The Comfort Zone

Last summer my family and I decided to see what the “big hype” was all about with “Pokemon Go.” We headed out on our adventure and landed in the capital area of Carson City; a hot spot for the game. As we were adventuring around town we stumbled upon a newly renovated area with a beautiful underground fountain that my children were happy to run through. There was a live band playing music and a ton of people enjoying the lovely summer night. As I looked around at the businesses that lined the walkway I said to my husband, “this would be a great place to open a salon!” He looked at me with intrigued eyes as if he was encouraging me to actually act on this crazy thought. I instantly said, “Absolutely not!” You see, my husband has been encouraging me for years to open my own salon. He truly believed I could not only be my own boss, but also help to run a business with and for other people. Here is the problem; I was cozy and comfortable in the same work environment I had been in for 15 years. So, I reasoned, “why would I do anything outside of my comfort zone, I’m happy where I am?” Plus, I didn't want to feel all of the stress and responsibility of running a business. I wanted to stay right where I was, mostly because I was filled with self-doubt and didn’t believe I really had it in me. For seven months after that moment I wrestled with whether my first response was the best response. I pondered questions like; WHAT IF GOD ACTUALLY WANTS ME TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE? WHAT IF HE WANTED ME TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE I HAD TO LEAN ON HIM AND NOT REST IN MY OWN COMFORT ZONE? Then, one evening, I received a phone call from a co-worker who asked me if I would like to partner together to open a salon. Out of curiosity, I asked her where the salon was located. She described the newly renovated area in Carson City, the exact place place I had been with my family on that “Pokemon Go” day! What a shock! How could I say no now? It’s as if God had been preparing me for this very moment for months. Don’t get me wrong; I was completely nervous about making boss babe decisions. But, somehow I went from saying, NO WAY, to leaning in and saying OK. It didn't change my fears, it didn't change my doubts, but I faithfully leaned into my purpose and started the work. Even though it has been hard, I had a moment where God really solidified I had made the right decision. As we were designing the salon, we really loved the idea of having brick lined walls contrasted with the beauty of chandeliers. I began researching ways to pin fake brick to the walls but I feared it would be too difficult to make fake bricks look real. We started our demo work in the building and as we tore the first wall down, to my amazement there it was, a real brick wall behind the built up walls! Can you believe it?! God knows the desires of our heart before we even know them! In that moment, He whispered into my heart, and reminded me He is with me every step of the way. I have learned in this season, to be bold and trust Him enough to step out of my own comfort zone, even when I doubt myself. This doesn't mean I am without fear or that I am no longer feeling stretched, but I choose to keep my eyes on God and to be intentional about looking for his fingerprints. In doing this I have found that His comfort is far more comforting than my own. WRITTEN BY NIKKI MITCHELL