Comfort Zone

Sometimes when we don't even realize it life passes at such high speeds and you didn't even realize it happened.  Over the last four years I have been working towards my degree.  Now as I enter the last semester, I feel very out of my comfort zone.  I love learning new things and to have this semester as my student teaching semester, I feel very out of the comfort zone.  But I know that in order to grow and be ready for my own classroom, I have to go through this.  

I encourage everyone to take that leap and find where you will be challenged and grow.  It is exciting, scary, and rewarding. God intended us to be challenged and stretched in ways we didn't expect to happen.  This is not just rewarding for us, but we may have the opportunity to touch someone else and be a blessing to them.  

For more ways to grow, join Holley on her blog!!

One Little Word

One Little Word can have a powerful effect.  It was a few years ago that I heard about a project by Ali Edwards called One Little Word or OLW.  It is where you select a word to journey with throughout the upcoming year.  This word can be one to learn more about, guide you in making changes in your life or just one you want to learn more about.

Some years I have embraced my word and some years it has been in the back of my mind.  It is quite interesting how that one word comes to you over and over again, quietly whispering to your soul.  My words in previous years have been:

• Be
• Joy
• Balance

I feel that my word for last year did not go as well as I would have liked.  I did learn that as much as tried to incorporate balance into my life, I was not successful in any way.  I know that going forward, I need to make some changes.  This discovery led me to my word for 2017.  

I realized that there are many areas of my life that need to transform.  My health, my attitude, my marriage, friendships, my home, my career.  There will be many changes on the horizon this year for me personally and professionally.  I also learned that I have to put God at the center of my life in order to find any true growth and transformation.  I know that at times it is going to be hard and scary, but in order for me to grow, I have to go through it.

The following quotes resonated with me this year.  In order for areas of my heart, mind, and life to transform, I need to surrender MY wants.  There is so much that I want to do in life from jobs, education, and traveling.  But, in order to find true joy, I need to make sure that I am following the wants God has for me.  

I have faith that when I surrender to God and He transforms my life, I will have more of the following listed in the quote.  I want to have more.....

I am trusting that God is going to do a magnificent work in my life and I will be transformed in more ways that I can ever imagine.  I cannot wait to enjoy the journey as I work through my OLW.

You too can join Ali Edwards with your own OLW.  Also, take a look at Holley Gerth's one word.