Mind Over Matter, Trust Over Fear

Good morning, afternoon, or night... wherever you are in the world! For today's post, I am going to be talking about my theme struggle. Basically, most of my devotions and poems are around this topic, because I am constantly struggling with it. It is my hope that you are able to apply this post to whatever you may be going through right now.

Last Wednesday I posted a poem (to read it, click HERE) talking about trusting and obeying in God's leading even when you feel inadequate for the job. To me, that poem was just a plea asking God to help me trust Him more with the unknowns in my life. Because I am still learning how to surrender my plans, my worries, my fears, etc. over to God. In this post, I am very real and sort of blunt. With that being said, this post is also very close to my heart and the main reason I am sharing it today is because I feel that this is a message that someone needs to hear.

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Last year, we went on a vacation to Florida. On that vacation, my Dad spontaneously suggested that my family go parasailing (I mean, we are on a trip, so that means we must do something EPIC!) #havingadadwholikesadventure 

My first reaction was thinking these things: 
“Um, no thanks!”
“Count me out.” 
“Not really my thing.” 
“I’m not that adventurous.” 
“Turtles and dolphins, sure. But FISH! SHARKS! JELLYFISH!???”
“No, no, and NO! 

Yeah, so parasailing was way outside of my comfort zone. It was unknown to me because I had never ever done anything like it before. To be honest, I’d rather not get eaten by a hungry shark! So, to play it safe, I was planning on not going and just watching my little sister and dad do it. 

But my “play it safe” plan soon changed as I got to thinking. I started wondering if it could end up being fun, and by playing it safe, would I miss out on a super fun activity? Would I look back on that vacation and wish I had stepped out of my comfort zone and just went parasailing? After all, you are attached to the boat! What could go wrong? (Of course, multiple things to do with sharks and jellyfish popped into my head, but sometimes you have to stop yourself when you start to make up detailed stories of what could go wrong. Because that is what they are—made up…) 

Eventually, I decided to give it a try. We ended up finding a place that did parasailing, and reserved a spot for the next day. That night, I was getting really nervous and almost backed out, but me and my older sister were going to do it together (Who knew you could go two at a time!), so that made me feel a little better. 

The next morning, we arrived at the place, and I was crossing my fingers that it would go smoothly. But then, I saw a video of some other people parasailing. And in that video, they were really close to the water, like, um, their feet were in the water! Now I was really nervous, I did NOT want to get dragged in the water! 

Thankfully, for the rest of the “adventure,” I was able to let go of my worry and really enjoy myself. Mind you, I was praying very earnestly!

The boat ride was fast and bumpy, which was really fun, and we saw mama and baby DOLPHINS! The actual parasailing was a blast! Once you were up in the air, it was amazing to see so much from that far up! We saw all sorts of jellyfish and even sharks up there… (my dad and little sister even saw a sea turtle!) It was both scary and so much fun! We did get put down in the water for a second before the ride was over, but it was a short time (only long enough for me to get a mouthful of salt water from screaming/squealing!)

After it was over, I was SO glad I had gone! We even bought the picture packet, so we have proof that we went parasailing and survived!  

Have you ever let fear control a decision? Have you ever just “played it safe” and stayed in you comfort zone? That zone where you don’t have to rely on your Trust in God? 

^^ I know I have definitely answered affirmatively to each of those questions before. It’s hard to not fear the unknown. That is so human nature, isn’t it though? 

I think so many times we stay in that place where we are comfortable. We don’t want to step out because there are too many “what if’s.” If we are uncertain of the outcome, we most likely won’t push ourselves out of that constricting comfort zone. And one of the reasons why we do this, is because we put our trust in ourselves all too often when we should be putting our trust in the capable hands of God. 

When we trust only ourselves, our comfort zone is controlled by how we feel. We know what we are capable of doing from past experiences, and when there is something new (like going parasailing) we worry and doubt in our ability, letting our comfort zones hold us back. We are the ones who have created our comfort zones. 

When we trust God, there is no such thing as a comfort zone. If we truly are surrendering our worry over to God, and letting Him control the outcome of a certain situation, then there is no comfort zone to hold us back. We only trust and obey. 

As hard as it is, I think it is so important to NOT let our fear and comfort zones control us. Because if we let this happen, we would never grow. It’s like exercising: no pain, no gain. If you never work your muscles, you will not get stronger. Sure, you will be sore in the "growing" process, sometimes it’s down right painful. But in the end, you are stronger because of it. 

Likewise, if we never exercise stepping out of are comfort zones, those boundaries we set for ourselves will never get bigger, only smaller. Yes, it will be scary. It might be terrifying. You might take a chance, and it won’t work out right. It’s not guaranteed to work out perfectly. But by stepping out of your comfort zone, you will learn and you will grow because of it! 

Don’t be confined to the boxes, labels, and comfort zones you put yourself in. Comfort zones might feel safe, but trust me, they aren’t. If anything they are dangerous. Because by having a comfort zone that somehow “justifies” not doing something that God has put in His will for you, you are saying that you trust yourself over God. 

God has a perfect plan for you. He promises to be with you through it all, but our comfort zones act as barriers that the Enemy has placed in our way to slow down God’s plan. 

So if I know this truth, why do I still let my comfort zone control me with fear? I don’t know. But what I do know it that I want to get better at saying “no” to my comfort zone and saying “yes” to my trust in God alone. WE are all a work-in-progress. And I will be the first to admit that I let my fear and comfort zone (that I, myself, have created) to make my decisions for me. Not all the time, like when I went parasailing, but a whole lot of other times I have decided to opt out of something because I was scared. 

I can tell myself all that I want, but the truth is the truth. 

I can say: I am a introvert, I’m too quiet, or that I’m so awkward. These are “boxes” that I use as excuses (and most of the time I use them negatively.) The thing is, maybe I am some of these, but these adjectives are not my identity. My identity is found through Jesus Christ. 

The real truth is: I am chosen, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I am His. This is who I am. 

I’m not saying that we should never use the words that put us in labeled boxes to describe our personalities, I’m saying we should not use these words to define who we are as children of God. We are all so unique and original. 

So I am encouraging each of you (and me) to trust God with your future and decision making. Listen to His voice, not your own voice that lets the comfort zone rule you. Pray about it, and then if you are persuaded that it is what God is prompting you to do, take that step of faith. 

Trust that He will be with you every step of the way.  
Trust that He will be your Guide.  
Trust that He will be with you if you fall. 
Trust that He will be with you to pick you up when you do.

Because if we trust in ourselves and rely on our own fears, we will never know God’s outstanding plan-- the plan that blows our comfort zones clear out of the water! His plan is so much greater and so much better than we could ever begin to understand! 

Here are a couple pictures of our parasailing adventure!

Psalm 18:30-32

"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."

Do you struggle with letting your fear stop you from taking that step of faith? (You're not alone!) What do you do when you want to trust God but can't let go? How have you stepped out of your comfort zone this week? How can I pray for you? Even if it is a silent request, let me know and I will definitely be praying! 

Lets talk in the comments below! <3

Icy Branches

One month ago, we were driving into town the morning after a night of sleeting rain. Everything was coated in ice. Like, everything was completely incased in ice! Grass, trees, cars, houses, anything that was out in the elements all night was icy and slick.

As we were driving, we saw at least five or six trees that had actually lost their branches because they had been so weighed down with ice wrapped around them. When I looked outside the window of our car, I noticed that every tree had branches that were drooped and hanging lower than normal. The trees that still clung to their fall leaves had been even more weighted, and those trees were the ones to loose their branches.

Do you think that we are similar to these icy branches? When we are faced with trials and tribulations in our lives, we feel a heavy weight bearing down on us. The trials that we face are just like the ice on the branches, it is cold and restricting, making us feel heavy and tired.

God sometimes asks us to let go of certain things that we wish to cling to because He knows what is going to be ahead. The pretty fall leaves had to die and fall from the branches. They had to let go of their leaves just as we, as humans, have to let go of our selfish wants, letting God look out for our needs. Now, let me clarify here, I’m not saying that we should let go of our dreams and desires, I’m saying that not all of our dreams fall in line with God’s plans. Sometimes we have to let go of our plans in order to see more clearly His plans.

If the autumn leaves had not fallen yet, the winter ice would have more to cling too, creating so much weight that the whole branch would have to give under the pressure and break off. When we don’t listen to God’s design for us, and we cling tightly to our “leaves” then when those trials come, and we have so much weight on our shoulders, we will break under the pressure.

God has designed the leaves on trees to fall off and die to prepare itself for winter. Even though the crunchy leaves seem hopeless, they are not. When they have fallen, they decompose and provide nutrients to the very tree they had fallen from. Leaves have a important purpose. Just like we ARE mean’t to go through certain seasons in life as the leaves do. The leaves bloom, bud, grow, change, and eventually fall away. But each of those seasons weren't lived for no reason. The “leaves” in our life that had once fallen away, those past experiences will help us in the future seasons in our lives. 

So, you ask, what about the trees that have kept their leaves attached and the ice has made their branches break, where is the metaphor in that? Is there hope for those trees? 

God is a God of second chances. Even third, forth, fifth chances! His everlasting love has made it possible for us to be forgiven. There is hope. We all have broken “branches” but guess what, as long as we believe that God is the Healer of those branches, then we will be healed. That very same part of us where the branch had fallen will grow a new branch. One that will be nourished and grow stronger than the branch before it. 

Notice that the ice weighed down ALL of the trees, not just the ones that still clung to their leaves. Trials come to ALL people, whether they are ready or not, but it is up to us how we will choose to deal with those trials. Will we bend under their weight? Most likely. Will we break? Well, that is up to us.

Remember that all of the trees bent under the pressure, but only those who kept their leaves broke. It was the trees who had prepared themselves by letting go of their leaves that were able to pop back up when the Son melted it.

Next time you are weighed down by a trial in your life, let the love of God melt away the ice that is keeping you from flourishing. Know that “This too shall pass.” And have faith in the future God has planned for you! 

Have you ever felt the weight of a icy branch in you life? Do you see the comparisons from these branches to our lives? How can we learn from our past mistakes? Do you believe that God has the power to forgive us when we break under pressure? Lets talk in the comments below! 
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Also, quick announcement, today marks my third year baptism anniversary! Three years ago, I remember sitting on the tractor with my mom and thinking about getting baptized. I asked myself, "What is holding me back?" and then I realized that nothing was. On December 12, 2015 I made the very important decision to get baptized. That day was and always will be so special to me.