Hola readers!
If you've followed Saved by Grace long enough then you know that worry is one of my biggest enemies. It plagues me when I'm alone, when I'm with people, when I have a job and when I don't. It plagues me at night, right before going to church, before a phone call with a stranger...anytime.
I thought it'd eventually fade away as I became an adult but I've found that you can't simply wish those type of things away. It doesn't fade with age - it intensifies.
"Just pray," people tell me. And that's great advice, except what do you do when you don't know what to pray? What do you do when the words won't come or the panic attacks are too strong? Prayer is a wonderful, beautiful thing, but today I'm going to dig much deeper and share with you how I've learned to combat the worry and anxiety.

1. I worship and praise. 

The term 'worship' can mean many things but today I'm talking about turning on the music and lifting up your praise to God. I've found this is one of my most powerful ways to combat worry when it rises up to choke me from doing what God has called me to do. It's kicking Satan out of your mind and telling God you're going to praise Him no matter what. It's clearing your mind of you and filling it with God. I even made a playlist with songs for just the occasion...

When Worry Chokes Me Music Playlist

2. I repeat something over and over.
When a panic attack rears its ugly head I've learned to breath in, "I can't," and breath out, "but God can." Over and over.
Sometimes I can't say the words out loud but even said in the mind they have comforted me and helped even my breathing.

3. I've learned to be honest 

When a friend asks me how I'm doing I've learned to admit I'm not doing OK, when worry really has a hold of my life I've learned to go to people and ask for prayer. It's OK to not be OK. Don't be afraid to admit it when you're struggling. Holding it in can be one of the worst things you can do.

4. I journal 

Journaling and blogging are two of my therapies if I were honest. Without writing I'd be lost. I can get my thoughts out, reorganize things in my mind - it's what I need to clear everything out. It's sometimes the only way I can sleep at night.

5. And if I can't sleep at night...I pray

I once heard that if you can't sleep at night then you need to pray. You're awake for a reason - one God only knows. When this happens I begin praying for the people who come into my mind. Half of it is usually rambles, sometimes none of it makes sense - it is after all two in the morning - but I've learned to go to God with everything, in everything.

Even something as simple as a sleepless night.

And once in awhile I've found that a friend I prayed for couldn't sleep either that night or had something going on the next morning, and learning that, made that sleepless night a blessing.

How have you learned to combat fear and worry? I'd love to hear your thoughts!