I spend way too much time fretting about things over which I have absolutely no control. I pray and know that God hears my prayers, but let the anxiety sweep back over me.

When has worrying ever changed anything? When has worrying ever made things better?

I put a lot of time in on a book project starting around the end of January or first part of February called, Panther Tales and Woodland Encounters. I had so many interesting stories about bigfoot, the project got split into a second book, Bigfoot and Woolybooger Tales. I would not have felt so much stress to get them done, but I had agreed to be one of the speakers at the Harlan Crypto.con on Saturday, April 21 at the Harlan Depot. I’m speaking at 10:00. I had promised to be there and have books for signing that day.

I spent MANY hours and sleepless nights trying to get both books finished in time for the event. Then I had to proofread them. They had to go to the publishing company to be accepted, then printed. What if I did all of that work and they didn’t get printed in time? What if they got lost in the mail or the shipment didn’t get here?

I prayed and asked God to order my path, and to direct the book delivery. I still fretted. The books arrived safely yesterday on my doorstep with a couple of days to spare before Saturday. Whew! God is good! He heard my prayers, expedited things with the printing company, and the books are safely arrived in Harlan.

Did my worrying speed things up? Absolutely not. Did my worrying change the outcome? Not a bit!

I should have used that same amount of energy, stress, and brain power to focus on something constructive where I could make a difference.

I know I’m not the only one to do this. Excessive worrying can cause anxiety, and prolonged anxiety can make the body sick.

According to the internet site webmd.com, “Chronic worry and emotional stress can trigger a host of health problems. The problem occurs when fight or flight is triggered daily by excessive worrying and anxiety. The fight or flight response causes the body’s sympathetic nervous system to release stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones can boost blood sugar levels and triglycerides (blood fats) that can be used by the body for fuel. The hormones also cause physical reactions such as: Difficulty swallowing; Dizziness; Dry mouth; Fast heartbeat; Fatigue ; Headaches ; Inability to concentrate; Irritability; Muscle aches; Muscle tension’ Nausea Nervous energy; Rapid breathing; Shortness of breath; Sweating ; Trembling and twitching.”

I always try to balance things by discovering what the Bible says. Matthew 6:25-34 25”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28”And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith?

Reach longtime Enterprise columnist Judith Victoria Hensley at judith99@bellsouth.net or on Facebook. Check out her blog: One Step Beyond the Door.