RELIGION / Christian Life / Personal Growth, Peace of mind, Christianity, Religious aspects, SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / Happiness, PSYCHOLOGY / Emotions, Fear 

You'd be hard-pressed to overstate the extent to which fear, anxiety, and worry permeate our lives today. Fear wreaks havoc on our relationships and communities. It leads us into making bad decisions. It holds us back from the very pursuits that promise fulfillment and joy. Making matters worse, not a week goes by when some new threat or calamity isn't dominating the headlines. Why are there so many tragedies? we wonder. What will happen next? As the senior pastor of a large, diverse church in America's heartland, Adam Hamilton has seen the cost of fear up close. When he surveyed his congregation on how fear affects them, 2,400 people responded--and what they said was eye-opening. Eighty percent admitted to living with moderate or significant levels of fear. Drawing on recent research, inspiring real-life examples, and fresh biblical insight, Hamilton shows how to untangle the knots we feel about disappointing others, failure, financial insecurity, loneliness, insignificance, and aging. Then he helps readers understand and counter fears related to such outsize perils as terrorism, death, and the apocalypse. Writing with generosity and intelligence, Hamilton shows how believer and unbeliever alike can develop sustaining spiritual practices and embrace Jesus's recurring counsel: "Do not be afraid." For anyone struggling with fear or wondering how families and communities can thrive in troubled times, Unafraid offers an informed and inspiring message full of practical solutions. 

Notes:
Understanding and countering fear -- Crime, race, terrorism, and politics -- Failure, disappointing others, insignificance, and loneliness -- Apocalypse, change, missing out, and finances -- Aging, illness, dying, and fear of the Lord -- Appendix: 31 days of scripture readings on fear.