Comfort zone

Lesson: Growth occurs outside ones comfort zone, as long as feet step carefully and courageously into the possibilities and opportunities that surround them.

Note: It is easy to stay in ones comfort zone where things are easy and normal and it is a great place to retreat to once in a while. Sometimes we need that "zone" to regroup and recover after stretching" oneself. Sometimes we don't have a choice in our growth or when we are stretched however, see below...

One church leader said it like this, and I appreciate that we can become better from tough situations that are not voluntary:

"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11-12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain."

So... we just need to HANG on tight.

(BTW- that's me in the tree picture at about age 9, totally tomboy).