When my daughter, Abby, was born she didn’t like anything that moved. When I would lay her down she would suddenly throw her little arms out and begin to cry. I learned there is something called ‘startle reflex’ that can be pretty normal for babies. Leaning over to put them down can make them feel like they’re falling. The doctor gave me two instructions: hold her as close to my body while I was leaning over…and swaddle her. You can google the step-by-step for swaddling but wrapping her up tight in a thin security blanket, like a little burrito, worked wonders for her. Swaddled…and held very close to my heart.

I read 1 John 4:18 from The Message. It’s the Bible verse that tells us that perfect love casts out fear. “There is no room in love for fear” grabbed my full attention. Listen to the whole verse: “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.”

Just imagine being fully wrapped up in God’s love and held tightly to the heart of Jesus. The more we lean into His love the less afraid we will be. I love the thought that ‘well-formed love banishes fear’. It’s not any kind of love we could make ourselves. It’s the Jesus kind of love that holds us close to His heart and sets us free all at the same time.