Be Not Afraid
This is Ananias' article from our April newsletter.
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people in God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. – 1Peter 2:9
My Big Guy told me I need to work on being more welcoming. I’m sorry to anyone who I scared or made nervous when I barked or growled at you or ran over to see who you were.
I’m used to being around My Big Guy a lot, just him and me. So when somebody comes to see him, I want to make sure that they aren’t going to hurt him. So I act tough.
My Big Guy said that I can trust you all, and tell you I’m not really that tough. It is an act that I put on because I’m really nervous around other people.
I don’t know if you will like me, so I act tough, just in case you don’t. And if you do like me, I get so excited. I want to bounce up, even though I’m not supposed to, and my mouth gets all excited from smiling that I tend to drool a little bit.
So I’m going to work on being nicer, and to not think that people are going to reject me.
It’s scary being new, and sharing your vulnerabilities. I think I got that word right. My Big Guy says we all wear a mask to protect ourselves from ridicule and rejection. I’m not sure what all of those words mean, and I don’t like wearing stuff, but I know my barks make me seem mean, and I’m not.
It’s like when you have to share what it means to you to be a Christian. You don’t want people to think you’re too good to be around them, or that you’re different, so you don’t take it seriously.
Or when you think about inviting someone to join you at a worship service. You get nervous thinking if they will say no, or what they will think about you. You are concerned that they may say yes, but then not show up.
Or when an opportunity to serve comes up at church, you feel a motivation to say, “I can do that.” But then you wonder if you can. You get worried that you don’t know enough, or that your faith isn’t strong enough. Or that you might fail.
Those concerns and doubts are what cause me to bark and growl. So, I’ll work on mine. Can you work on yours?
If I see you out on a walk (and encourage My Big Guy to take me on more walks) I’ll try to be friendlier.
Love and Licks,
Ananias
You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people in God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light. – 1Peter 2:9
My Big Guy told me I need to work on being more welcoming. I’m sorry to anyone who I scared or made nervous when I barked or growled at you or ran over to see who you were.
I’m used to being around My Big Guy a lot, just him and me. So when somebody comes to see him, I want to make sure that they aren’t going to hurt him. So I act tough.
My Big Guy said that I can trust you all, and tell you I’m not really that tough. It is an act that I put on because I’m really nervous around other people.
I don’t know if you will like me, so I act tough, just in case you don’t. And if you do like me, I get so excited. I want to bounce up, even though I’m not supposed to, and my mouth gets all excited from smiling that I tend to drool a little bit.
So I’m going to work on being nicer, and to not think that people are going to reject me.
It’s scary being new, and sharing your vulnerabilities. I think I got that word right. My Big Guy says we all wear a mask to protect ourselves from ridicule and rejection. I’m not sure what all of those words mean, and I don’t like wearing stuff, but I know my barks make me seem mean, and I’m not.
It’s like when you have to share what it means to you to be a Christian. You don’t want people to think you’re too good to be around them, or that you’re different, so you don’t take it seriously.
Or when you think about inviting someone to join you at a worship service. You get nervous thinking if they will say no, or what they will think about you. You are concerned that they may say yes, but then not show up.
Or when an opportunity to serve comes up at church, you feel a motivation to say, “I can do that.” But then you wonder if you can. You get worried that you don’t know enough, or that your faith isn’t strong enough. Or that you might fail.
Those concerns and doubts are what cause me to bark and growl. So, I’ll work on mine. Can you work on yours?
If I see you out on a walk (and encourage My Big Guy to take me on more walks) I’ll try to be friendlier.
Love and Licks,
Ananias
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