When Jacob learned that his brother Esau was coming his way with four hundred men the Bible tells us that Jacob was afraid and distressed. These are the fears that keep Jacob awake at night. Anxiety, concern, vulnerability, gratitude, fear, weakness, trust, loneliness, awe, overwhelmed, under pressure, reverence, these are all part of the emotional landscape in which he encounters God. Surely Jacob's story gives us permission not only to feel our deepest human emotions, but to encounter God in the midst of them!