I think many of us are so wrapped up in our fears we forget about life itself. I, like every other college student spend a part of my day on my laptop and I stumbled on a list of phobias/fears the other day. I go down the list I start laughing at them. Some of them are:
- Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture, etc.
- Asymmetriphobia- Fear of asymmetrical things.
- Doraphobia- Fear of fur or skins of animals.
- Graphophobia- Fear of writing or handwriting.
- Walloonphobia- Fear of the Walloons
- Telephonophobia- Fear of telephones.
- Pteronophobia- Fear of being tickled by feathers.
Now I am not saying that something of these things are kind of creepy in themselves but as an outsider looking in you laugh a little bit. But then I think there is a name for the phobia because someone was legit scared of that one thing. As I look through all the funny ones though ,I see some that break my heart. They are a bit hard to read but they are as follows:
- Cacophobia- Fear of ugliness.
- Asthenophobia- Fear of fainting or weakness
- Algophobia- Fear of pain.
- Atychiphobia- Fear of failure.
- Eremophobia- Fear of being oneself or of loneliness.
- Virginitiphobia- Fear of rape
- Pyrophobia- Fear of fire.
- Borborygmuphobia-Fear of there not being enough food/going hungry
You could be reading this and maybe you feel some of these can be attributed to your own situation. I know for me Eremophobia is something that I could identify with at points in my own life. People across the world and in countries like Kosovo, or South Africa knows what it’s like to afraid and fear if they will eat that day. Women in Moldova are fear full of being abducted into the human trafficking industry and could spend the rest of their life as a sex slave day in and day out. Teens in Peru and even America are trying as hard as they can at sports, pleasing their parents, school and other things that it drives them insane and they think they aren’t worth it anymore. We all have some kind of fear that blocks us from seeing the greatest thing to ever come. And this thing, this person, this savior is Jesus Christ.
He has many names and said “I am” of many things such as:
- John 10:9: “I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”
- John 10:11: “I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
- John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- John 15:1: “I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
- John 6:51:”I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever;”
Jesus said all these things and tells us to tell others about this. That these phobias can be valid but Christ sovereignty and love for us can break ever chain of doubt, fear, and phobia. We don’t have to wallow in our despair and try to make things better. We can trust in the one that came to save you and me that he will work in us and resolve them as we grow closer to him. Jesus has invited us into a relationship with him.
My big tag line for this trip is: I have never left the United States, I have never been on an airplane, and I have never been away from home for more than a month. These are actual fears of mine. But Jesus has called me to follow him and has made me a fisher of people. I have a desire to know him and tell other about that desire. He has called me out and I will follow. Please pray for me as I break these phobias and turn to him and my overall trip across the world.
If you’re interested in hearing more about my trip look around at other posts, call me at 804 332 2615, email at [email protected], or comment below. I am currently seeking $16,257. If 35 people donated $60 a month I would be fully funded before I left. If 160 people read this and donated $100 I would be fully funded when it’s all said and done. Please pray and consider how you can help. Thanks so much!
