It doesn’t matter where we end up location wise; girlfriends always find something to talk about. My favorite time is when the small chatter has gone and the “real” stuff comes out. This is when we are able to truly identify with one another and become transparent.
I listened to a friend explain her fear of travel and how she has NEVER been able to go more than 35 miles from home. No honeymoon away, no weekend shopping trips, no mission trips, no traveling on a family vacation and not even visiting the birth place of her husband in Puerto Rico. As I reflected on her situation, I was reminded of how similar yet different this situation plays out in my own life and the lives of others I know.
Have you ever tried to do something or go somewhere new to you and the farther away from home or the place of comfort you get the more fear and anxiety overtakes you until you are so freaked out and over taken you simply return back to what was comfort?
Yeah, me too and more times than I would like to count.
As I stated in my Start Again blog, the time has come for me to partake in another health journey. And even writing this gives me the jitters because to me, it seems out of this world. I feel paralyzed by the unknown. I fear failure and so I want to return to being safe by not trying and not knowing. My fear comes from thinking that I should already know what to do and the steps to learning will be too hard. And that I will be alone in my journey and thus won’t succeed.
I have created an invisible fence.
Since I am currently standing at my invisible fence looking over watching the people from afar that are free, I want to share some encouraging verses below that I will be reflecting on in my journey.
I know that in my own strength I cannot succeed in this change.
How do I know? Because I have tried!
But – God’s word tells us in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
There is one thing I can stand on with 100% confidence. God WILL renew my mind.
How do I know? Because He has done it over and over again for me and others I know.
Proverbs 3:5 ESV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Jeremiah 17:5-9 ESV
Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV
“So we do not lose heart. Through our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
Jeremiah 33:3 ESV
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
Lord, I pray that you will continue to renew my mind to your perfect and pleasing will. Teach me how to live a life that brings glory to your name. You are faithful, you are pure, you are Holy, you are good, and you are present! Lord, may my life be written by your sovereign hand. Take the invisible fence that I have created and knock it down so that I may be free to run wild for you Jesus!!! I know I am not alone in this journey, you are here. I know you will help me because you too desire for all your sweet children to be free. I know freedom is mine to be had as you died on the cross for me. You are not done with me yet! I praise you! I thank you in advance for what you are about to do. And for each person who reads this blog, I pray the same over them. IJNA
2himigo,
Amanda
2HIMIGO 