Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

How many times have you heard that phrase in your life? If you are like me, then way too many.

My best friend Emily, is living in Knoxville this summer. That seems like a small step, but she is getting out of her comfortable, Morristown, summer life. She has always spent summer in Morristown and now she is living and working in Knoxville. ALL summer. She is getting out of her comfort zone.

My roommate and other best friend, Katie (I talked about her 2ish posts ago) is leaving for Texas in 2 days. She is working at Carolina Creek Christian Camp ALL SUMMER. She is getting out of her comfort zone. She has worked a camp before, but she has never been away from Paris, Tennessee that long, with very little communication. She is getting out of her comfort zone.

Sarah Spiceland, my best friend of 4 years is leaving in 3 days and also going to Texas. She is working at Pine Cove Christian Camp for 6 weeks. She does not know a single person and she has never worked a camp and, like Katie, she also has very little communication. She is getting out of her comfort zone.

Emily, my roommate and great friend, is heading to Sweden RIGHT THIS SECOND.  Sweden. Are you kidding me?! She is going to tell people about Jesus while being in such a foreign country. She knows a few people, but she is not close to a lot of them. She is getting out of her comfort zone.

There are so many people that I could name that are getting out their comfort zone this summer. Even if it is the smallest change, it is still hard and scary.

In 5 days, I am packing my bags and flying to Missouri where I don't know a single person. I will be working at Kanakuk Kamps for 6 weeks. When I applied for this job and interviewed and got the call that I was in!...I was SO EXCITED. I was ready to leave. I wanted to ditch school and fly to Missouri and just wait for 2 months until camp started. That's how excited I was.

And then about 2 days ago, reality set in.

I am getting out of my comfort zone. It's so easy to be excited for other people getting out of their comfort zone, but when it comes to me getting out of mine, I don't like to think about it. I forget all the advice I give to people, all the verses that I have stored up in my head and I freak out. Why? Because I am an Apelt. We like to freak out.

I have no idea what I am doing. Flying to Missouri? I am 20 years old, in my mind, I am not old enough to get on a plane by myself. I am also not old enough to 'counsel' 12-16 year olds at camp. I still feel like a 12-16 year old myself. It is only by the grace of God that I will be able to do any of this in 5 days.

I know that I am going to learn so much. And be challenged, and be forced to get out of my comfort zone A LOT. Instead of being scared and freaking out, I am going to embrace that scary place outside of my comfort zone. I realize that I will grow more because I am getting out of my comfort zone. And I will be praying for my best friends as they get out of their comfort zone this summer.

So even if you have heard this 2 times, or 500 times, get out of your comfort zone. You won't regret it.

Jesus!

I am not made for this world. This is not my home.

For some reason, today is the day...an ordinary day...that I understand this.

After a long day of studying for exams, hearing of loss, saying goodbye to friends, being surrounded by conflict, heartache, hardship and struggle, I get it. I am not home, I am just passing through.

One of my favorite songs this year was "Where I Belong" by Building 429 (go listen to it NOW if you don't know it). The best line. in my opinion, says "Take this world, and give me Jesus." That is exactly how I felt tonight.

Saying goodbye is never fun, even if you know you are going to see that person in 2 days. It is hard! It feels like your friendship is going to be over, all of these doubts and lies come into you mind and it just hurts. It's one of the worst pains. Gosh. It hurts. Most of the time it hurts because of all the good times you had. You recall all the memories and that makes saying goodbye even harder...you never want to forget those memories. That's how it is for me at least. So after saying goodbye today along with being surrounded by so much hurt and hardship, all I wanted was Jesus. To rest in Jesus. To be still in His presence. To be quiet. To thank Him for being un-changing in this ever-changing world. All I wanted was Jesus.

And that is when it hit me, like a ton of bricks. This place is not my home.

My home is in the arms of my savior Jesus Christ.