Faith Zone Challenge Kickoff

I am so excited and so glad you have come back to visit me today and that you are interested in taking the Faith Zone Challenge. Even if you did the challenge last year, dont expect the same results! God speaks to us differently and about different things in each season of our life, so I have no doubts that you will feel His presence and hear His voice as you spend time pondering His will and anxiously listening for His voice and direction over the next five days.

The challenge is not hard and I promise it will not hurt, but it will take some time, and a personal devotion to truly letting God move in your hearts this week.

Ready to get started? Lets go!
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Several years ago, God called me out of my comfort zone and into the unknown zone. God, of course, knew where I was headed, I just had to put my trust in Him and watch His plan unfold. And guess what? His plan was amazing!

As a result of seeing firsthand the miracles that God can do in someones life simply by trusting God and being willing to say yes to His call, I now have a passion for encouraging others to experience that same excitement. I want everyone to experience the joy that can be found from stepping out in obedience, despite sacrifices, fears, shame and doubts.

So..... for the next five days, I want to make you think. I pray that God will speak through me to inspire you to take some time and do things that would normally be out of your comfort zone.

"But why should I?", you may ask. "What's in it for me?"

Let's look at it this way - when you are sitting in your favorite recliner, remote in hand, focused on the TV; all snuggled up and comfy with your pillow and throw blanket, a few magazines on your lap or a good book; a soda in your hand and a popcorn bowl on your knee, and maybe a few kids - is there room for anything else? I doubt it. That recliner is probably getting rather crowded. Comfortable, but very crowded nonetheless.

In the same way, when we get so comfortable with our life the way it is, and with the things that are filling our life, then there is no room for God to introduce anything new. He desperately yearns to give us new things, but there simply is no room for them!

While we think we are safely sitting in our comfort zone, we are actually sinking into a dead zone. A zone where we dont see God working, because we are focused on life itself. A zone where we dont hear God speaking, because our ears are full of earthly noise. A zone where God cannot be felt, because we are too comfortable to make room for Him.

The result: we stay stuck in our recliner, a.k.a LIFE, all alone, uninspired, unchallenged and unfulfilled.

God calls us to be all we can be, and more than we think we can be - through Him. However, our doubts, busyness, insecurities, lack of faith and attempts to fill our hearts with earthly pleasures, often prevent us from fulfilling our true purposes.

This five day challenge is certainly not the answer to all our problems, but my prayer is that it will motivate someone to take that first step of faith towards a stronger relationship with Christ, help them begin to build a habit of listening for God's voice, and maybe even empower someone to jump right into God's will for their life, which they may have been hesitant to do before.

Consider Hebrews 11:6, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

It takes great faith to do amazing things - it takes God sitting in the chair with us. It takes us being willing to make room for Him, maybe even sit in His lap, and ask Him to begin reading us the beautiful story that He has laid out for our lives.

If you believe that He is calling me, and you, to trust Him, leave our comfort zones of our daily lives and enter THE FAITH ZONE, then this challenge is for you.

For everyone who is willing to take a chance, and commit to the challenge, please make a quick comment in the comments section. If you feel led to do so, post your commitment to this challenge on your own blog and challenge your readers to not only hold you accountable, but also get involved themselves! (note: you do not have to have a blog to get involved, you can simply leave a post that you want to participate, or just do it on your own!)

I pray that when the 5 days are up, many of you will leave me a comment about how the challenges worked for you personally and spiritually, or what struggles you encountered, as God changed your heart and mind, and maybe your life, as a result. Oooooh, Im excited!

So... are you ready to take the challenge? ___________________________________________________________
Challenge 1: Spend 30 minutes a day in quiet time with God for the next 5 days.

Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Okay, okay - I know what you are thinking - 30 minutes??!! I barely have time to brush my teeth, get dressed or even breathe! Much less spend 30 minutes alone in quiet time every day, for five days straight?! (I realize for some of you, this may be an every day habit, but please extend grace to the rest of us.)

Your next thought may be this - "how is quiet time stepping outside of my comfort zone?"

Most Christians understand how important daily quiet time with God is, however, I dare say that most of us do not do it on a consistent basis - myself included! Life gets noisy, daily tasks take priority, and quiet times seem impossible. That is exactly why it is a challenge !!

If you are willing, turn down the noise today. Carve out thirty minutes some time today, and try to get up earlier than normal for the next 5 days, find a place of solace, and spend time with your heavenly Daddy. Pick a Bible chapter or use a devotional book. Breathe, slowly, deeply, using your diaphragm, focusing only on Gods word. Your body will react to this relaxation, including muscle tension fading and even blood pressure dropping. Your mind will ease too, leaving you free to hear Gods whispers.

Quiet time is more than just a daily appointment with God. It's more like a visit with your closest friend. Just like a friendship cant flourish if you never spend time together, neither can our relationship with Christ. The more time we let pass by before we call a friend to chat, the deeper the separation and the awkwardness becomes. The same thing can be said for our Friend in heaven. The more dedication and time we devote to our faith walk, the closer we will feel to Jesus. The closer you are, the more likely you are to hear Him speak, see Him move, and feel Him near.

So to kick off the challenge, lets get back to basics. The basics of time with Jesus.

Prayer for today:

Dear Lord, please forgive me for not making you a priority in my every day life. Forgive me for getting so busy with life, and so bogged down by earthy noises, that I forget to spend quiet time with you. I earnest ask that you call me into Your Presence, and give me a burning thirst for your Word that can only be quenched during our quiet time. Grant me perseverance over these next five days, despite the hurdles that the enemy tries to throw my way to prevent me from keeping my commitment. Lord, help me make a permanent habit when this challenge is done.

In your name I pray, Jesus, Amen.



PS - if this sounds easy today, dont get too comfortable just yet.....the best (and most challenging) is yet to come! Come back tomorrow for Faith Zone Challenge #2.