comfort zone.

hello. hello.

i hope every single one of you reading this know that i have missed blogging so much, 

i really have no excuse. 

i work, come home, and go for a run, every.single.day. 

So just like any other time I haven't blogged in a long time, I promise to do better... this time. =)

Ok so raise your hand if you've ever said these words "I will never...", 

Ok raise your hand if you have ever did the things you said "I will never..." about. 

Does that even make sense??

I seriously thought I would never wear, red lip stick

did it. and it was awesome.

I seriously thought I would NEVER be caught wearing a fedora.

also did that, and it is just as amazing as wearing a baseball cap, 

you don't have to fix your hair. 

awesome.

and lastly, I thought I would never be caught dead wearing colored or printed jeggings.

...... it happened. and I really really like them. so comfy! 

all that to say.... going out of my comfort zone has been rather nice, a little scary at first. 

with thoughts like... "what will others think", 

I'm sure you know exactly what I am talking about, 

but after just doing it.... the feeling of NEW and CHANGE has been very nice, 

set aside from the little UNCOMFORTABLE feeling(s) I had in the beginning that is.

***

The other day I was just sitting and thinking about all the things I have done the past year or so that have been way out of my comfort zone, and as I listed the things in my head I was actually very proud of myself.... 

and then the thought came to me, 

what have I done for God that has been out of my comfort zone. 

I named maybe 3 or 4 things.

It's scary when you climb outside of your comfort zone.

All those pesky fears hit you. The "what if I fall flat on my face, God?"

comfort zones are nice... but what is out there yet to discover-- 

about God, about yourself, about a bigger world than your comfort zone? 

It's a question posed to all of us at some time, and we can simply ignore it (a comfy way to handle it) or sign up for the adventure.

I have come up with three ways God might call us out of our comfort zones.

1.) To do more than you feel capable of...

What is our response to this call?

I've heard the saying, "God doesn't call the equipped; He equips those who He calls." And I believe that, but it's a joint effort. We trust that God knows what He's doing, that He knows us intimately and will lead every step of the way, and we begin to prayerfully learn and grow in that area.

We become equipped.

Is God calling you out of your comfort zone, and you know that you're not there yet?

Then you've just been handed a growth opportunity! Equipping is a life-long journey. It's study. It's getting around others with that same call. It's listening, and doing, and learning from your mistakes and growing past your inabilities. It's taking that first step, and the second, and following through with the third, and learn the skills, and to expand your mind, and to take the risk as you put it all in practice.

and over time you begin to see what God knew all along. 

He's still leading (He's always the one in front), but you have the tools you need.

2.) To stop being lazy

Ouch. That sounds so harsh, doesn't it? But this is where God is speaking to me lately. Not in a condemning way, but as an invitation. 

Comfort zones can become deep trenches where we can become downright stagnant. 

I have always loved running, and this month I have set a goal to run 1 mile every day, 

somehow I got behind 3 miles, ha! I may or may not have taken off this past weekend, oops, 

but during this time, I of course do a lot of thinking when I run and lately this has been so heavy on my heart...

that God is asking me to run my race a little stronger. 

to exercise my faith in God, 

to intentionally listen for His voice, 

to walk into new and even uncomfortable situations so that I can minister to those on God's heart.

This isn't about trying to earn God's love. We have that. 

It's climbing out of tradition, or apathy, or a fatih that has become status to run straight into the heart of God.

At first it won't be comfy at all, but you're strapping on your shoes, braving the chill or heat, and sharpening those spiritual muscles to feel the wind on your face as you run.

3.) To love

This may be our hardest comfort zone of all.

actually. just being honest. when "to love" kept coming to mind for the 3rd way God may be calling me out of my comfort zone, I brushed it off several times with thoughts like.... 

I do love, I love just about anyone I meet! 

Then a bigger picture was drawn out for me.

Sometimes it seems like our world is way messed up. 

And at a time like this, God's love should be a source of strength, comfort, and direction. 

But sadly we don't always do that, and that's just confusing to those who are on the outside looking in.

He calls us out of our comfort zone to love each other in the church.

To love our neighbors as ourselves.

To love our pastors. Our bosses. That lady who says all the wrong things and gets on your last nerve.

To love our President. To love those who believe differently than you.

To love your family, the ones we say we love the most, but who get the brunt of our unloving behavior.

It's far easier to stay in the comfort zone of our feelings 

(so we lash out, or withdraw, or react and walk away saying "they deserved that")

Loving others means we listen. We forgive. We climb out of our own way of doing things or thinking to notice the other person, rather than their lifestyle or their differences, so that we can truly love them, rather than just try to fix them. 

We say we are sorry. We hold our tongue. We respond with grace.

Not perfection, but asking God to help us love others like He loved(s) us.

So I've shared mine and I'm asking God to help me on yet another adventure. 

Where is He taking you?

***

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Thanks so much for reading.

and like always,

BE BLESSED. BE LOVED.

-malorie lucille

*******

listen to--> "Words" by: Hawk Nelson