| As children, my brother, two sisters and myself | | | | enmitybetween you and the woman,and between |
| we were not allowed to bring anything in the | | | | your offspring and hers;he will crush your |
| house that even resembled a snake. I remember | | | | head,and you will strike his heel."This passage is |
| once being at Geauga Lake, an amusement park | | | | what God said to the serpent after He found out |
| near the Cleveland Ohio area and I had won a | | | | that Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of |
| stuffed pink snake playing Ring Toss. This was a | | | | Knowledge. When I looked up the word "enmity" |
| class trip and I knew I couldn't bring it home so I | | | | it means hatred that exist between enemies. So |
| gave the snake to one of my friends. Snakes in | | | | women were given a "hatred" of snakes not a |
| any shape or form was not allowed in our | | | | fear of snakes. We are supposed to conquer our |
| house.About six years ago I was dating a guy, | | | | enemies, not fear them. Just imagine if the United |
| whose brother had a six-foot long yellow and | | | | States were afraid of Iraq, we would have a |
| white snake, which I didn't know about at the | | | | bunch of people running from each other and that |
| time. When we went to visit the brother, the | | | | would be absolutely silly. God even told us that we |
| snake was brought out for my boyfriend at the | | | | will "crush their heads". Nowhere does it state that |
| time to see. The sight of the snake sent me into | | | | we are to fear snakes. The only fear we should |
| an absolute panic. I ran screaming and crying into | | | | have is fear in God. Once I realized this I watched |
| the bathroom and once I got the door slammed | | | | the movie "Anaconda" for the first time and |
| and locked, I wet my pants, right in the | | | | without fear.My fear of snakes is a metaphor of |
| bathroom. Talking about being embarrassed not | | | | my life, I sometimes let things that I have |
| only did I have to clean the bathroom floor but | | | | worked hard to obtain go to please others and I |
| also I had to ride home in wet clothes on a cold | | | | also cause my own problems because of beliefs |
| January day. With wet pants and an attitude, I | | | | that were instilled in me as a child from others. I |
| broke up with this man on this day. I felt both of | | | | have also noticed that my fears of money and |
| them were satanic or something, normal people | | | | intimacy are based on beliefs that were instilled in |
| don't own snakes!My mother to this day is | | | | me as a child.I feel that if I can be in the same |
| terrified of snakes. She can't even watch a snake | | | | room with a snake without wetting my pants this |
| on television without screaming. Having grown up | | | | will be another step forward for me. I am now |
| seeing my mothers fear of snakes made me | | | | looking into how I can make this happen for |
| develop a fear of them also. I was once told that | | | | myself. Now, touching a snake is still something I |
| God put the fear of snakes into women and any | | | | have to work on. Like I tell everyone start with |
| woman who is not afraid of snakes is unnatural. | | | | baby steps.Today I challenge you to identify the |
| Because I was told this I felt my fear of snakes | | | | fears in your life and determine how this fear has |
| was acceptable.Being the researcher that I am I | | | | held you back in other life endeavors. Once you |
| had to find out if this was true. In Genesis 3:15 in | | | | have identified the fear I challenge you to |
| the Living Bible it statesAnd I will put | | | | eliminate this fear. |