“This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.”  Dwight D. Eisenhower

When I was a young woman of 21, I lost my job as a media/research secretary, because the company went bankrupt.  Even at that young age I was learning some valuable lessons about the advertising business and how fickle it can be.  I put my application in to several businesses and was blessed to find another s job much closer to home.  I would now be working as an assistant to the manager of a finance company.

The world was crazy at that time – much like today.  There were riots in the streets, discontent, hatred and assassinations occurring almost weekly. The sixties were years of revolution, resistance, anger and rage.  Police were laying their lives on the line daily.  Drugs were infiltrating society at a much faster rate than ever before.  More and more women were entering the work force and demanding equal pay for equal jobs.  They had declared their own war for feminism.

During that time, I was preparing for my wedding.  In spite of all the turmoil going on around me, I wasn’t afraid, because I knew that my life was headed in the right direction.  Then one day,  two men in ski masks entered the building.  They told us to open the cash drawers and lay down on the floor.

My short 21 years flashed before me like a lightening bolt.  As I tried to open one of the cash drawers, the key jammed and it was impossible to do so.  I was told to hit the floor.  In that fraction of a second I had no choice but to oblige the two thugs.  A lot of shuffling around and then silence as the thieves left the building.

This wasn’t the end of the incident.  Police were called, and since I was the only one who really got a look at the perpetrators, would have to go look at mug shots.  The week continued with a line up and a story in the local newspaper about the incident.  The story named me as a witness and listed my address as well!  Talk about fear.  Not only had I suffered through a robbery, I would now be wide open to any retaliation from the enemy.

It was time for some serious prayer.  Why do we wait until it’s a tough time in our life to fold our hands?  Why must we try so hard to figure out solutions to our situations, rather than ask the Creator of the universe for help?  We’re all faced with fears throughout our lives – some small and some not so much.  If we go to the Lord in prayer, He will give us comfort.  He has also promised to answer prayers in His own way and time, so we should put our complete trust in His words and promises.