Q: How do you choose faith over fear in times of the uncertainty? ZAUNTEE: I choose faith over fear by staying in God’s Word. It’s easy to get distracted by what everybody is saying during this time of crisis. I don’t have control of the future, but I do have control of how I handle this situation personally. So, I’m going to spend time in the Bible. I’m going to spend time with loved ones and I’m going to use this time of quarantine to better myself and work on growing as a human being and as a Christ follower. DEE-1: I choose faith over fear during these times because I understand that God is ALWAYS in control, and that God is more powerful than the coronavirus or anything else that tries to make us submit to fear. Fear is not even of God. KURTIS HOPPIE: Honestly, I believe at the beginning of this pandemic (for the majority of us) we were all filled with a measure of fear, including myself. In the moment we responded in a way that felt appropriate to keep ourselves and our families safe. Once these precautions were made, personally I was still struggling with anxieties and fears as to what might happen to myself, my friends, family, and the rest of the world. I began praying to God, praying that He would keep us safe, that His hand would be over our loved ones; the city; the country; the world and that He would take away the fears and anxieties I had been dealing with. DEREK MINOR: What has been most effective for me is to try and manage today. I’m aware of yesterday and tomorrow but I can’t change either of those. I learn from my past and prepare for my future but I live in my NOW. Yeshua says in Matthew 6:27 What man, by worrying, can add a single hour to his life? The answer is none of us. So even tho, worry and anxiety are very real emotions. They alarm us to REAL danger but we can’t let those emotions rule or master us. I keep that in my mind often. It’s a battle and I’m not always perfect at it but I strive to win. Q: What’s a bible passage or scripture do you look to for encouragement when going through tough times? ZAUNTEE: Joshua 1:9 is the passage that’s been helping me because it’s not Him asking us to be strong and courageous, God is instructing us. Event when we don’t feel like it, rely on Him by being strong and courageous. I remind myself of that daily, when things go wrong and even at a time like this I remember, be strong and courageous don’t be terrified and discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. He’s not asking it, He’s saying it. I feel encouraged by that because He know the outcome of our situation’s gonna be, He always has, and He always will! So, we don’t have to have things figured out, “I’m gonna give it to You and I know that You’re with me wherever I go.” DEE-1: The Bible passage I look to is 1 Corinthians 15:58, "So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." KURTIS HOPPIE: He put John 16:33 on my heart, "I have told you these things, so that in me you have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." I felt the peace of God fall over me like a comforting hug. I felt a small still voice tell me, "Your fears and anxieties will leave when you trust that I am in control", I replied "Yeah, I’m just trying to figure out how to" and He replied "Just stop trying to figure it out and let Me" After this it felt like I was in a new world. I began going outside MORE (avoiding indoor enclosed areas), hiking with my close friends and falling in love with Gods creation in ways I had been missing out on for years. DEREK MINOR: Matthew 6:25-34. The master wonderfully charges his people to be brave because we know The Father is in complete control. If he takes care of the birds of the air and the Lillies of the field, he’ll definitely take care of his children. Q: How would you encourage someone who is struggling with fear and anxiety right now? ZAUNTEE: I’ve struggled with fear and anxiety pretty heavily. At one point, anxiety was taking over my whole thought process. I would be worried about every little thing I was doing. The way I escaped that and continue to win that daily battle is by doing something that wakes me up in that moment. Say I’m feeling anxiety or fear, in that moment (even if I don’t feel like it), I take a second and start praying “God, help me with this.” I pray and ask for His help until I feel the difference. Sometimes the best way to beat it is to snap yourself out of it by redirecting your focus onto God and He will bring peace to you in that moment. Just like Joshua 1:9, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. That’s how He’ll bring peace to a moment, when you snap out of situation and say “God, I need you here and this is how I’m feeling” and God takes care of the rest. Every single time. DEE-1: I would ask them who created us and the world we live in? The answer is God. Then I would tell them that nothing can happen without his permission. And God’s Will is perfect, so when we pray “Thy Will Be Done,” we are putting our faith in God and saying “No” to fear. KURTIS HOPPIE: When the world is in a panic and it feels like there is no light within the storm, it’s essential that we take our eyes off our own circumstances and remember that we serve a BIG God, and that His plans for us are good. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 DEREK MINOR: I would first tell them that their fear and anxiety are very real emotions. The Most High gave us those emotions to warn us in times of trouble to be cautious. I would charge them to talk with reliable friends, family, counselors, or pastors that can help them process those emotions effectively. Don’t try to manage those feelings in isolation. There is safety in the multitude of counsel (Proverbs 11:14). Lastly, I’d say this too shall pass. Nothing lasts forever except the Kingdom of our Lord. Place your bets on HIM.