anxiety

11 PM, ready to turn in,

and out of nowhere "it" strikes-

my breaths come quick and shallow, 

my head starts pounding, ready to explode

my heart begins racing, trying to escape my chest cavity

panic? fear? anxiety?

call "it" by whatever name you choose,

but it is 

unwarranted, 

uninvited, 

unwanted here

I tell myself:

acknowledge, 
don't ignore  "it".
This is real.

And as often,

and as long as it takes,

I need to stop,
to take time 

to recognize that I have faced this monster before

to recall that though it is highly unpleasant it is not lethal

breath, 

just breath

and pray,

always pray,

allow God's Spirit of peace to have It's way in me

slowly, ever so slowly,

"it" fades,
in retreat for now,

and I find myself exhausted by the battle

but at the same time exhilarated with this victory!

Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world. 

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

1 John 4:4