Monday, January 7, 2008

Stepping Out In Faith

by Donna L. Watkins

© Donna L. Watkins - Walk To Our Front Door
Sometimes in life, we can't see the door we're headed for until we walk a bit of the way down the path towards it.

In two days I leave for 9 weeks in Costa Rica. Language school will take the majority of that time, but there are 3 weeks that I am hoping to spend in the rainforest. It has been a walk of faith for this entire trip.

I'm not a city girl so concrete, asphalt and buses do not appeal to me. I would not have thought I could do a homestay with a family. Being an only child, it's not my comfort zone.

I also don't like eating out. Over the years it's developed into a phobia because I haven't battled against it. Being on a natural diet and choosing a simpler lifestyle, eating out hasn't been of much interest regardless. But at one time not too many years back it was a huge task for me to eat out. You would think somebody had asked me to climb Mt. Everest. I'm glad I kept attacking that fear so it would not totally control me, although it's definitely not my comfort zone yet.

With rheumatoid arthritis I'm not real sure how I'll get my bags or my body around, other than to know that God will do it. How can I expect to be well, if I allow the disease to change who I am?

He stirs my passions when I walk in obedience and that passion produces hormones and neurotransmitters that do all sorts of cool things for your health. When you take one step in the direction that God is pointing, He'll make up the difference.

I have 3 weeks that I hope to spend in the rainforest. It's Costa Rica's high season and many places are booking up, but I have not had a peace about grabbing my rainforest spot before I go. I've looked online and found some great places within my budget, and even checked for available dates, which is how I know that places are already full. That only served to make me stress-out and begin telling myself that I would be stuck in San Jose for the entire time. When we begin to whine and rehearse the worst that could happen, we change the atmosphere from faith to funky.

I've never left for a trip without all my lodging and activities arranged and booked. My style is a detailed itinerary so I don't have to "waste" any of my vacation time deciding what to do. I can just relax. Well ... God's calling me to relax and let Him handle all of this. A little bit of faith goes a long way. For me, the path out of the fear is to remember to take God's hand again.

I can't say I've done the job well, but I'm not booked for rainforest time and I have kept taking one step at a time towards this trip. Leaving my husband of 30 years for such a long time has seemed incredible to us both, but God has plans for him in all of this too. In the still quiet, I know within my heart and spirit that this is going to be an amazing thing. When you let God take you out of your comfort zones, it's always amazing at what He will do.

There's something about rainforests that stirs my soul. I am in awe of and surrounded by all that God is while in the midst of a rainforest. The Wonders Of The Rainforest shout God's creativity in Creation and in us.

The Forest Floor In The Rainforest teaches us that God has a plan for everything. Which even includes what seems to be evil in our world. The Strangler Fig would appear to be a killer but yet it gives life to so much. We must see that the things that seem to be killing us are of great benefit if we stand in faith knowing that God means it all for good.

Why would He not want me there? Why would He not give me the perfect place if I wait on His timing and not use my own skills to make this dream happen? The Bible says He gives us the desires of our hearts, but I think most of the time we don't keep that desire alive. We must Keep That Dream Alive.

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© 2000-2007 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission. Visit the author's website, TheNatureInUs.com for more articles and free email subscription. Link URL: http://www.TheNatureInUs.com

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