Voice of Ukraine

From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 1213)

Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
Psalm 13:4-5

I’ve realized that I started dreading nights. The days are fine. You can be exhausted and sleep-deprived, but you can still live, dream, and cherish every moment. As the night approaches, so does your anxiety.
Will they attack tonight?
Will it be my city or somebody else’s?
Will it be an overwhelming swarm of drones coming one after another?
Will they also use ballistic missiles?
Will our home be safe?
What if it won’t?… And then a billion other “what ifs” follow.
Sometimes I don’t notice these thoughts, but I do feel my body getting tense as if ready for the attack.

I remember having things in my car to bring to the Talent Show the next day. While parking, I tried to estimate how safe this parking spot was. I also called my husband and asked for his advice on whether I needed to bring things inside in case there’s an attack at night. I didn’t want things or the Talent Show to get ruined. My husband told me he thought the Talent Show would be the least of our worries if something bad happened at night.

The enemy (both our physical and spiritual) wants us to lose reality. They want us to live in fear and anxiety and to lose sight of the precious life we’ve been given.

When fear overwhelms me, I find strength in the passages that God graciously sends to my mind. I remind myself that God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Tim 1:7). I remind myself that God told us to fear not, for He is with us and will strengthen us and uphold us with His righteous right hand (Is 41:10). I remind myself that just as He commanded Joshua, God tells us to be strong and courageous, not frightened or dismayed, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9).

If you still wonder if it’s worth memorizing Bible verses, think of them as special messages from God that He sends you when you need them the most.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8