Change
CHānj/
verb
1. make or become different
“a proposal to change the law”
It’s been said many times – to stay in the flow, you have to be able to change with the times.
Change is all around us, our very lives depend on it! We changed as God formed us before birth, as we grew physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and in maturity. If things remained the same in our lives, there would be no forward movement and we’d be resigned to sitting in the same position every day until we died. That, my friends, is not existing – there’s no life. It’s not the way God created us- He wants us to enjoy life and even more so!
We NEED change to thrive – to live the life intended for us. As we go through different seasons in our walk, different situations, meet different people, it makes for a broader sense of self. Our likes, dislikes, curiosity, sense of adventure, peace, creativity and more can be honed and grow as we transform, to make us more unique, better than we were before, and we can enjoy the resulting difference! Many people hate change, preferring to keep to a routine life which is easy, predictable, worry-free…..stationary. While there are times in our lives that do call for “resting and recuperating”, these folks walk in a consistent, conventional bubble that protects them from transforming into more than what they are. They are “stuck” and cannot move forward – there is no true existence there.
Sometimes this is due to fear of the unknown, or resistance to an idea that makes us feel “out of control”. I submit to you that until you truly let go and face those fears, allowing God to help you walk through new encounters with Him, you will not be able to find a totally new freedom to your life! Stretching our reality by allowing new things, experiences and thoughts into our lives will propel us into a new, fresh, exciting place. Even when we have to work at change, belying our fears and questions, it will enhance and sharpen our senses, creating an energy and excitement that makes it worth the effort! We can move forward on a conscious level by considering new ways of looking at current opinions and attitudes. Asking WHY – not just because “I’ve always believed that way”. Motivate yourself to experiment with new concepts, think through new ideas, ask questions and delve into a new area that in the past has been foreign to you. Talk with people who are experts in their areas and get fresh insight into unfamiliar territories.
Change suggestions:
- Check out new foods, places to shop, businesses that look interesting
- Read an inspirational book
- Pray
- Take a different way home
Just DO it!
You will see how making the effort adds to creating a more unique and colorful living experience!
Make this New Year one where you commit to broadening your spirit, soul and body with fresh ideas and allowing those walls of inflexible views to collapse. In the process, you’ll see yourself and your future with a different pair of eyes. You won’t only change, you’ll THRIVE!
Karen Barnes – Ministry Director of Fire for the Nations (http://www.fire4thenations.com/) . Karen has worked in ministry-related activities for over 30 years, including being on staff for 6 years with Campus Life, Youth for Christ. She has also worked as an Assistant Children’s Pastor, Senior Children’s Pastor, “KickBack” City-wide After School Program Founder and Director, Youth Pastor, Music Director, and has held other assorted positions in numerous churches and charitable organizations for the previous 30+ years. She majored in elementary education in college, and has been working with children ever since. Karen has also ministered in many different countries, including the US, giving humanitarian aid, organizing ministries, working with street children and orphans, helping start churches, preaching, teaching and evangelizing.
Interact with us:
We would love to hear your feedback on these matters. Leave us a comment and we can dialogue further.
Please play nice though, the anonymity of the internet is no license for tomfoolery… that is why they invented the “delete” button. 😉
Note: Got something to contribute to the topic? Write me and I would love to consider your ideas and possibly allow a guest post. Thorough screening will take place, but input is always welcome.
-
- 2. Create your Character – When I was a kid, I used to be a semi-avid gamer (what kid isn’t?). One game that rested near to my heart was Lord of the Rings: Return of the King on PlayStation 2. In this game, the objective was to play through the plot of the final Lord of the Rings movie in order to defeat evil and bring peace back to middle earth. However, there is not only one character to use in the game. Instead, each new checkpoint allowed for the user to pick a new character or continue using the same one. Being that I thought the bow and arrow to be the most incredible weapon on this earth, I fell in love with Legolas, the arrow-wielding elf. Without a doubt, I picked him for every battle! With that, there is a point to this story—besides me having a chance to boast that I beat the game in less than a week! The point is this: I was allowed to choose the character I wanted to be during battle. In a similar way, you and I can choose the character we want to be for the sake of our own story. Yes there are human limitations, but nonetheless, you and I ought to choose what kind of character we want to be. The second step to writing a thriving life story is picking the kind of character you want to be. Do you want to be someone who fights for good? How do you want to do this? How can you use your hope and skills to shape your character?
