Are you comfortable?

January 25.  We are over 3 weeks into 2016 and I'll bet it is a safe wager that most people have already forgotten what resolutions they made just a few short weeks ago. Oh there may be some of you that are actually sticking with your "new year, new you" workout and eating routines and perhaps a few actually have done all that organizing and tidying up that we see tips for in nearly every January magazine.  I didn't make any huge change resolutions this year, though I did set goals.  I like to reflect on how things are going, that kind of goes along with setting goals. It does no good to write those goals down, then just hope they will all come to pass.

I'm going to do something uncomfortable today.  It may be something as simple as actually loading another box of things to take to the thrift store (I have been in my decluttering and simplifying journey for nearly a year) or it may be something that is extremely out of my comfort zone like taking some next  new steps in my direct sales business.  Each box or bag of stuff that I remove from the house makes me feel good!  I have room for the things that I really love and I'm finding that as the paper and junk piles go down my angst about clutter decreases.  As for the business part? I made the decision to pursue this.  Direct selling is greatly misunderstood by many people, but it is one of the fastest growing lines of work in the world.  This method of selling goods, directly from distributor to customer, has been around awhile, but in order to succeed it takes work, just like any other job. I am finding that I have to do the hard stuff!  I also have discovered that some of those tasks that are the hardest to get started on, the ones that make me squirm a bit, are the most rewarding. Should I  ask the easy question "Would you like to have a party?" or the harder one "How are things with you? Can we have a cup of coffee and catch up?"  Making the time to listen to people and learn what is going on in their lives is the first step in building a great relationship that lasts. 

Since I do so much of my business online I stalk Facebook a lot.  It is evident that I am no different than most of the people I come in contact with. We nearly all are concerned about money, health, family relationships and a good measure of worry about the future.  None of that is new.  In a heart wrenching conversation last week with someone I love we talked about faith.  I truly believe that I have a strong measure of faith, in God and in what is to come.  However, I was challenged "Do you really?  You say that you have faith to step out in belief, but do you - really?"  I have thought about that conversation all week.  Then this morning in one of my favorite devotional books I read these words written so very long ago by Oswald Chambers:

As servants of God, we must learn to make room for Him - to give God "elbow room". We plan and figure and predict that this or that will happen, but we forget to make room for God to come in as He chooses.  Would we be surprised if God came to our meeting or into our preaching in a way we had never expected Him to come? Do not look for God to come in a particular way, but do look for Him. The way to look for Him is to expect Him to come, but not in a certain way. No matter how well we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that He may break in at any minute. We tend to overlook this element of surprise, yet God never works in any other way. Suddenly - God meets our life - ".....when it pleased God....."   Keep your life so  constantly in touch with God that His surprising power can break through at any point. Live in a constant state of expectancy, and leave room for God to come in as He decides.   ( January 25- from My Utmost For His Highest ).

No matter what your faith background or where you are on your journey with God (if you have chosen that path) live expectantly today.  Do something uncomfortable and believe that the unexpected is going to bless you beyond measure.  Be all that you can be, today and every day!  I'm going to step out and I'm going to pray that God breaks through in a magnificent way today!