“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you.” Deuteronomy 31:6.

Every day the devil attacks us in some type of way. For months I’ve wrestled with God on writing about this because frankly I have been embarrassed.

In January of 2025 I noticed my breathing was shallower than normal and I could feel my heartbeat. I kept on thinking it would just go away but eventually I went to my cousin who is a nurse and she said I needed to go to the ER. At the ER we were told I had an irregular heartbeat and that my heart throws benign PVC’s. It was scary but I had learned to live with it and it wasn’t bothering me.

They started picking up again a few months later and my doctor asked if I possibly had anxiety, and I immediately said there’s no way I do. I am very outgoing and do good in crowds and I thought to myself, “I’m Maverick Marino I don’t have anxiety.”

I can tell you first hand that God doesn’t care who you are and in this life your faithfulness will be tested. I would wake up in the middle of the night shaking uncontrollably and my mind would race and my heart would be beating so fast that I thought I was having a heart attack. Kelanie would wake up and just have to hug me until my body finally calmed down.

It consumed my life to where I couldn’t enjoy all the things I love and I got so easily distracted. I would be sitting in church and my chest would get tight and I would fidget with my hands and shake my leg just to try and distract myself from the way I was feeling. I couldn’t go watch my baby sister play basketball without feeling like I was about to die.

I started to question God.

I went to a cardiologist, and they said my heart was fine and finally I was diagnosed with anxiety. I was shocked I never thought that it would be me that would have to deal with anxiety. I would be embarrassed to talk about it to people including my family. My panic attacks kept happening and in November my mother in law mentioned trying therapy. Other than my mom and Kelanie if it was anyone else I would have thought they were crazy and tell them I don’t need therapy but I love and respect them so much that I decided to try it.

My therapist taught me that everyday is a battle being a Christian. The devil attacks everyone in different ways but God would never put us in positions that we couldn’t get through. While he was telling me all this I still didn’t really listen I was still trying to feel better on my own and not give it to God.

On a late Saturday night in April I was sitting on my bathroom floor while Kelanie gave Klara a bath and I was so frustrated of feeling anxious all the time. My wife told me that on Sunday morning I should go and ask for prayer. I did the only logical thing and walked to my neighbors house and found my mother in law and I laid it out to her. I felt safe and comfort as she was praying for me and I felt better for the first time in a long time. I realized that I gave it to God in that moment and that was the only way to beat what the devil was putting me through.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”
Psalm 56:3. Some days are good and somedays are tough but I know that God is on my side and he’s on yours too. They say that, “ It’s okay to not be okay.” And it truly is. Jesus has saved me and brought comfort and peace into my life and I know he can do the same for you!