For this post, I’m sharing an excerpt from the memoir I’m currently drafting.

March 2026.

The working title of the book is From Stage Fright to Strength: An Anxiety Fieldguide.

Early on in my journey to overcoming anxiety, I came across a passage in the Bible, a goldmine, really…that became my template for how to face fear. In the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles 20 recounts how King Jehosophat and the people of God were about to be obliterated by three pagan armies that had joined forces against them. They were outgunned and outnumbered by a lot, with no hope of escape. With a massacre imminent, the king gathered all the people together, declared a fast, and cried out to God:

“O Lord, You see what is coming against us. We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

While the people were all standing before the Lord praying, God gave a word of knowledge to someone in the crowd:

“You will not need to fight this battle; the battle belongs to the Lord. He will fight for you. You only need to stand still and see the deliverance the Lord will bring.” 2 Chronicles 20: 15-18

And so, by faith, the people took up their armor and weapons and marched out against the enemy; praising and thanking God as they went. Get that…they praised and thanked God BEFORE they saw any miracle or deliverance.

AS SOON AS they began marching and praising God, the three invading armies turned on EACHOTHER and annihilated themselves, with no survivors! BEFORE the Israelites could even reach them or raise a weapon! What???

God really put an exclamation point on that one. He could have MOSTLY taken out the enemies, and had the Israelites just finish them off. But God displayed His power in this resounding slam dunk that was heard around the nations, putting fear in the heart of every enemy of God and His people. “The battle is the Lord’s” means the battle is the Lord’s!!

The story grabbed me and lit me up. This was MY story too, now. The demonic attack of anxiety was just like these advancing armies coming against God’s people. As a new follower of Christ, I was now a child of God. I could cry out to God for help, just like them, and He would hear me!

I used 2 Chronicles 20 as my own personal battle plan for anxiety. Every time I saw the fear thoughts coming against me while performing a concert, I sought the Lord; told Him my trouble, just like Jehosophat, and trusted Him to fight the battle FOR me. My part was to take up my position, stand firm, and BELIEVE. To walk out on stage, whether I felt confident or not. Feelings didn’t get a vote. I praised and thanked God as I went, as I played my violin. And what happened? Victory! Game over for anxiety!

I prayed, prepared, and kept showing up by faith…to face the enemy head on and advance TOWARD it. Even if my hands shook, even if I was sweating bullets. As it turned out, none of that mattered one bit!

Before, even noticing the symptoms of anxiety would make my anxiety skyrocket! But I had seen God carry me through, no matter what. God was never handcuffed by my infirmities. In fact, the more of a mess I was, the more amazing the display of His power. God can turn ANYTHING around…in a heartbeat.