:Fear::

I am currently reading a book by Joyce Meyer: "The Confident Woman" & this story caught my eye as it gives an accurate description of how fear works. It seems so monstrous and horrible, but the more you confront it; the smaller it becomes. I like the way that Joyce says in her book that we can feel fear but to confront it & "Do it afraid." This applies to all aspects of our lives. :)

" I once heard a story of a village where the children were told by their parents: "Whatever you do, don't go near the top of the mountain. It's where the monster lives." All the previous generations of children heeded this warning and avoided going near the top of the mountain.

One day, some brave young men in the village decided that they had to go and see the monster. They wanted to see what was really like and defeat it. So, they loaded up their packs and provisions and set up the mountain. halfway up, they were stopped in their tracks by a huge roar and a terrible stench. Half the men rain down the mountain, screaming.

The other half of the group continued on their journey. As they got farther up the mountain, they noticed that the monster was smaller than they had expected-- but it continued to roar and emit such a strench that all by one of the men ran back down the mountain into the village.

"I am going to get the monster," the one remaining man said to himself, and he took a step forward. As he did so, the monster shrank until it was the same size as the man. As he took another step toward the monster, it shrank again. It was still hideously ugly & continued to emit a stench, but the man was so close to the monster now that he could actually pick it up and hold it in the palm of his hand. As he looked at it, he said to the monster,"Well, then, Who are you?"

In a tiny, high -pitched voice, the monster squeaked: "My name is Fear."