2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) – For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
This scripture verse I learned at church camp when I was 11 or 12 years old. Not too many people know this about me but I was plagued by fear of the dark. I grew up being an insomniac, not able to sleep without some type of light source, or if I had to sleep by myself. That year at church camp I learned this verse and it immediately resonated with me. I wrote it on notes and stuck it up on mirrors, on my closet, etc….. To this day whenever I find myself in a situation where I feel fearful I immediately speak this verse and I am calm and reassured that everything is ok.
The same passage in THE MESSAGE Paraphrase: That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.