Kicked Out

I am a person who feels secure in routine and plans. Though I don't always live by my plans, when things get chaotic, I can stop and go back to the plan and get back in my comfort zone. When making plans for a trip I probably over research. I make tons of lists of all of the things to see and do. Due to time and money restrictions most of what I find to do gets gets left undone. I remember taking a trip 5 years ago this month to Newfoundland. I felt God had told me for months that it was His will that I go. He provided the money, the time and the transportation. I had this trip planned out, where to stay, what to see, where to eat but.... But God had different plans. I left 24 hours later than I planned. When I was only 11 hours away from North Sydney, Nova Scotia I called to get ferry reservations only to be told they were sold out for the next two sailings. This whole change threw me right out of my comfort-zone and I started questioning whether I was supposed to even go. As I sat in that little motel room I felt like God said, "it's okay. I have this planned out." It wasn't easy but I made the conscience decision that I was going to let things happen as they happened and not get caught up in the "but that isn't what I planned." As I went down to the motel office to ask about a place to eat, she started telling me of places to see and do while I was waiting the 24 hours for the next ferry. That evening as I explored North Sydney, Nova Scotia, I knew that God had a plan and His plan was better than all my planning. The next morning I visited the Fortress of Louisbourg (which is absolutely awesome) and talked to the woman at the visitor center of the City of Louisbourg for probably a couple hours. We talked about God, family and life. I left there and went to get on the ferry. As I was waiting for the couple hours in the loading area I struck up a conversation with the lady in the lane next to me. She was traveling to Newfoundland with her children. We talked for quite a while and then it was time to load the ferry. As we were in different lanes, we weren't loaded together so we parted ways. After loading I made my way up to the restaurant. I had no sooner started my meal when the children came over excited to see me and then the mother came over telling the children not to bother me. I told her they were no bother and  invited them to join me. She then told me her story. She told me of her husband passing and how life had gotten so hard and she was moving to Newfoundland to get away from it all. We sat at that table and talked for a long time and I could tell that as we talked she grew more confident and hopeful of her future.

What if God hadn't kicked me out of my comfort-zone? Who would have shared with the woman in Louisbourg? What person would have been there to offer hope and prayer to a mother and her children? Would I have been changed? Would I have been able to see that other person as a soul and not just another face? Our lives are not usually impacted while we are in our comfort-zone. Typically we are not impacting and spreading the love of Jesus while we are nestled down into our comfort-zone thinking only of ourselves. I think that God is calling the church to get out of those four walls we have built around ourselves and out of the many plans we have made and allow Him to use us to impact that one lady, that one man, that one child. That one person that you impact may be the one who reaches their neighborhood. That one woman may be the one who saves the life of someone who prays revival into your city. You cannot know the impact you will have on the world when you make the very conscience decision to allow God to kick you out of your comfort-zone.  Outside of that comfort-zone is where he can anoint and utilize you for His Kingdom.