Adventures Take Courage

Back in 2009, I decided to sell/donate/trash most everything I owned and move to a remote island for two years to teach Marshallese children on the Island of Ebeye.

I was talking to a client at work and telling them I was leaving and that their account would be in good hands. Chuck was an entrepreneur who made great money and travelled everywhere his heart took him. He was free, satisfied with life and fulfilled.

After telling him of my plans to pretty much insert an intermission in my conventional 9-5 work day and slam the door good-bye on it, I remember Chuck saying, “Wow, now that’s really living right there. You know? You’ll really be living…”

I’ll never forget that – it took me by surprise but he was right. Fear had kept me strapped to a job making money for someone else that I didn’t enjoy doing in the first place. There was no reward, no sense of satisfaction or fulfillment for me.

Just money to pay the bills, steady income to stay independent and ugh! The boredom of it all!

For some people, this is a perfectly fulfilling life and they don’t want anything crazy or out of the ordinary. That’s great and I wish I was more like that sometimes – it isn’t easy never being satisfied with a life that’s so readily available. Why do I have to pine away for adventure, new experiences and something beyond the normal day to day routine of work– eat-sleep- do it all over again? Why do I feel this way about it?

Writing helps – painting helps – of course traveling eases the tension within my soul but it’s just not enough – I still feel fettered by this thing called ‘work’. I find no sense of freedom in it because it isn’t satisfying for me.

So many people break out of it and become entrepreneurs – how is it I can’t manage this? I think I get comfortable with the ‘easy’ and I fear losing out and having to start again. Which is odd because I’ve already done that once and I’m more blessed now than before my little island intermission.

I’m kind of using this blog to hone in on what exactly I’m desiring and how I’m going to attain it – changing your life around takes time and a lot of planning. Instead of journalling I’ll blog it because maybe I can help somebody somewhere out there who feels the same way I do. And that will make me happy – because that’s what I enjoy doing!

I love the satisfaction of work in general- it’s fulfilling….when I’m being creative and/or helping others I find satisfaction in that. Not so much anything else. The rest of it is total monotony. Pushing papers that helps no one, fighting computer glitches, printer malfunctions, slaving through the day so that I can…..turn around and do it all again tomorrow. I’ve helped no one better themselves, I’ve encouraged no one, I’ve created absolutely nothing and so it’s just dead to me.

If I can offer any inspiration, don’t give up on your dream, keep it in your sight. When you give up, you lose. Better to try and go for it and lose – at least you’ll learn something in the process and be ready to go for it again having learned from any mistakes and being stronger the second time around.

I just think life is too precious and the people that are in need are too vast to just sit behind a desk pushing papers. I need to make a contribution for the kingdom of God. God’s got a plan – I’m just going to have to be diligent in searching, patient in waiting and remain faithful right where I am until it comes to fruition and God (or is it me?) is ready to move~

Freedom 2020

 I don’t usually do the typical New Year’s Resolutions. Instead, I have a theme which usually builds on the year before. I spend the month of January focusing my prayer on it – what I want to do differently, what I want in my life (what/who I want out of it) etc, and after writing a brief note-to-self, I tuck it away and let it go. Because honestly, I’m going to forget, but God never forgets.

End of year, I pull the note out and see just how intricately God has weaved the results of those prayers into my life. Some of the most important unfolding events were the ones that I wanted and He stopped – I have found myself more thankful for those things than actually receiving the desires of my heart. God saves us from all evil if we allow Him too. Oh sure, I get frustrated and hurt sometimes, but once I see what awesome thing I thought was behind ‘Curtain No. One” I thank God He kept me from it.

God always opens other doors more suited to us and our purpose.

Sometimes we get stuck viewing life only one way. We get too focused on the means in order to obtain the end we want, and we lose site of how creative and infinitely intelligent God is. We think something can only be resolved one way and God is saying, ‘Trust Me and I’ll show you many ways which are better for you.” Fear holds us back – we fear the unknown so we stick with what we know (which limits God) in order to stay comfortable.

“Comfort and a fear of the unknown keep us stunted and living a less fulfilled life.”

So this year’s theme for me is Freedom. I hope you try this approach instead of the conventional NY Resolutions and see how it works in your life. You’ll be surprised at just how present and attuned God is to you and how your prayers really work powerful results!

Love and Blessings to you in the upcoming year 2020!

Love One Another

I don’t think a person can love someone and be ashamed of them at the same time. Maybe I’m wrong? Love and shame don’t seem to mix. Love draws a person in closer while shame pushes them away. Shame runs into the darkness but love is happy to show itself because it has nothing to hide. Shame endures nothing and breaks easily. Love endures all things; always hopes, always trusts.

Love never fails.

Surround yourself with people who love you – the real you – and not people who are ashamed of you. And be sure you are not carrying shame towards yourself or who you are; who God made you to be. The world needs who you were created to be. Don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect – no one is perfect. Be at peace with who you are and know that God loves you right where you are; and He wants you to love him right now where you are, on the journey, halfway there, imperfection and all, He doesn’t mind because you are His child and He accepts you.

Let’s learn to accept others for who they are. Shame doesn’t bring healing to anyone – it is love that heals the soul.