Fearfully Made

By Carlos Darby

You weren’t born to live scared.

You were fearfully and wonderfully made.

So why are so many of us afraid?

From failure and ridicule, to rejection, loneliness and death – today’s society is plagued with anxiety, doubt and fear. Into our social-media dominated, comparison-rife age, Jesus promises the solution.

Attacking each of these fears in turn, Hillsong Youth x Young Adults London along with LA, NYC, Sydney, Paris and many more, unite to share real-life stories encouraging youth the world over to better understand how the Fear of God has the power to conquer all other fears.

Featuring interviews with Fleur East, Guvna B, Leah McFall, Ashley John Baptise, Marcel, Rich Wilkerson JR, Cheryl Fagan, Chelsea Smith, Erwin McManus, William Adoasi Lucile Houston, original articles by Dan & Jo Watson, Phil Kyei, Ashley John Baptise, Elizabeth Neep and Group Discussion Questions for each fear, this full-colour, powerfully design-driven mag-book gives you the tools to positively shape society today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SPCK
• Release date: Feb 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9780281078653

Book preview

INTRODUCTION: FEARFULLY MADE

CHAPTER 1: FEAR OF FAILURE

FEATURE: FEAR OF FAILURE

HY X YA — SYDNEY: DANIEL FEODOROFF

FLEUR EAST

GUVNA B

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 2: FEAR OF RIDICULE

FEATURE: FEAR OF RIDICULE

HY X YA — L.A.: MARIAISABEL RODRIGUEZ

MARCEL

LEAH McFALL

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 3: FEAR OF REJECTION

FEATURE: FEAR OF REJECTION

HY X YA — NYC: ANNA SOFIA VASILENKO

ASHLEY JOHN-BAPTISTE

RICH WILKERSON JR

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 4: FEAR OF LONELINESS

FEATURE: FEAR OF LONELINESS

HY X YA — LONDON: JORDAN BICKNALL

CHERYL FAGAN

CHELSEA SMITH

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 5: FEAR OF DEATH

FEATURE: FEAR OF DEATH

CARINE HARB

ERWIN RAPHAEL McMANUS

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

CHAPTER 6: FEAR OF GOD

FEATURE: FEAR OF GOD — STAND IN AWE

HY X YA — PARIS: RODRIGUE VUNDILU

WILLIAM ADOASI

LUCILLE HOUSTON

GROUP DISCUSSION X QUESTIONS

SALVATION PRAYER

CONTRIBUTORS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our society has an identity issue. People are searching for who they are. We look to our peers, to social media, to Hollywood, to find out who we should be. But God knows our real identity. He says we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’

Reading through, that’s what this book is all about: understanding who has made us and who he has made us to be. Understanding that there are fears that tell us we shouldn’t, or we mustn’t, or we can’t live fearlessly out of this God-given identity.

Fear affects us all. For me, the fear of rejection in my life was huge. Doesn’t everyone just want to be ‘normal’? I often felt like if I were ever to do something or say something that stood out I would be rejected. And so, I held back or conformed, just wanting to fit in. That’s when my fear of loneliness kicked in too. Whether isolated or surrounded by loads of people, it can feel so lonely to not be yourself or have your true self be known.

At times it can feel like we’re the only one who feels this way, but what I love about this book is that it shows us we’re not alone. The stories and interviews in this book are shared to show you are not alone in your fear but with God you can, and you will, overcome it.

Singer-songwriter Fleur East tells us about her fear of failure when taking to the stage in The X Factor, and Guvna B shares his struggle to fit in and how he found his true voice. Designer Marcel tells us about overcoming the fear of ridicule, with singer-songwriter Leah McFall encouraging us all to ‘absolutely know the word of God so we’re well equipped to deal with these lies and these fears that are spoken over us.’

Broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste, shares with us how God changed his fear of rejection, with preacher Rich Wilkerson JR encouraging us to face fear head on. Cheryl Fagan delves into the fear of loneliness and how it is only God who can satisfy, and church leader Chelsea Smith encourages us with her promise that she ‘would never say no to anything God asked her to do because of fear’.

Born in Lebanon, Carine Harb shares how God helped her overcome her very real fear of death, with Erwin McManus challenging us that ‘fear is the baseline to the next great breakthrough in your life’. All of these fears and all of these interviews point to the one fear that can conquer them all, with Designer William Adoasi and church leader Lucille Houston further unpacking how the fear of God can overcome all other fears.

These features and so many more packed into this book, encourage us that if we understand that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, we can step out of everything society has boxed us into. As I share myself, if I was to listen to what society said about my life I would just be another negative statistic. I would not have the marriage I have, be the father I am or be able to do what I do now. But once I listened to what God says and understand that I’m made in his image, he gave me the power to change my narrative. That doesn’t mean I don’t get scared – we all do – but it means I don’t let fear have a grip on me so that each day I can step out into all he has for me.

This book is for everyone but specifically for a young person or leader who is trying to navigate their identity in life, trying to understand who Jesus is and how he has made us unique, that we can all be used for a purpose and fight for a common goal which is to point more and more people to him.

My hope is that this book will help all readers step out of a place of fear and step into their God-given potential, their full purpose in positively shaping society. I pray you would be inspired to just be yourself, understanding that God has designed you in a specific way to be you. You will always be a bad copy of someone else, but only you can be the best you. So, go live your best life.

Within our society, perfection, qualification and the number of people wanting to observe your life are often viewed as success and achieve recognition. You’re doing the right thing, ‘winning at life’, ‘living your best life’.

This fear of failing so often prevents people from stepping out and achieving the dreams or goals they may have. We become so fearful we don’t even allow ourselves to speak out about what we’re imagining might happen. We’re isolated in the fear that we may fail and as a result be rejected or humiliated.

Fear of failure is rife within society. All you need to do is visit a school or university and earwig into a conversation to hear the commonly heard phrase, ‘There’s no point me even trying, I’ll only get it wrong,’ or sit in a parents’ group and listen as they anxiously discuss their children’s potential failures to meet specific milestones. We are bombarded with society’s criteria as to what our lives should look like at more or less every age, and when we don’t appear to be matching up, the fear of failure has the potential to increase and rear its ugly head.

For me personally, the fear of failure has been and continues to be something I regularly have to overcome. There have been so many times in the past when I have allowed the fear to rule my decisions, and therefore hold me back from opportunities, because ultimately I did not have the confidence or belief to overcome it. A time that I often recall is when I first went to university at the age of twenty. Within the first two weeks, everyone had to take a ‘diagnostic test’ to check our ability levels. Not long after having our papers marked, I received mine back with the dreaded words ‘See me’ on. See me! It’s always in red too as if those two words together aren’t enough on their own. I remember at that point questioning my ability to carry on with the course, but I thought it was too soon and again, because of the fear of what people would say, I decided to stick it out. I was soon diagnosed with dyslexia and heard phrases such as, ‘We’re surprised you did as well as you did in school.’ But I can’t say it was all bad; it did mean I was given extra time when it came to exams!

For me, this fear only grew stronger during my time at university and reached a peak during one of my placements, resulting in me making the decision to leave the course. I was so overwhelmed with the fear of failing my assignments, observations and ultimately the course, and as mentioned previously, I just didn’t have the confidence or belief to overcome it.

Being a Christian since the age of sixteen I was aware of what the Bible said and could quote verses such as, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’ but I don’t think I truly had a revelation of what it meant or looked like for me in my everyday life. I had little confidence in myself and my own ability to achieve academically, as I’d often struggled throughout my school years and frequently required extra support. I had been considered to be ‘average’ or only just hitting the mark in the major subjects.

WE ARE BOMBARDED WITH SOCIETY’S CRITERIA AS TO WHAT OUR LIVES SHOULD LOOK LIKE AT MORE OR LESS EVERY AGE, AND WHEN WE DON’T APPEAR TO BE MATCHING UP, THE FEAR OF FAILURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE AND REAR ITS UGLY HEAD.

For me, as I said earlier, this is an area I constantly have to allow God to rule over and speak into. It has taken time to develop a belief and confidence now that is not solely in me but in God and who he says I am. As I found out more about God and what he has to say in this area, I was able to return to university a few years later with a completely different approach and mind-set. That doesn’t mean I was completely fearless, but the difference was I was able to overcome it by allowing God to overrule. For example, the thought of having to write a 10,000-word dissertation for me was not just daunting but almost like a huge sign being held up in front of me saying, ‘This is impossible for you.’ Every time I would sit down to write, my default thought was, ‘You can’t do this.’ It took time and discipline to actually train my mind to think differently. There’s a verse in the Bible that speaks about allowing God to renew your mind (Romans 12:2), and that’s literally what I have to regularly do: ask God to identify thoughts that are not true and show me his truth. I have learnt to hold on to his word and when I feel like backing out or giving up, I ask myself, ‘Is it because I’m scared to fail?’ Nine times out of ten it is.

In my life, I know that without my faith in God, in who he is and who he says I am, the daily battle with fear of failure often results in 1–0 to fear. However, what I have learnt is that God’s word tells me I’m accepted whether I match up to criteria or not. He has a plan for me. He has equipped me, given me the mind of Christ and, as if that wasn’t enough, gone before me. Additionally, the icing on the cake if you like, there is his grace. I often thought of grace as forgiveness alone but over the years and through various challenges I’ve come to know grace as power. Grace is the power to believe that what God says is true but also to move on and go again when there are times where things don’t go to plan or we feel like we’ve missed it. Grace is key, and the Bible tells us that God’s grace is sufficient, meaning enough. It’s enough for us.

So when the fear of failure tries to consume me, I just allow the grace of God to overpower it by speaking out his truth.

JO WATSON pastors the Youth & Young Adults of Hillsong UK along with her husband, Dan. She is mum to two beautiful children Isabella East & Jude Jenson. Originally from the north of England in Lancashire, Jo moved to London at the age of 19 and fell in love with the city. As a qualified Social Worker, Jo has a real passion for people and creating opportunities for those who wouldn’t normally be provided them.