The Happy Hour #474: Catherine McNeil

“Fear often leads us to neglect before hate.”

This is one of those episodes that will likely make my top 2022 list. I met Catherine McNiel on a Women of Welcome trip to El Paso. She is an author, writer, editor, and speaker who wrestles with the creative, redemptive work of God in our ordinary lives, and truly living as Jesus commanded us to live.

Her newest book, Fearing Bravely, was birthed after seeing a discrepancy between how we’re living and talking, and the way Jesus talks and acts. She talks about fear as a frenemy, that while it is something that can protect us, it is also something that people can exploit for their own benefit. It can cause us to neglect the very people that God called us to love. We hear over and over in scripture that perfect love casts out fear. Maybe what we really need is to ask God to turn our fear into compassion, and take seriously what He has commanded us to do. This book and conversation were so convicting for me – I know you’ll walk away with something to chew on!

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