Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone
Posted by Danielle Street on Aug 28, 2012 in Blog | 27 comments
I find it remarkable that we can allow God to fill us with His power when we are weak or uncomfortable. Becoming mighty and mature sons and daughters of the King will require us to enter unfamiliar places. I’m learning this may mean stepping out of our comfort zones in order to be obedient to our Creator’s voice.
My mother had the incredible opportunity to travel to South Africa on a mission trip this month. She and a team of other believers followed God’s call and shared the love of Christ with numerous children. If my mother had let fear stop her from going on this adventure, she would have missed being rewarded with the most meaningful, amazing moments of her life.
Our Heavenly Father promises, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). We can choose to surrender our plans to the Lord and trust that He will give us the courage to try something different. Whether it’s traveling to another country or simply signing up for a new class, we will be able to witness a beautiful miracle, gain tremendous emotional and spiritual growth, and experience God’s power at work in us.
In what ways are you stepping out of your comfort zone to follow God’s call? How is His power being made perfect in your weakness?
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I would love to briefly share how God worked in my life through a recent short-term mission trip to South Africa. By faith I trusted that God would guide, protect, and give me the tools to minister in whatever capacity He saw fit, whether it was through praying, playing, teaching, serving a meal, or hugging a child. If I gave in to my fears, I would have missed experiencing how God’s love and the hope for a future is thriving through the dedication of Pastors and the staff of Camp South Africa in a struggling third world environment. There are no words or my 800 photos that could adequately express the blessing I received from obeying God’s call to serve. Through this very vulnerable and emotional experience, one thing I’ve learned is that I need not shy away from openly sharing the good news of the Gospel and praying for others even in my own country. As one of my team members stated, no one will refuse a prayer!!! In this journey of life, the longer I walk with Him in faith and understand the character of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the more I believe I serve a truly beautiful God that will never leave or forsake me.
Thank you for sharing! Praise God! I love how you notice the blessings and rewards you receive when you faithfully serve the Lord. Whether God calls you to follow the Great Commission here or in another country, may you continue to step out of your comfort zone and boldly share the gospel with others!
I also got to be a part of the team that went to South Africa and I couldn’t have been more blessed. God is truly doing amazing things there in and through the staff of Camp South Africa. Going to another country that you are unfamiliar with, with people whom you barely know is intimidating, but if ever given the opportunity I would encourage everyone to take it. While on the trip God pushed me both spiritually and emotionally. I saw devastating things, but I saw Gods work, His faith, and His love. I cannot wait to see how else God is going to use this trip in my life and the lives of everyone who experienced it. God is so faithful and so good.
Hi Bethany, thank you so much for adding your beautiful thoughts about the trip. I love reading about what God is doing around the world and how He is working in the lives of the people who are spreading the gospel!
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Glory to God in the Highest
As a South African, it blesses my heart how even the lives of missionaries are touched by the magnificence of The Almighty. The FAC Team that came down truly blessed us with their all: Their presence, their time, their sacrifices.
Who is willing enough to come out of their comfort zones to do this? Who travels thousands of miles into the unknown? Who is ready when God calls? A very few of us! I salute the few of you who came down and shared their hearts, joy, love and the Love of God with our children.
Yes, it seems a short while, but the memories of putting smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts lingers on.
I miss the FAC team dearly, and I do pray and hope that you guys took a piece of Africa with you. We will never forget you. Faithfulness, Obedience, Love, Sacrifice are but a few of the many values each of you have imparted into us.
With that said, I thank you for Loving God; Loving on us; And Loving on our Children. Thank YouiFor the time that has been sacrificed to make the trip worth it. Thank You for imparting various gifts into the lives of the South Africans. I Love You All, I appreciate You All.
Words will never do adequate Justice as to how much we truly appreciate and honor your time with us!
Thank You ALL
Please be encouraged to read the entire book of James
Amen! Thank you for your inspiring and beautiful words, Caleb! I know that you and others in South Africa have been a huge blessing to the FAC team. Fantastic questions to think about. It motivates us to ask God for the courage to step out of our comfort zones and follow His call to serve.
Thank you also for encouraging us to read James. I love this verse: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).
Caleb, Even here across the ocean you continue to warm my heart and inspire me to serve my Lord with gladness! If I did not obey God’s calling I would have missed seeing the children of South Africa smiling, singing for joy, and embracing our team’s presence or witnessing your passion for serving the children at the ARK. THANK YOU for your encouraging words!
Hi Danielle,
I confess that I like a comfortable routine. Surprises are not always my friends:) Having said that, I continue to find myself
out of my element and completely clueless about what to expect next in my life. God seems to make sure that I don’t get too
comfortable or too dependent on anyone or anything but Him. I’m learning…slowly that He is my comfort.
Thanks for the opportunity to think about this and to express it.
Judy
Hi Judy,
I’m so glad you joined in on the discussion and shared what God is teaching you about stepping out of your comfort zone. We can learn so much from each other when we have the courage to share! Thank you for reminding us that God is our comfort and to fully depend on Him.
Danielle, your blog post recalled to my mind my own experiences when my husband and I moved, with our two children under the age of two, to Vienna, Austria. God placed this wonderful opportunity in our paths but the timing seemed so very unfortunate. We live in Kansas and had two young children, a lovely old home that we were working to restore, a family business that we were heavily invested in and, as I said before, TWO daughters under the age of two! So many people, meaning well, advised us to wait until the girls were a little older before we moved away from our families and jobs to a country where neither of us could speak the language. We did feel that God had provided this opportunity for a reason though, so we decided to make the move.
After just 10 days in Austria, my husband left for a two week trip to what was then the Soviet Union. I was not able to contact him at all, as he was traveling around to farms in the area and the phone system there was quite primitive, at the time. While he was gone, one of my daughters became very sick with high fever and my car broke down. I was totally alone…except that God was with me. I found a way to get to the doctor, find the hospital he sent us to, purchase medicine and purchase groceries without my own transportation, all the while with two babies in tow. This situation seemed to continually repeat itself every time my husband would leave town, as he was required to do constantly for his job. God did not make this time easy for me but slowly, as I overcame obstacle after obstacle, I realized that I was growing into a new creature. As I reflected back on this time in my life, I realized that God had been building a mighty strength in me…something I was not aware that I needed and did not have. As I continued to trust in Him, I was provided with opportunities to travel to fascinating places and even to live in a small village in Ukraine for several years. Had it not been for God removing me from all support systems that I had in the United States, I would never have matured in my own faith and I would never have known some of the amazing miracles I have seen along the way. I truly understand now why God puts us in some situations that are difficult and I appreciate that He loved me enough to uproot me and move me half a world away, just to create a strength in me which I am relying on today.
What an amazing testimony of how God gives us the courage to step out of our comfort zones! Thank you, Mandy. I loved reading your story and learning what God taught you as you were led to move to another country. I admire your commitment to follow God’s call even when it required having to adjust to a great deal of change and discomfort. I can’t even imagine what it must have felt like to be alone with a sick child when your car broke down and your husband was away in the Soviet Union. I am so glad that you relied on the Lord during that time and He helped you in your time of need. Through your perseverance and stepping out of your comfort zone, you recognized all the blessings and rewards from it. That’s not easy to do! Thank you for reminding us that if we trust God during all our obstacles, we will be rewarded with strength and incredible spiritual growth. Praise God! May you continue to become a mighty woman for God’s kingdom!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful message.
You’re very welcome, Dicky. I am continuing to pray that I’m filled, controlled, and guided by the Spirit as I post each of my blog entries. I’m trying to step out of my comfort zone and post blogs that continue to encourage others to grow both emotionally and spiritually!
“Then the LORD replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it’ ” (Habakkuk 2:2).
This is a great message. God really blesses us with His strength (and w/ many other riches)when we step out into the unknown in our weakness…
Hi Meghan,
Thank you. God has been teaching me a great deal about not being afraid to step out of my comfort zone. May we all continue to rely on our Heavenly Father for strength and courage to step out into whatever He is leading us to do.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Those two words “stepping out” hit me with bold relief as I read them, Danielle. During the missions trip to South Africa (with your mom Lucy
& others), I remember sitting in the van as we drove into Heinz Park. The area did not look all that welcoming. Yet a few minutes later, after we parked the van, and Stepped Out, we were greeted by smiling and energetic children excited to see us and share time with us. What a blessing to see their faces, hold their hands and sing praises with them. At the Ark School, we literally stepped out from the walkway onto the cement square where young boys and girls walked up to us to ask for prayer. Stepping out for the Lord brings deep blessing, strength and joy ! CALEB, I miss you and the Camp South Africa counselors. You touched all of our spirits; my heart has been enlarged with meeting you. Thank you again for following God’s call on your life; you remain in my prayers. (As a side note, this spring I attended a Bible study where we were challenged to memorize the book of James. So far I’m up to Ch 3. Two more to go ! 
)
Yay! Praise God! I love how you were able to relate the topic of “stepping out” to your trip, Nancy. I enjoyed reading how you and the team were blessed and greeted by all the precious children when you arrived in South Africa. I can just picture it! It sounds like your relationship with God and others deepened as a result of stepping out and going on this trip. Thank you for recording this experience and sharing with others how God worked in a mighty way!
Wonderful, inspiring posts! I do hope I get to see some of those 800 pictures. God bless you and your family.
Sky
Thank you so much, Sky! I hope you get to see some of those 800 pictures, too!
Great post, Danielle. Thank you!
These trips are part of how He works to unify His Body around the world – in love through our brokenness and our remaking us in His image.
These are definitely big themes He has running through our lives right now, post return from Ukraine a few weeks ago.
http://www.kvorganics.com/ukraine-report/
Thank you again so much for writing such great posts. xo
Hi Lacey,
Thank you! I had a chance to read what you wrote on your blog. I’m impressed that you remember how the Lord led you over the years to where you are today. I love how you stepped out of your comfort zone and went on a missions trip to Ukraine. Whether He leads you to go back or focus on your ministry at home, it’s clear you have gained many blessings through the experience. It’s wonderful that the trip caused you to reflect on your life and see areas you believe God desires for you to grow. That’s great! I admire your courage to share that with others!
When I read your recent blog post, I thought of two examples of God taking us through difficult situations in order to bless us in the long run. One example was my Mom’s story here, where she recalled our years in Vienna. The other example I thought of was when I moved, my senior year, to Texas to play basketball. Basketball, at this time in my life, was the most important thing to me. It was not just a form of exercise, but something that brought me daily happiness. I had worked really hard every year from middle school up through the years in high school, training to be in top physical condition and hoping to possibly play basketball in college at a small school. However, my senior year, my school hired a new ruthless and unpleasant coach who had the idea that he would play only the younger girls on the team to give them more experience so that he could possibly win a state championship in the future. Prior to the start of the season, he stated that no seniors would receive much playing time in the coming season. I was miserable and disappointed to hear that, for the sake of a future championship, all senior players were going to be benched. I was so upset at the prospect of spending my senior year on the bench next to fellow seniors. I was reminded of the days when I was a sophomore, sitting on the bench, watching the seniors play almost the whole game and being excited for when my time would come. My time had come and I was going to be watching the younger kids play in my spot. This was not acceptable to me and God heard my anguish.
The evening of the crushing basketball announcement I was, quite unexpectedly, offered a position on a team in Texas which had a terrific girls basketball coach. It would mean getting on a plane within a few days time and enrolling immediately in a new school. I wanted to play basketball for a coach of good character, but the thought of leaving my friends my last year of high school, some of whom I had been around since kindergarten, was terrifying. One thing about my personality is that I don’t let other people control my happiness if I can help it. So, since God had given me the chance for an exciting opportunity, I decided to take it!
I was scared about the typical things a new student worries about, in addition to worrying about whether I would like my new basketball team. I was nervous, but I knew I was making the right decision because I felt so strongly that this new opportunity was placed in my life for a reason. Well, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. My coach was a sweet, wonderful man, my teammates were so supportive and I got to actually play in the games and I loved Texas! I grew close to some of my family members who live in Texas and it soon felt like a second home. Moving to Texas was such a blessing because, not only was my last year of high school a great one, it also shaped me into the person I am today. It gave me confidence that I could drop everything and move to a new, unfamiliar place if I am called to do so anytime in my life. In addition, I fell in love with Texas A&M (which was about 15 minutes from the high school I attended). I ended up trading my dream of playing basketball in college for the dream of attending Texas A&M. My Texas high school basketball team had actually won our district championship and I had been named All District and All State in basketball (an added bonus!). I found that my desire for basketball had been fulfilled and now I was ready for a new experience and I could not have had a better college experience! All in all, I learned to follow God’s lead and to understand that he knows better than I do what will make me the happiest. I learned that if God places an opportunity in your life, you had better take it, or risk losing all the wonderful blessings it would have afforded you.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts through your blog, Danielle, I love reading your posts!
Hi Jonne,
Fantastic story! I’m so happy you shared it with me and others. I love how you continued to trust the Lord to guide you and give you the courage to participate in a new team. As a result, you were rewarded with a great coach, wonderful opportunities, and so many incredible blessings! Wow! I really admire your desire to follow God’s call and learn what He is teaching you in your life. Your story reminded me that we often can’t see the bigger picture, but God always does. May you continue to have the boldness to share with others how He is working in your life! Praise God!
Hi Danielle! It looks like your website is growing! Fantastic news! You have been given a gift from God to write and inspire others. It’s funny, this is the second time today that I have read an email with 2 Corinthians 12:9 in it. That verse is so inspiring; there are so many times I feel that I have failed on epic levels with God, yet I need to remember that His grace is indeed sufficient. It is in those times that His power strengthens my heart the most. That is truly incredible.
I have signed up for the Cravings class this fall at FAC. It meets on Tuesday mornings. I hope you had a wonderful summer, and hopefully we can catch up one day soon. Take care, love, Kathy
PS Thank you to everyone who wrote on this blog. Your stories were so inspiring and emphasized the beauty of allowing God to be our strength during tough times.
Praise God!
Hi Kathy,
Thank you so much for the compliment! I truly enjoy encouraging others to become mighty, mature individuals for God’s kingdom. I’m just very thankful that the Lord is giving me opportunities to share what He has taught me about emotional and spiritual growth. I pray that He continues to open doors for me to write, teach, and speak about this important topic.
I love that verse in 2 Corinthians, too! I’m so glad you have been reminded of it again and it’s encouraging to you. I’m also thrilled that you signed up for the Made to Crave class at FAC. I know you will enjoy it. I will be teaching Tuesday evenings this Fall. The class is called The Shelter of God’s Promises. In the Spring, I may go back to teaching in the mornings. Miss you!!
2 Corinthians 12:9 is likely to be my favorite verse in the entire bible. My translation says “…my power works best in your weakness” which I also love, because it reminds me that, though I am weak, fraught with fear, weariness, and on some dreary days filled with the inability to even take one more step, He is still omnipotent; He is still ready and willing to carry me through the storms, weather them right along with me, never loosening His grip for even a second.
My comfort zone . . . I actually wrote a post about this a while back, entitled “I’ve been Thinking . . . ” about the difference between letting go of some of the control and retaining healthy boundaries and respective preferences. This month has ripped me from my comfort zone; though not traditionally speaking. In the midst of falling ill and fighting anxiety, God has asked me to trust Him, to let Him lead me blindly through a terrifying time. My comfort zone has stretched, continues to be stretch, and I hope by the end of this trial my image will bear resemblance to Christ’s just a little bit more.
Blessings,
Cara
I’m so happy you visited my site and took a moment to share your thoughts on my post, Cara. I love that translation of 2 Corinthians 12:9. I constantly need to be reminded that God’s power works best in my weakness. I truly admire your desire to use your discomfort to help you grow and become more like Christ. I pray that you continue to trust the Lord and fix your eyes on Him when you endure hardship. He is molding you into a mighty woman for His kingdom! I look forward to reading more about what God’s doing in your life.
“those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).