I’m not a fan of the cold, but I do confess it can be beautiful.  It tricked me the other day.  I figured it was freezing out, but the cast of a sunny blanket of warm glow was coating everything I saw out the window, and as a deceiver, it lured me out of the house.  I had my hat and gloves, even my warmest coat, but it was to no avail.  As I walked to the top of our hill to enjoy the view, but I couldn’t help but notice that my jeans were becoming so cold my legs no longer wanted to brush up against their fabric.  Yes, I was caught off guard.  Yes, I was out of my comfort zone.  But yes, I was already in the middle of it.

If you exclude the times of life when childhood joy and excitement would rejoice in grand snowfalls to play in, I’m not really one to enjoy the cold weather.  I put up with it.  Growing up on the farm in western Pennsylvania, we were always in it; there was no option.  You can’t stay out of the cold as a farmer.  It is something you must manage well, operate in, and figure a way to survive.  There were many days when all I wanted to do was go back in the house to get warm, yet some job still needed done, and frozen fingers and toes were called upon to do it.

I would say an environment more suitable to my liking would be a southern coastline.  A quaint and quiet one.  One tucked out of the way of the drama of the world and the cold of the north.  Ok, enough dreaming; western Pennsylvania in January is no summer picnic.

To be honest, getting out of your comfort zone is like pulling teeth.  Getting out of a warm house and going for a walk in the cold of winter is hard.  Who on earth would want to do it?  I had second thoughts about why I was outside, if my head needed examined for trying to walk when it was so frigid, and why I only wore one layer of pants.  It sure makes me think.

Over the last year or two I’ve been out of my comfort zone a lot.  It’s a scary place of trepidation.  It’s one we don’t enjoy being in.  It is a place we don’t feel. . . comfort.

One of the most sentimental things my wife ever gave to me was something she may never know the importance of.  I tape inspirational things to the trim of the window my desk sits in front of.  Sometimes I need a helping hand to get motivated to keep doing life: keep pressing on in the positive direction that the Lord is calling me to walk in.  Yes, I do get frustrated sometimes.  If you are one to get tripped up with snags of frustration, tape a few quotes or images to your wall or your workspace.  Just a simple illustration, it was one without a credit of where my wife even got it. Here’s the dose of inspiration she gave me (I know it's not the best image):

She might not have known how important that little photo was.

In a time of insecurity, when I was just starting this whole writing voyage, this image screamed loud and clear.  It doesn’t apply just to me.  It applies to us all.  Seriously, if we realistically think about it, how many mountains are moved from our little spot of security inside our comfort zone?  It’s rare, if ever.

One thing I’ve noticed in life is that when you are walking the path God intends for you to walk, he will open opportunities up.  Maybe it’s God’s way of showing you that you aren’t crazy, but in fact listening to him.  Maybe those opportunities are a blessing of dual purpose.  Quite possibly one might be given the little trinket of an opportunity to know that God is pleased in the path you are taking, and that he has you right where he wants you.  I was recently blessed with one of these.

I was asked to speak at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit for their 2021 conference.  Due to the mental/emotional/psychological struggles that dairy farmers are facing in these hard economic times, they wanted someone to do an inspirational and uplifting message to help the industry.  Especially with Covid wrecking havoc on things, the surplus of milk makes it hard for farmers trying to survive.  One of the biggest uses for fluid milk is the schools.  If the schools are shut down, and there isn’t a place to take the milk, the situation is terribly bleak for farmers.  Some have had to dump their milk, along with their hard work.  When the Dairy Summit organizer came to me, she explained that the industry really needed a lift.  She said they figured I’d be a good person to ask.

Wow!

Me?

When they first asked me, I was pretty much blown away.  Although I’ve spoken before (mainly in church settings), I confess I was rusty and nervous.  I wasn’t sure if my brain injury would be able to handle a setting like that.  I wasn’t sure if I would go blank, forget what I was doing, or stumble to find words (fairly common for me still).  I didn’t want to look like a fool if I messed up and couldn’t finish.  I tend to protect myself from situations that expose my limits.  I had valid concerns.  Nobody would blame me for them.

I mulled the idea around for weeks.  It was decision compiled higher and harder knowing that the conference would be a virtual summit due to covid.  Fears tried to haunt me.  They tapped my shoulder constantly.

I can’t do a virtual meeting with my brain injury.

It’s hard enough to speak in front of people without blanking, let alone trying to deal with computer tech issues.

I’d much rather do this in person.

I don’t like looking at myself or hearing my own voice.

Nope.  There’s no way my brain can handle doing a virtual conference online.

How hard it is to get outside your comfort zone!

I stressed about it way too long.  

Finally realizing what a golden opportunity it was, I committed to it.  Come what may, I’d just do my best, and leave the rest up to the Lord. 

I told the orchestrator of the event my concerns, told her that I was worried my brain would tap out.  She suggested that we prerecord the session so that the stress load was taken off.  We scheduled a time for them to record my presentation.  I told her that truthfully, my story really involves the Lord, and I didn’t know her thoughts or opinion of me talking about God in front of a state-run program.  If it was ok to speak on these lines, I’d do my part; I emphasized it was what my heart really wanted to include.

She ran it past the board.

I was shocked.  I was given the green light to not only talk about the Lord, but to include my personal testimony of what God had done with me through my accident.  Talk about an opportunity!

To make a long story short, on February 8, at 7-8pm, the dairy industry of Pennsylvania will hear my version of how the Lord can lift you up and take you to a better place.  I titled the presentation Opportunities Woven into Setbacks.  After the prerecorded talk, I’m going to do live questions and answers.  I figure I can handle doing that in real-time.  They recorded my session last Thursday.  It was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever done lol.  But how can you pass up an opportunity like that?

Aren’t there enough examples in scripture of those God expected to take that step: that giant step of faith out of a comfort zone and into a place where he could do bigger things?  Didn’t Abram step out of his comfort zone and leave his country and his family?  Didn’t Moses show us how nervous and reluctant he was to answer God’s call?  He listened, but he was human.  He shows us how hard this is to do.  Though it’s hard, we can do what the Lord desires for us.  We can allow him to accomplish things in and through our lives for the advancement of his kingdom.

We got this!

All we need do is step out of the comfort zone.

2 Timothy 1:8-9

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

I may be the ugliest mugshot that the state of Pennsylvania ever sees on screen coming February 8^th.  I’m not a great orator.  I don’t have pop when I speak.  But none of my excuses really matter, do they?  In my rationale, I would think they could have found a better speaker, someone who could wow the audience with a flawless presentation, someone oozing with charisma and charm.  But they didn’t.  God, for some reason, poked my name into their thoughts.  And all that matters is that I answered his call.  In his plan and purpose, for whatever reason, he picked me to be the one to help lift others.  If he thinks I’m a good fit, then yeah, I’ll take it.  He already has figured out how to overcome my shortcomings anyhow.

Staying in my comfort zone wouldn’t do anybody else any favor.

Staying in your comfort zone won’t do anybody else and favors.

My call to action today for you is plain and simple.

Answer the call, even if you feel silly.

Get out of your comfort zone and let the Lord work through you.

Besides. . .

That’s where the magic happens.

By Chuck Carr.