Fear is a strong emotion that you experience when you feel in danger or you're anticipating that something bad might happen. In both of these circumstances it triggers a feeling of being out of control, and your greatest fear becomes the fear of the unknown.

The mind starts imagining all these different scenarios that might take place and your subconscious mind replays all the tapes from your past memories that are associated with fear. These memories could be your personal experiences, a friend or family member's experience, or something you witnessed through the media. No matter where the source is, the fearful memory creates an emotion that causes unnecessary stress, anxiety, and worry.

Here are some examples of fear:

• You are listening to the news and you hear a child has been abducted. You immediately go into fear about your own child. Your thoughts might be, “Should I pick him up at school today?” or “It's not safe, so he can't go outside and play.”

• You're on a plane, leaving for vacation. Your thoughts are focused on the house: “Did I leave the stove on? What if there's a fire?” or “What if someone knows we're not home?”

• Your daughter is at college. Your thoughts are focused on fear and not on trusting your daughter: “What if she walks home alone in the dark?” or “What if she is influenced by others and gets involved in drugs or drinking?”

Take a moment and notice how you feel reading these scenarios and then reflect back to your own personal experiences and recognize when you've allowed yourself to be carried away by your fearful thoughts.

Whenever this happens it's time to call on God and the angels for protection and ask them to help you transform your fear into faith. As you do this, you will feel yourself released from the grip of fear, and in that moment you can take your power back so you can choose more peaceful and empowering thoughts.

Read the same examples used before, but now they're focused on faith:

• You are listening to the news and you hear a child has been abducted. You say a prayer for the child and her family. Then you ask 10,000 angels to surround your children in divine light and protection.

• You're on a plane, leaving for vacation. You ask the angels to watch over your house and your valuables while you're gone.

• Your daughter is at college. You call on Archangel Michael and her guardian angels and you ask them to watch over her and you affirm, “Only good can come to her. She is smart and she makes good decisions.”

After you've read both examples, notice the difference between the two. Ask yourself which feels better and which one you would choose to practice. God and the angels want to help you transform your fear into faith. They know that it will not only help you, but it will help the lives of everyone else around you.

Exercise to Transform Fear into Faith

This is an exercise you can use when you experience fear of any kind. The first step is to recognize that you are having a physical response that's connected to the fearful thoughts that are running through your mind. You might be thinking, “What if…” and all your thoughts are focused on the bad things that could happen or the harmful circumstances that might occur.

Next, get grounded in the present moment by taking a deep breath and just stop and acknowledge that you're afraid. Call on God, Archangel Michael, and as many angels as you want. Ask for help. Tell them you're afraid and you want to feel safe, protected, and calm. Then just breathe with them, imagining that they are surrounding you in a protective shield of light where no harm can come to you.

Remind yourself of where you are and affirm to yourself, “I am in the present moment and the angels are surrounding me and protecting me in their loving light. Please, angels, release me from this fear and help me feel the presence of God's love.” Continue breathing deeply until the physical reactions in your body subside. Focus your thoughts on the angels and the word “faith.”

When you feel more peaceful, continue to imagine yourself in the protective divine light, knowing that you are encircled by heavenly helpers.