The Ride That Won't Stop

Claire Black: Welcome to True Girl, a podcast for girls and their moms. I’m Claire Black. Together, we’ll explore God’s truth for us, one drive at a time.

Buckle up! You’re about to grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus!

Song:

I am a true girl.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
I am, I am, I am a true girl!

Have you ever had a thought that you just couldn’t leave alone? Maybe it sounded like:

“What if I mess up?”
“What if nobody likes me?”
“What if something bad happens?”

Sometimes anxious thoughts can feel like riding a roller coaster you never wanted to get on in the first place. Your stomach flips. Your heart races. Your brain keeps spiraling—faster and faster!

But here’s the good news: God cares about anxious hearts. And His Word has a lot to say about fear, worry . . . and peace.

This season we want to help you deal with of your loop-de-loop thoughts!

Dannah Gresh and Suzy Weibel are spending the day at a local theme park. They’ll discover what God says about anxious thoughts—and how His peace can steady us even when life feels like a wild ride.

We’ll be looking at Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. It says,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Hold on tight for episode 1 of Season 28: “The Ride That Won’t Stop.”

Here’s Dannah.

Dannah Gresh: Okay . . . No way! Absolutely not!

Suzy Weibel: Are you serious? We literally just got here!

Dannah: Suzy, that roller coaster just disappeared . . . upside down! No human being should ever be upside down at that speed voluntarily.

[Roar of roller coaster]

Dannah: AHH! SEE?!

Suzy: (laughter) Dannah Gresh! Aren’t you the one who invited me to the theme park?

Dannah: I invited you to walk around a theme park. I like walking. I like to eat funnel cakes. I enjoy a nice gentle carousel ride from time to time.

I did NOT agree to near-death experiences.

Suzy: Near-death?! Dramatic much?

Dannah: Suze, those people sound terrified.

Suzy: They looked excited!

Dannah: There’s a very thin line between excitement and panic.

[Ride clanking uphill]

Dannah: Oh no! Listen to that sound. Why does every roller coaster sound like it’s barely holding itself together?

Suzy: That’s just the chain, struggling to pull the cars up that massive slope. 

Dannah: NOT comforting information!

Suzy: (laughter) Okay, well I don’t think they’re “struggling,” but that clanking sound totally helps build the anticipation! 

That sound alone makes my heart beat a little faster! 

Dannah: I do not know how people willingly stand in line for this.

Suzy: Well . . . you know what this actually reminds me of?

Dannah: Questionable life choices?

Suzy: No . . . anxiety.

Dannah: Okay wow. Actually, yes. We’re on the same page now.

Suzy: This is exactly what anxiety feels like: your stomach drops, your heart races, you feel completely out of control.

Dannah: And sometimes your thoughts start climbing higher and higher.

[Roller coaster climbing]

Suzy: “What if something goes wrong?”

“What if I embarrass myself?”

“What if I can’t handle this?”

Dannah: And before you know it . . .

[Coaster drops, riders screaming]

Dannah: AHH. Nope. Nope. I don’t even like hearing it happen to other people!

Suzy: (laughter)

Dannah: But seriously, you're right. Anxiety really can feel like a ride you didn’t mean to get on.

Suzy: I think a lot of girls feel that way right now.

Dannah: Absolutely. And anxiety doesn’t always look the same either. Sometimes it’s obvious. Sometimes it’s quiet.

It can look like:

• worrying about school
• overthinking a conversation you had
• feeling nervous about friendships
• trying to control everything
• feeling pressure to be perfect

Suzy: Check, check, check. Or laying in bed trying to sleep while your brain suddenly decides it’s time to remember every embarrassing thing you’ve ever done.

Dannah: Why does that always happen at night?!

Suzy: I don’t know, but suddenly your brain is like, “Remember that weird thing you said in third grade?”

Dannah: Oh, yes. And then your thoughts start looping—kind of like that ride.

Suzy: You know, the Bible actually talks about worry a lot.

Dannah: It really does. Jesus Himself talked about worry a lot.

Suzy: He did. It’s in Matthew chapter 6 during the Sermon on the Mount.

Wait, let me pull it up in my Wonder app, because . . . no Bible here at the park!

Suzy: Okay, here it is. We usually use the New Living Translation, right? 

Dannah: Yes. 

Suzy: Well, I’m reading from the CSB version because that’s the version we use in the Wonder app.

[Jesus says] “Therefore I tell you: don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (v. 25)

Dannah: I love that Jesus starts here. He knows that we struggle not to worry. Just that this verse exists in the Bible helps me feel not so alone when I worry. 

Suzy: Yes! And then He says,

“Consider the birds of the sky: they don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” (v. 26)

And then Jesus asks this really important question,

“Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” (v. 27)

Dannah: Wow. That verse gets me every time. Because worrying feels productive sometimes. Like if I think about something long enough maybe I can somehow control the outcome.

Suzy: Exactly.

“And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (vv. 28–32)

Dannah: Hold on Suzy. The God of the universe knows that I need clothes, and food, and a home… and He cares. That is a soothing balm to an anxious heart!

Suzy: Bingo! God already knows what’s worrying us. We don’t have to convince Him to care. He already does!

Dannah: What a good thing to remember! But, what happens when we can’t turn our brains off from worrying—even when we know God will care for us, but we still have anxiety? 

Suzy: Well, listen to this:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (v. 33)

Jesus gives us something else to focus on instead of focusing on all the “what ifs.”

Dannah: Oh, I love a good old-fashioned assignment! Instead of obsessing over tomorrow, Jesus tells us to focus on Him today.

Suzy: And I love how He finishes the passage.

"Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (v. 34)

Dannah: Which basically means: you don’t have to carry tomorrow’s problems today. Honesty, a lot of anxiety comes from trying to live in tomorrow . . . the day that hasn't even happened yet.

Suzy: Meanwhile, Jesus keeps bringing us back to today.

Dannah: There’s this song I love by Christy Nockels titled “Be Where Your Feet Are.” It’s an invitation to keep your thoughts in the same geographic space where your feet are.

I listen to it . . . a lot because that’s where peace starts. Not figuring out the entire future, but trusting Jesus right here where your feet are!

Suzy: One ride at a time.

Dannah: (laughter) Okay. Preferably my feet get on the slow rides.

Suzy: How about that one over there!? 

Dannah: The carousel? Suzy, I know I said I liked it, but that’s a kiddie ride!

Suzy: Seems your speed!

Dannah: Not gonna disagree. I’ll try a roller coaster, but I’m not ready to flip upside down!

Suzy: You sure?

Dannah: Yep! I am going to choose which ride I put these feet on. It’s not going to be the one with loop-de-loop fear. But, I think I can push myself. 

Suzy: That a girl! Let’s get in that line!

Claire: Anxious thoughts can feel like a roller coaster ride that just won’t stop.

But remember this: you don’t have to stay on the ride your thoughts take you on. Jesus said your heavenly Father already knows what you need. He invites you to trust Him today, instead of worrying about tomorrow.

This week, when anxious thoughts show up, stop and ask yourself, “Am I trying to live in tomorrow instead of trusting Jesus today?”

If you need some help trusting Jesus, we have something that might help you. The True Girl subscription box is filled with tools to help eight – twelve year-old girls spend time with Jesus and grow strong in their faith. You’ll get things like devotionals, Scripture memory cards, and fun activities. You know, the more time you spend filling your mind with truth, the easier it becomes to recognize the lies worry tells you. 

This month we’re shipping the Peace Box. It’s based on Dannah’s best-selling book Lies Girls Believe. It’s got a poster to put in your room to remind you that your loop-de-loop thoughts are not the boss of you! Your mom can find out more at MyTrueGirl.com.

Oh, and that Wonder app Suzy mentioned, is our new video-based Bible reading app for teen girls. If you’re a teen who happens to be listening in, check it out!

Don’t miss next week’s episode: “Who Handed Worry a Microphone?” Dannah and Suzy will explore the different “voices” that fill our minds—and how to recognize which ones are actually telling the truth.

Song:

Oh, oh, oh, oh.
I am a true girl.
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
I am, I am, I am a true girl!

The True Girl podcast is produced by Revive Our Hearts, calling women of all ages to freedom, fullness, and fruitfulness in Christ.

*Offers available only during the broadcast of the podcast season.