It's that time again when we celebrate the release of our second issue of Victorious By Design Magazine! In case you haven't gotten your copy of literary inspiration and empowerment for walking in your purpose, subscribe to access for free. Within the magazine, you'll read of men and women who stepped out of their comfort zone, beyond fear, feelings of inadequacy, and past trauma to do what God designed for them to do. What you will see is the top of the iceberg. Beneath the surface (and behind every purposeful individual) is a comfort zone pusher. This is someone who challenges and confronts another individual to move beyond the familiar and easy, to the unknown and uncomfortable, in order to accomplish his/her God-given purpose.
Who is your comfort zone pusher?
I want to share a story of one of my comfort zone pushers when I was a teenager.
I grew up in a local church in Jamaica that rotates its ministers from churches across the island. For a period in time, we welcomed a minister from the western end of the island who was fiery, passionate and not easily moved. She recognised that the youth ministry was not strong here, so she was determined to build it.
Now here is teenage Kerry, insecure and self-conscious, pretty content with attending church with my family on Sundays and going back home. I was not involved in any groups, especially the youth group. I always felt like I didn’t belong. I wasn’t “vibesy” or entertaining and I didn’t think I had much to offer to anyone. In fact, I was most comfortable around my family and friends from school, so I did not need to be anywhere that made me feel unwelcome.
But this pastor had something else in mind. She gathered up some of the young people from the church, and emphatically stated that we would form the Executive body of the youth group. We had a choice but we didn’t have a choice (if you get what I mean), so hence, the journey started. We didn’t know what we were doing but we tried anyways. We got frustrated with each other and didn’t understand each other many times. But we soon became good friends because we struggled, planned, prayed and laughed together. Shortly after we started working directly with the youth in our church, our pastor introduced us to other church groups within the region. Then we began participating in national events and going to different churches across the island. I was planning and leading teams for Sports Days, performing arts competitions, prayer meetings and concerts, retreats and outings.
She widened my horizon, introduced me to some incredible people and instigated some of my best memories as a teenager. These experiences actually gave me the courage to take on leadership opportunities at my high school, and I use the skills I learned in my job right now. I grew as a leader, a Christian, a woman and a friend. So many of my experiences as a teenager came from this youth group I served with. I did things I did not think I was capable of doing.
Though I was stretched beyond what I wanted, I’m so happy she served at my church and took charge the way she did. She challenged and confronted me to move into the unfamiliar and uncomfortable. She threw me into the deep side of the pool and I learned to swim. A few years later, she was moved to another church to build up other young people, and I'm certain she changed lives there as well.
Now it’s your turn. Who pushed you out of your comfort zone? God has a sense of humor and places people in our lives that we absolutely need to help us walk in the purpose He carved out for us, before we were even born. Let that person know how much you appreciate it, and then go and be someone else's comfort zone pusher. It's time to walk in our purpose.
Kerry-Ann McPherson
Project Manager & Contributor
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