Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Getting Started

Getting started on something is seldom easy.

There is uncertainty, hard work, and lots of change.

Our son Blake graduated from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa in May. His dream is to live and work in Chicago and do some acting. And so, here we are in the Windy City, riding the “L” and city buses as we’ve looked at all sorts of apartment possibilities for him. Today he made his final choice and he was approved!

The apartment hunt has taken up most of our time, but we also have been doing a bit of sightseeing.

Here we are on Navy Pier…we were so busy looking at apartments that we didn’t take more pictures!

We’ll be back on August 1 to help him move in and get settled.

As a mom, I’m excited for him, but it’s also pretty scary to know he’ll be working and living in such a big city. I have a month to teach him everything he doesn’t know yet! (Thank goodness for Google)

Now that he has a place to live lined up, he can begin his job search in earnest. I don’t know if he’s nervous or scared, but I know he’s willing to do whatever it takes to pursue this dream and get started in Chicago. That will probably mean some kind of day job and trying to get into some acting on the side.

I’m proud of him. The safest route would be to pick a smaller city and get an easy job. Instead, he’s embarking on an uncertain and scary journey, but one that will also be exciting and hopefully rewarding.

All of us need to look at our lives once in a while and think about where we are. Have we slipped into comfortable patterns in our jobs, habits, and relationships? Do we need to get started in something new?

Is God calling us to a new job that will help us stretch and grow?

Are there new habits that will serve us better than the ones we turn to mindlessly?

Will new ways of communicating help us grow closer to our spouse or other family members?

Getting started can be hard work. It’s scary. We can’t be sure of our results. What we do know is that God is with us all the time. We can step out in faith, trusting Him to guide us and redirect us if something isn’t working.

Gary and I know that God will be with Blake as he makes this move and gets started in the next chapter of his life. How exciting!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 ESV)

Is it time for you to be getting started with something new in life? How can focusing on God help you to do that bravely, knowing He’s with you every step of the way?