From the Inside Out

Life has a funny way of showing us that we aren’t really in control. You may have the perfect plan, but something unexpected comes along and forces you to change that plan. Whether it’s a job change, a new bundle of “joy”, financial crisis, illness or something else, it seems that the road of life offers many twists and turns.

Some roads lead to exciting new adventures and others offer painful learning experiences. Case in point, a few years ago I would’ve never dreamed that I’d be writing and producing stage plays and comedy shows. On the career front, I never thought I’d be a technology marketing professional (I was originally an art major in college), but things change. Sometimes it’s for the better. Sometimes it’s neither good or bad, it’s just different than what you had planned.

One of the things I’ve realized through the years is that nothing in life is certain, except change. Without it, we can’t grow or mature. Change is not always pleasant, but it’s necessary. What’s important is how you respond to that change. You can let it break you or inspire you to become a better person — to have a second chance, to take a new path in life.

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better. King Whitney Jr.

We can’t control life or the changes it brings our way. Change is coming whether we like it or not. The best we can do is be prepared for it, embrace it and be flexible when the unexpected occurs. At the end of the day, it’s all part of God’s plan even though it may not be part of ours.

According to Robert C. Gallagher, “Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.” 

Sometimes change can be positive and sometimes it can be trying, but without it you cannot grow.  As long as I live, I want to be open to change.  I don’t ever want to stop growing or stop stretching myself.  When people stop growing, they start dying.  

Change doesn’t come without risks.  However, with great risk comes great reward.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am not one that takes change lightly.  In fact, my natural tendency is to play it safe, but there are times when you just have to go for it.  This is one of those times. 

Changes are afoot on on the job front.  These changes could have a significant impact on my role as it stands today.  I can’t say much more publicly, but I think it will be a good thing.   Maybe this is one of the answers for which I’ve been praying…we’ll just have to wait and see.

In an election year, you hear the words “vote for change” often.  The words sound great when spoken by candidates.  Let’s face it…no one likes being stuck in a rut.  We want variety and excitement.  Add that to the fact that when you look at how the country is run by politicians, it’s easy to find things you’d like to change.

However, we must exercise caution when listening to the banter between candidates.  Don’t jump on the bandwagon for change without thoroughly investigating what changes your candidate wants to make and how those changes will impact the country. 

I don’t know the author for the following write-up, but it struck a chord with me, so I’m posting it anyway. 

What a difference a new Congress made…..
A little over one year ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2½-year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) the unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006, we’ve seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value
evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion
dollars;
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!

Want some more of that “change”…just keep on voting Democratic.

One of the things I’m good at is planning.  It comes naturally to me.  You have a goal, so you develop a strategy and tactics to accomplish that goal.  It’s simple.  It’s safe.  Sure, surprises may come up, but you deal with them along the way – as long as you have the plan, everything will be fine.

The problem comes when you begin to realize you may have to abandon the plan because it’s not working.  The long awaited thing you were hoping for just isn’t going to happen.  I’m sure you can relate.  It may not be the same set of circumstances that I’m facing, but in your life, there was probably a time when you realized a particular course of action wasn’t going to lead you anywhere.  Whether it was pursuing a member of the opposite sex who had no interest in you, trying to become a professional athlete, a prayer that just never seemed to get answered, realizing you weren’t going to get rich by selling Amway (or any other pyramid marketing product), you may have felt like it was time to give up on a certain goal.  But what happens when you do that?  Where do you go next?  What do you do when that thing you thought would be so right turned out to be wrong?

When I start doubting the plan, I turn to God — my strength, solace and compass.  Besides, just because one plan isn’t working, it doesn’t mean you can’t start again with a new plan.  As long as I’m following God’s will, I don’t usually mind a few twists and turns along the road. 

However, I feel frozen now at life’s metaphorical crossroads.  I’m not entirely certain that I should abandon the old plan, and I have no idea what the new plan should be.  It’s a strange place to be, a little frightening in fact because it doesn’t fit into my well planned life.  I know God has a plan.  The problem is that I just don’t know what it is yet. 

I really feel like God is trying to teach me something, to take me to a deeper relationship with Him.  I also feel like there’s a lesson in the struggle and frustration I’m experiencing during this transition, but right now the lesson is not entirely clear to me.  Hopefully, it will be one day.

During our church service this morning, I felt like God was asking me to step out and take a leap of faith, to follow Him even though I don’t know where He’s going.  Maybe it’s time to stop planning my life and let Him take the reins.  For better or worse, maybe it’s time to stop trying to be in control.  As a fiercely independent person, that’s not easy for me.  I’m not sure I’m ready, but maybe I need to relinquish control and follow Him blindly until the time is right and the next steps are revealed.  As the preacher (TF Tenney) said today, sometimes you have to “break up” to “break out”.   

My future may not turn out exactly the way I planned it, but that’s okay.  God has given me so many blessings in life that I really can’t complain.   I have the best husband in the world, an amazing family, supportive friends, and a loving church.  How can I ask for more?

So, here’s to the unknown future, a willing heart, blind faith, and a blank page ready to be written entirely by God’s hands.