“When Joy shows up at the party, Fear has to exit by the back door.” – Rob Bell

I have a lot of fears. I’m afraid of walking anywhere at night. I’m afraid of noises in the house. I’m afraid of knocking on the doors of strangers’ homes, even if I have a good reason to be there. I’m afraid of something not working right when I’m using the self-checkout lane at the grocery store. Sometimes I’m even afraid of making phone calls. I like to follow the rules. I have no need for adventure. And getting lost by myself is horrifying. I think that basically I’m afraid of The Unknown.

But this whole transition is The Unknown. Everything is new; I have no idea what’s going to happen next. And sometimes is scares me a lot and makes me feel alone. But …

It’s the strangest sensation to be crying out of sadness, but knowing, somewhere deeper than the sadness, that it’s going to be, not just OK, but the best thing that’s ever happened to you. That is joy, and it comes from the depth of your soul, the place where you know things. And I know for certain that this is right.

So I remind myself that “perfect love drives out fear,” (1 John 4:18). And it’s Perfect Love that has led me here.