Moving Forward From Fear to Faith
Helping women who have learned responses to often unfounded thoughts and emotions can be very challenging. Acknowledging these emotions and then moving forward is the first step.
March is the time of year all things are new. It amazes me how our physical and mental health seem to mirror the seasons of the year. My grandfather lived to almost 100 years of age. He was a farmer and his entire life had been governed by the seasons. Spring was time to prepare and plant; Summer was time to pray and watch for rain; Fall was the time to harvest; and Winter was a time of rest and planning.
What I noticed is how my grandfather's mood and even his health seemed to mirror the seasons. In the fall of the year after the harvest was in, he seemed to decline in health and in his mood. (Honestly, I don't know many farmers who are in a good mood after the season's crops are in and sent to market.) As my grandfather grew into his late 90s I would often think, this is it, he's about done.
Then Spring would come and he was young again. The hope of a new season was in front of him and he had a bounce in his step and a glimmer in his eye. He had learned optimism that each new year was a new opportunity.
What happens, however, when someone has never learned optimism or reason to hope and instead views life through the lens of fear?
At Ruth Harbor, we walk alongside young women who face overwhelming life circumstances--unplanned pregnancies, emotional struggles, and uncertain futures. As we support them with grace and truth, we are learning to deploy effective therapeutic tools alongside biblical wisdom.
One tool in our toolbox is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) developed by Dr. Stephen Hayes. ACT teaches us ways to deal with life's challenges while staying committed to values-driven actions. We see a strong connection between ACT and the hope we find in Scripture.
Helping women who have learned responses to often unfounded thoughts and emotions can be very challenging. Acknowledging these emotions and then moving forward is the first step.
Trusting God While Accepting Life's Struggles
Many of the moms who come to Ruth Harbor struggle with traumatic life experiences that embed deep fears within them--fear of the unknown, fear of shame and judgment, fear of the future. ACT Teaches that instead of fighting these difficult emotions, we learn to observe them (I am fearing shame and judgment right now), accept them as what they are, simply thoughts or emotions, and move forward.
This principle is beautifully reflected in Psalm 55:22, in which David declares, "Cast your cares on the the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." David learned over his lifetime to trust in the Lord and this faith carried him through many difficult challenges.
For all of us, this is a reminder that trusting God doesn't mean ignoring hardships, it means acknowledging them while resting in His faithfulness and continuing to move forward in faith.
Overcoming Negative Thoughts Through Truth
The young women we serve often struggle with self-doubt: Am I worthy? Can I do this? Can I be a good Mom? What if I fail? Using ACT, we help these moms "defuse" negative thoughts and see them for what they are rather than let them define their reality.
Learning to reset on the firm foundation of Jesus and His Word counters these lies from the Enemy. We are instructed to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), and that we are "God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
Yes, we face discouragement and doubt, but we need to replace the lies with truth and hold fast to God's promises. Memorizing the Bible is an excellent way to begin countering the lies of the Devil with truth from God’s Word.
Taking Values-Driven Action Despite Fear
A key principle of ACT is committing to meaningful action, even when fear is present. For a moment, think back on your life and some of the decisions you made because you were fearful of something. The Devil uses unfounded fear to steer us in the direction he would like us to go, which is often counter to God's will for our lives. If not careful, we can let fear dominate our thoughts and our life.
James 1:22 challenges us to "be doers of the Word" and not simply listeners who are easily deceived. In His "Sermon On the Mount," Jesus compared the person who hears the Word of God but does nothing with it to someone who builds their house upon sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Living your life listening to the fearful and worrisome voice in your head is building your life on shifting sand.
At Ruth Harbor, this may mean choosing life for their baby, stepping into motherhood, and making difficult decisions about their future so their child can have a better life than they have experienced to date. This takes trusting in God, believing in His promises about you as an individual, and acknowledging the fearful thoughts and then moving forward and not letting those thoughts rule your life and your actions.
Finding Peace in the Present Moment
ACT encourages people to practice mindfulness--being fully present in the moment rather than consumed by fear, regret, or worry. Jesus echoed this in Matthew 6:34 when He stated, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."
Helping women who have never known “peace in the present moment” find this kind of thinking very challenging. This kind of peace begins with the gospel--with acknowledging that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus Christ is the Messiah/Savior. While we were still sinners, He gave His life as a payment for our Sin so that today we can become the Children of God and rest in the perfect peace of His grace and tender mercies. So simple yet profoundly difficult for some to accept.
Living Out These Principles Together
As a member of the Ruth Harbor Family, you play a crucial role in helping women find this kind of peace. Acceptance and commitment are not just therapy concepts, they are faith in action, and you can apply these in your own life as we pray for this to happen in the young women we serve:
Accept life's struggles; trust in God's plan.
Let truth, not fear, define your path.
Take faith-driven steps forward, even in uncertainty.
Be present in the work God is doing around you today.
Your faithful financial donations make what we do possible. We can provide the safe, Christ-centered home and community where women can experience love and acceptance.
Moreover, your prayers and intercession break the chains of spiritual bondage that have kept generations of women and now their children living in fear and defeat. Pray that God will break these chains and set them free! Pray that Ruth Harbor moms will find true, lasting inner peace in Jesus. If you are not subscribed to our monthly Prayer Letter, please sign up today!
Thank you for walking alongside us in this mission. Your support enables young women to move from fear to faith, from doubt to purpose, from uncertainty to hope, and from surviving to thriving.
If you are interested in learning more about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), read The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living by Russ Harris.