I want to share something shocking with you; something a little hard to swallow. Perhaps you'll cringe and your brow will shed a bead of sweat. But, here goes.....
Sometimes you have to do something uncomfortable or inconvenient to get to the next level in life.
*Cue the scream of terror.
Are you still with me? Ok, good.
When I was 13 years old, my parents took me to an orthodontist because my teeth were crooked and I desperately needed braces. I was actually pretty excited about the whole thing because I knew that my smile was going to be radiant and beautiful when the process was finished. I was excited about picking the colored bands on my braces, but of course, I didn’t think about everything I would have to endure to get there; all I could think of was my gorgeous teeth. So in 7th grade, I began the 2 year journey of orthodontics. And let me tell you, it was an uncomfortable one, to say the least! I started off with a lovely appliance that was placed at the roof of my mouth, complete with a key, to turn every day to expand my jaw. Then they added the braces, and finally, to top it off, I was given headgear to wear 14 hours a day for 6 months. Talk about an awkward stage for a girl! For a season in my life, I looked pretty funny and went through some physical discomfort. BUT! I was faithful to do everything they asked, never giving up even when it was tempting to do so, and at the end of 2 years, when I was 15 years old and a freshman in high school, they took off those braces, revealing a perfectly gorgeous smile; the one I’d envisioned a couple of years earlier when I began the long journey.
Summer of 1997
Another situation that comes to mind, is one that Dave and I are journeying right now. A couple of years ago, Dave strongly believed that the Lord was directing us to have no mortgage on our house. Now, I personally believe that God could drop a load of cash right in your lap at any moment to pay off your house, but I think most of the time, to get to that point, you have a little bit of work to do, with the Lord’s help of course. So even before the Lord had laid that idea on Dave’s heart, we had already made an investment in the house we lived in, purchasing a foreclosure, fixing it up and living in it for awhile. Almost 5 years later, when the market was just right, we decided we’d sell our house, with the intention that we’d find another foreclosure to purchase. This time we’d buy a house with cash instead of a mortgage. The only catch to this plan? We’d have to move in with Dave’s parents for a short season until we found another place. So, after talking it over with them, and doing some necessary final repairs, we listed our house for sale. Within 4 weeks we accepted an offer on our house for more than our asking price! This gave us nearly double what we paid for originally when we bought the house, so we were able to pay off the mortgage and still have a substantial amount left over for our next home. It took some time, in fact longer than I expected, but at just the right time, the perfect house for us went on the market and we made an offer that was accepted in less than 12 hours! We were able to purchase this house without a mortgage and we began the process of fixing it up the way we wanted. To top it off, this house is an excellent investment that will make us money in the future. Our motto is buy low, sell high. It has worked wonderfully for us. But we had to be willing to do what a lot of people aren’t willing to do, and it has gotten us to the next level, a place that most people never see, while we’re still in our 30’s. All things are possible with God!
Summer of 1997
I share these personal stories with you because they’re just a couple of examples of some uncomfortable or inconvenient situations we endured to get to the next level in our lives. The bible is full of examples of people like Moses, Abraham and Job moving from one level to another, even when at times it was painful or seemed inconvenient. But it was necessary for them to grow to the next place, making them stronger, more full of faith, and unstoppable! 2 Corinthians 3:18 says: “And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another.”
We simply cannot get too comfortable in one place expecting to get to the next level in life. This includes our personal lives and our relationship with the Father. It’s good to enjoy where you’re at right now, but we have to continuously be moving from glory to glory, growing and thriving in this wonderful life God has blessed us with. Don’t be afraid of the process; learn to enjoy it as an adventure. Celebrate each and every level you reach, even take some time to enjoy it, but like Paul says in Philippians 3:14 “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.”
10th year of marriage (2014)
10th year of marriage (2014)
Blessings :)
Kristin
Kristin
