Subject to CHANGE Daily

I'm pulling my "female" card. Yes, I am a woman and I am subject to CHANGE daily. I can CHANGE my mind about this or that. I can CHANGE clothes – just because I want to. I can CHANGE occupations (and I did). I’m also a “single” so I can CHANGE TV channels whenever I so choose. Widow bonus! I can CHANGE directions if I want to (That gal in my GPS system really doesn’t know it all!). The fact is life is about CHANGE.

CHANGE – to alter, replace with another, make a shift from one to another, modify, transform, switch

Every day we experience CHANGE. You may be in that mid-life crisis aka “the change of life” stage if you're eyeing that slick convertible sports car. You may be considering moving to another city and state. CHANGE is a reminder of what it is for a season to end and a new one begin. How often have I witnessed the passing of a friend or loved one and within hours or days, in the same family, was the birth of a precious baby. That is the CHANGE and the cycle of life.

Here’s the really good news. God assures us He’s watching over all our seasons of CHANGE – all our entrances and exits: in exiting high school and entering college, in ending single life to begin married life, in leaving one job to begin another, in checking the "married" box to the "single" or "widow" box. Even in the animal kingdom, we see changes. A couple of days ago, I saw my grandson’s gecko shedding his skin – he was CHANGING. Bottom line -- among all the exits and entrances and all the in-betweens, life, in any form….is just temporary.

We can throw a tantrum, a pity party, a protest, a sit-in, a march, stay in bed and cover our heads, put our heads in the sand, wail, jump up and down and we can resist the CHANGES, but all the while, God probably shakes His head as He thinks “Why do my kids get so caught up on so much that is just temporary?” There is one guarantee in life…..CHANGE will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we feel out of control. But we have this blessed assurance. God NEVER changes. "I am the Lord, and I do not CHANGE.” Malachi 3:6. He walks with us in every season of life -- no matter how easy or difficult. We can choose to accept CHANGE because God has a plan for our lives – to give us hope and a great future, and to prosper us. If we trust in God and allow the CHANGE to grow us to become more like Him in how we respond and act, then we are promised that “Everything will work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

God orders our days. He knows the seasons we are exiting from and He also knows those we are about to enter. It’s a new day – yesterday is gone. Why don’t we awaken to the assurance that He KNOWS ALL and if we’ll board His ways, we’ll travel higher, further and safer than we could ever imagine. I think I hear Him saying to us “I’ve got this so let go and let Me carry you through each CHANGE. Relax. Enjoy the ride. Trust Me!” Rather than resisting CHANGE – let’s embrace it and fly higher than we’ve ever been before!

Changing is Possible

I know it’s hard to believe, but in all honesty, I was a shy,timid introvert as I grew up. I avoided crowds, parties, and situations that would cause me to HAVE to interact with people. So, obviously, I was not chosen to be “Most Popular”. And, I know it’s even harder to believe that I am still, not by nature, outgoing. I literally have to force myself to walk up to people and create conversation. BUT, I realized, long ago, that if I remained in that mind-set, I would never have friends. “If you want friends, you must show yourself friendly.” I had to be willing to get out of my comfort zone and be willing to change. I had to become "tweak-able"!

One of my favorite authors, Max Lucado, puts it this way: “Here’s some good news. You aren’t stuck with today’s personality. You aren’t condemned to “grumpydom.” You are tweak-able! So what if you were born a bigot? You don’t have to die one. Where did we get the idea we can’t change? Where do statements come from such as, “It’s just my nature to worry,” or. . . “I’ll always be pessimistic. I’m just that way.” Or, “I have a bad temper. I can’t help the way I react.” Who says? Would we say, “It’s just my nature to have a broken leg. I can’t do anything about it.” Of course not. If our body malfunctions, we seek help. Shouldn’t we do the same with our hearts? Can’t we seek aid for our sour attitudes? Of course we can. Jesus can change our hearts! He wants us to have a heart like His!”

And, I add to Max’s words, if we desire to be that outgoing, optimistic, cheerful personality that others want to hang with, then, we must purpose to live outside our comfort zones. We need to be the gal or guy that we want to hang with. When we're that gal or guy – others will gravitate to our "sunny" and even "funny" dispositions. They'll want to hang with us because we exude He Who lives BIG in us AND His personality ROCKS with joy, peace, abundance, patience, beauty and a merry heart!

Who Says Changing is Impossible?

Day 103 of Photo Inspirations -- Who Says Changing is Impossible?
I know it's hard to believe, but I was a shy, timid introvert as I grew up.  I avoided crowds, parties, and situations that caused me to HAVE to interact with people.  So, obviously, I was not voted to be "Most Popular".  And, I know it's even harder to believe that, in some respects, I am still not, by my nature, outgoing.  I literally have to force myself to walk up to people and create conversation.  But, I realized, long ago, that if I remained in that mindset, I would never have friends.  "If you want friends, you must show yourself friendly."  Proverbs 18:24

I receive devotional emails from my favorite author, Max Lucado, and this is what he said recently:  "Here's some good news.  You aren't stuck with today's personality. You aren't condemned to "grumpydom".  You are tweak-able!  So what if you were born a bigot?  You don't have to die one.  Where did we get the idea we can't change?  Where do statements come from such as "It's just my nature to worry," or...."I'll always be pessimistic.   I'm just that way."  Or, "I have a bad temper.  I can't help the way I react."  Who says?  Would we say, "It's just my nature to have a broken leg.  I can't do anything about it."  Of course not.  If our body malfunctions, we seek help.  Shouldn't we do the same with our hearts?  Can't we seek aid for our sour attitudes?  Of course we can.  Jesus can change our hearts!  He wants us to have a heart like His!"

And, I add to Max's words, if I desire to be that outgoing, optimistic, cheerful personality that others want to hang with, then, I must move out of my comfort zone, and be the gal that I want to hang with.  When I'm that gal -- others will be drawn to me, and I will be drawn to those who need me and I need them.

And speaking of tweak-able, I'm so tweak-able that today I'm leaving on a 20-day adventure to Northern Europe with some new friends and will be sharing a cabin with a gal I've never met before.  This feat would have never been possible if I had stayed in a mindset "I'll never change!"  Change is possible -- and when we are willing to change -- the doors to adventure will open wide!
#ChangeIsPossible