I will no longer step out on faith......

One year ago, I was preparing for my move to Charlotte, NC. I was ecstatic, thrilled, bright-eyed.....and FEARFUL of this move. A change was needed and it was happening. I was terrified, but you wouldn't have known it. Everyday I woke up with a smile and joy, but that was just a cover up. Everyday was filled with questions of where is the money coming from? Where will I live? etc.

I finally sucked it up two weeks before my move and said to myself "Why am I stressing? God's got it." This was stated not in confidence but in hopes that God really did have it. 4 days before my official move date, I had secure a place to live (gorgeous house in a wonderful neighborhood) and my dream job (sports Executive). I quickly realized this wasn't me, God truly had it!!

We walk around too often with fear and worry weighing on our shoulders (trust I know this walk all too well). We place a constant hold on ourselves from becoming what God has truly set forth for us to be, because we ponder the "shoulda, coulda, wouldas" and "What ifs." The only "What Ifs" we should take the time to entertain is: What if God had not given his only begotten son? What if we didn't have the faith and trust in God like we should? Where would we be?

1 Peter 5: 5 - 9
5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

My Mom recently reminded me that I am again stepping out on faith and it made me stop and think. Why am I stepping out on faith? Last year certainly wasn't the first, nor will it be the last time that He has me covered. I see stepping out on faith as only half way trusting in God and the direction He wants me to go. So from now on I will ONLY be running, skipping, hopping and sprinting out on faith, because I know that God's got it!

So what about you? Are you still stepping?

Life's MapQuest.........

You know how you have a plan for your life? How you have a "set" path for yourself (i.e. - school, career, family, etc.) and how/when/where they will be obtained? Isn't it funny when you are going down that path, you NEVER included any pit stops or "scenic" routes in your original plan?

I guess that is just the beauty of life's mapqest; you never know when those pit stops will occur or when you need to detour because there is "construction" being done in your original path. I have never been one to say "by 25 this will happen, and then this needs to happen by the time I am 32," but I definitely know what I have wanted for my life and the path I have designed for myself. But the realization is that our path needs to be paralleled with God's path for us.

I have always known since my late teen years that I was going to own my own company. Doing what was, however, yet to be determined. I was fearless in my teen years and attacked any challenge head on. The confidence I had then, I only wish I had a fraction of it now.

I experienced minor detours in my education path, and I have now taken my detour in my career path.

It wasn't until the last 3 to 4 years that I changed directions in my career path, and didn't really realize it. I found and followed a new passion that didn't come into existence until my sophomore year in college. It literally consumed me and that is all I have wanted to do, completely ignoring the original plan and path I set for myself. Until recently.......

A few months ago, I was reminded of the original plan when a business concept popped into my head. I played with it for a few hours and decided to "drop it." Bad idea! It only came back to me stronger and began consuming most of my thoughts. I soon found myself in a battle with my original dream and the one I am currently living. I didn't know which one to let go of. But God did....

Within a two week time frame, God supplied soooooooooooo many tools to help launch this business concept, and yet I still found myself reluctant to let the other go. Here in front of me, literally, I have an amazing foundation to establish myself and my company....yet, I am being extremely apprehensive. Majority of the reason is my pride (that's a whole 'nother blog) and the other reason is fear.

I was really enjoying the path I was on and all of the people I have had the blessing to interact with. But now I have to detour back to my original path. I have often heard and now fully understand the meaning behind the saying "You have to let go of one dream in order to follow another." But why is that easier said than done? Why is it so hard to let go and move on?

I guess that is just another lesson that is to be learned on this journey of life. Too bad you can't purchase a life starter map from Wal-Mart or Target, lol.