What weighs me down?

I was talking to Dennae today about doing things outside our comfort zone. She was saying how the more we push to do things outside our comfort zones, the harder it is to find new things that are outside. That is because we actually get comfortable with the actual fact that we are outside "the zone". I think that is a good thing because we are more likely to venture out and go for something. I also challenged her to begin praying for God to challenge her to something that is outside her zone.
As I have transitioned my focus of ministry from Crisis Pregnancy Centers leadership (way outside my comfort zone a couple of years ago - way inside it now) to doing something that isn't quite defined with "young adults", I have certainly thought I am stretching. As I look at it now, it is only stretching because the "success" of it is not clearly defined, nor the steps to make it successful. I am totally in my "zone" reaching out to this age group.
So, what have I done that is outside my "zone". The answer to that was quite obvious. I have enthusiastically encouraged my 21 year old daughter to run for what God is calling her to do. She is not only my daughter, but one of my best friends in the whole world. As I occassionally struggle with the pull of the flesh (or more likely the soul) to think about how much I miss her and am tempted to be hurt that she is choosing to be away from me. As I resist the temptation to be angry, bitter, resentful, or to build a wall of protection around my heart and be cold toward her, I have to take those thoughts captive. I reach for what is truely love and embrace her decision, even though they are painful to my flesh.
I love you, Dennae, more than you will ever know. My heart aches at our seperation. And, I cheer for you as you embrace what God moves you to do. I will continue to hope that His direction will bring our paths close together throughout our lives. If not, I will continue to remember how short life is on this earth compared to eternity. And I will look forward to the first hundred years or so in heaven, as we tell each other great stories of how God showed up in our lives in mighty ways. YOU GO GIRL!!!

Testimony or Excuse?

Have you ever read stories of the lives of great men and women? One thing I have noticed they all seem to have in common is that they overcame something big in their lives. For some, it was an abusive childhood. For others, it was abject poverty. Some were orphans in a setting that was far from normal family life.
We all probably have something in our life that we can point to and say:"this is why I have not been all I could have been." We give ourselves an excuse to fail (or not try something that we consider risky).
The way I see it, we have a choice. Those things in our lives can be an excuse, or they can be our testimony. The decision we have to make, and it is a decision, is this: Will I hide under my past and circumstances and use them as an excuse or will I stand on top of them and testify to the greatness of God as He has transformed me to what He created me to be?

Check this out for transformation:

“And you He made alive, who were dead (separated / cut off) in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and on the minds, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love, with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)." Ephesians 2:1-5

• But you don’t understand: I tried to pour my life into people and love them, but they have taken advantage of me and hurt me. BUT GOD!
• I was abused as a child and it is hard for me to trust people. I understand; BUT GOD!
• We all have “stuff”. The difference is what we do with it.

Don't Just Settle ... Get a LIFE!!!

In the Gospel of John Chapter 10 verse 10, Jesus said:

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

In other words, He promises us life (eternal) and something more than life. This blog is dedicated to encouraging and challenging believers to live the kind of life that they were indended to live. Let's not settle for an ordinary life, but rather let's go for a LIFE!!!!

What do you think God might be calling you to do? What challenges do you face (real ones and imagined ones)? Share your experiences when you stepped way out of your comfort zone and did something because you knew it was supposed to be done.