my hand and always being there when I turn to you.  Psalm 55:22 tells me that I can give You my burdens and You will take care of me.  You tell me in 1 Peter 5:7 to give my anxiety to You.  You tell me to give You my concerns because You care about me, and because You care about me, You are concerned about me.  Nothing is too big or too small for You.  Thank You, Lord, for giving me a promise of peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).  I know that I need to be aware and take the needed precautions to avoid harm, but thank You Lord that I do not need to live my life based on fear.