Crossing Beyond that Comfort Zone

Crossing your comfort zone is just another way of describing what it means to "step out in faith". 

Did you know without faith it is impossible to please God?

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6, NASB)

If you are someone today who is sitting still and begging God to turn things around, yet you are unwilling to do anything for yourself in order to make that happen, you are being idle. Pardon my bluntness, but you are being lazy and childish if you think this type of behavior is pleasing to God. It reminds me of James when he throws down the gauntlet and basically argues the point that true faith comes with action (James 2:14 - 26) because when you know who God is and you grasp mercy and grace and realize just how amazing it is that God concerns himself with us at all, you can't help but feel motivated to share the good news with anyone who will give you the time of day. 

When you pray for his help, you have to be willing to believe that he is going to come through for you, not that he is going to do all the work. 

I recently entered myself into a competition that requires me to not just step out of my comfort zone, it mandates that if I want to have any hopes of winning at all that I stride down the street, around the block and boldly into the next neighborhood. 

I hate the camera and to enter I had to select a minimum of one picture of myself to submit.

Most social media platforms work best with video and pictures, again, not a task I care to complete. 

I've been praying and singing along with this song "God turn it Around" ever since the first time I heard it. I darn near strip out my vocal chords each time it comes on because my desire to have my life change once and for all in such a way that it is the life I dreamed of, that this song has become my fight song in many ways. 

If you have been following my blog here recently then you are well aware that the last 12 months are what I refer to as the hardest year of my life. This time last year, I was in the choir with my daughters. I cannot explain to you how much I loved being a part of the choir and being one who was blessed by being a part of those that led the congregation in worship. I was also the front desk secretary for the church and I was even enrolled in the school of ministries. To be so imminsed in the word, in worship and in holding the position that allowed me to be one who helped others was awesome. There was only one drawback to all of it. Mike hated it. 

It was about this time last year that I knew I was losing him and that our marriage was in trouble. He was never at home and it was brought to my attention that the place he was hanging out at had a lady there that he was attracted to. I knew this because one day when I got home, he told me he wanted me to leave my job because he felt sitting behind a desk was killing me. He continued that he had met this couple and the woman owned her own cleaning business and she was hiring and he had landed me a job. He thought it would be a great opportunity to get fit and in shape. I looked at him and said, "I'm not cleaining houses Mike. I like my job." 

He truly got angry and as we continued back and forth, he stomped his foot on the ground and asked angrily, "Don't you think I deserve a sexy wife?" To say I was hurt would be an understatement, but I knew for certain then and there that he was attracted to this lady and while I had never met her I was certain she was sexy. I actually met her in person right before his birthday and she was indeed all that and a bag of chips. A month later, thanks to this couple and a very illegal act that he committed, my entire family was put in danger and Mike insisted that we flee the state. He had been threatened that our lives were going to be taken due to him being a witness . . . he informed me that he was a lose end. That to get him to bend to their will, they were threatening to literally put a bullet in the heads of his wife and children (us). 

I had to walk away from my life. He was supposed to stay behind, get our affairs in order and follow me to Indiana. The plan was to head to Reno for the winter from there. Even though he rented a uhaul on December 21st and had packed it as full as he could, I realized he had no intention of actually following through. Each time he called, I could hear women in the back ground. His claim was that they were girl friends of his guy friends and they were all there helping him get the house packed up and in order. I made him pan the house with the video feature on his phone and I immediately began crying. It was bad. Not a single room was empty. I accused him of having no attention of leaving. I even accused him of already cheating on me. He insisted I was crazy, that he had no interest in anyone and then he said his business had blown up and he really didn't want to leave anymore. He also stated that the threat was over as the person who we had run from had been arrested and had confessed to the crime so we were in the clear.

The children and I headed back the day after Christmas. At first when I got back, Mike and I renewed our commitment to each other. I began working with him and we were closer than we had been in years. The only bump in our road was a girl who had come in the picture while I was gone. I had this itching feeling that something was going on. I asked and Mike insisted I was crazy that he would never in a million years be with a girl like her. He went as far as to insist even if we weren't together, he wouldn't date her. He explained that the reason he was nice to her was because he felt sorry for her and went as far as to suggest that I friend her because she could really use a friend like me in her life. 

In the end, this girl turned out to be someone Mike was indeed cheating on me with. They had struck their affair on Christmas day and had continued to carry on behind my back. The truth came out a week before Valentines Day. To say I was devastated  doesn't even come close to describing the state I found myself in. When he elected to stop the affair and apologized and insisted he didn't want to lose me and that we could make it through this nightmare, she became a literal "fatal attraction". I was cyber attacked, she took over my email account and blocked me out of my own email account and took over every social media site I had to promote my ministry. She gained access to all of it one night prior to Mike ending it with her because he literally allowed her access to my phone. A phone that had all the passwords locked in on it because Mike was constantly accusing me of cheating on him and it was just easier to allow him access into everything in hopes that he would realize I wasn't hiding anything. When he ended things, she pulled the trigger. She had used a parenting app to take control of my phone and all my apps. In a moment she had complete control. 

I felt like I was going insane. By April, things had gotten so bad, we decided that it was necessary for us to leave the state in order to get as far away from her as possible. In the end, we were forced to head back to Florida due to Mike's mother's health. Along the way three of our children elected not to come back to Florida with us and they each went to a different home with family members. In less than two weeks of returning, Mike was meeting this very girl behind my back. I knew it was coming and even accused him. He excused himself by insisting that in my mistrust, I was pushing him in that direction. In other words, him getting ready to cheat on me again with  her was my fault. I was manifesting it is what he literally stated. 

Long story short, I rented a car, packed up what I could and left. I bawled my eyes out for almost an entire week when I got here. I had lost everything. Out of 6 children, I only had the youngest with me. I don't have a car, I lost my computer, aside from clothes, a few pictures, and my Bible, I had nothing. I still had my stronghold in God and I began once again to ask him to turn things around. Within a week a friend had bought and sent me the laptop I am using right now. The computer is what I needed to fire up my ministry blog again and by the grace of God, one night I saw the contest I am in; Fabulous over 40. On a whim and a literal prayer, I submitted my entry and I was hand picked to compete. I began in 52nd place and am now in 5th place! Voting works  much like 'Dancing with the stars'. The public votes for the participants. 

Thus in order to win, I really needed to breathe life back into my ministry and my various social platforms. Not only did I need to get active again, in order to have any hope at winning this competition, I was forced to step out of my comfort zone. 

I have called out to God every step of the way. In a previous post I even share how I was asking God how I kept him first while pursuing ways to advance my ranking. After the reason I want to win this so badly is due to the ways in which it would help me expand my ministry. Winning will literally pave the way for me to quickly have the tools I need to blow this ministry of mine up. 

That brings me to my most recent "Out of my Comfort Zone" project. This You Tube song was created and thought of through praying to God. I've put it out there and I am praying that he rewards my efforts. I don't believe in coincidences. Tonight I moved from 6th place into 5th place. I just know that as long as I stay focused on God and my calling, that he will move this mountain and I will win this thing against all odds. 

With that being shared, I give to you, my latest project. A You Tube of me singing how I need votes, lots of votes. I pray that you enjoy it and become another person who casts their free vote for me each day. If you become that person, I also am asking that you like, comment and subscribe to my channel  and that you share it with your family and friends, I indeed am asking for your help. Thank you to all who do.

I realized that I left out the year in the link that I have posted behind me: https://votefab40.com/2022/wendy-glidden .

In closing I hope and pray that you follow me on various forms of social media. I pray for likes, kind comments and subscribers. 

Thank you to all of you who have helped to get me this far! May you take me all the way. In Jesus name I pray. Amen!

 Wendy Glidden