{"id":7599,"date":"2017-06-15T05:42:02","date_gmt":"2017-06-15T05:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/?p=7599"},"modified":"2017-06-12T08:46:31","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T08:46:31","slug":"comfort-zone-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/comfort-zone-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Comfort Zone"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s face it! Most of us older guys like to be in control, to be comfortable, to work within our limits and not to push the boundaries too far. In short, we like to live inside our \u201ccomfort zone\u201d! That\u2019s fine &#8211; I\u2019ve no problem with that. The easy life has a lot to say for itself. The world is full of enough problems as it is and adding any more pressure seems foolish.<\/p>\n<p>However, as Ashton Kutcher puts it, \u201cas long as you are comfortable, it means you are not growing.\u201d And who says that you cannot grow even in later life?<\/p>\n<p>Up until last weekend the furthest I had ever walked in the last 40 odd years was about 10 miles \u2013 and I remember how shattered I was after that! But on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, with great trepidation and not a little anxiety, I set out to complete the Northumberland Coastal Challenge, a 26 mile hike from Budle Bay to Alnmouth following the Coastal Path. What a fantastic experience it was all round: the views, the camaraderie, the encouragement of the support crews, the satisfaction of supporting a good cause. All these were worth pushing out my boundaries a little.<\/p>\n<p>I may be back in my comfort zone now, with my feet up and a glass of John Lee Honey Bourbon in my hand but I also feel so much better about myself and about what I CAN do given the motivation.<\/p>\n<p>But this got me thinking about what \u201cpushing the boundaries\u201d may mean for me in my faith walk? Am I getting too comfortable and missing out on the opportunities that are out there? Scarily, I wonder what Jesus may have asked me to do and I failed to hear because I was too comfortable with my lot?<\/p>\n<p>Suddenly, even as I am writing this, my blood is beginning to race and my spirit is lifting! Hey, Lord, I know you can manage well enough without me but, I am going to get out of this comfy chair and, with your help, start pushing out on some of my faith boundaries!<\/p>\n<p>Whatever it is that is calling you out of YOUR comfort zone, give it a go! You may find that those objectives that once seemed totally crazy suddenly come within the realms of possibility. And it\u2019s OK to be scared. Being scared means you are about to do something really brave!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img style=\"border: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/team-cvm-podcast_600x200.jpg?w=750\" alt=\"team-cvm-podcast_600x200\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Image Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/search\/desert?photo=sd-34z9t13g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">David Law<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"linkwithin_hook\" id=\"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/comfort-zone-3\/\"><\/div><script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png?w=750\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let\u2019s face it! Most of us older guys like to be in control, to be comfortable, to work within our limits and not to push the boundaries too far. In short, we like to live inside our \u201ccomfort zone\u201d! That\u2019s fine &#8211; I\u2019ve no problem with that. The easy life has a lot to say [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<script>\n<!-- \/\/LinkWithinCodeStart\nvar linkwithin_site_id = 897245;\nvar linkwithin_div_class = \"linkwithin_hook\";\n\/\/LinkWithinCodeEnd -->\n<\/script>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/widget.js\"><\/script>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.linkwithin.com\/pixel.png\" alt=\"Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...\" style=\"border: 0\" \/><\/a>","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":7601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[319],"tags":[320,1421,74,110],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/comfort-zone.png?fit=565%2C350&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7PoLK-1Yz","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7344,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/trust-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":0},"title":"Trust","date":"7 February 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The world seems to be getting more and more unsettled, so much conflict and distress right across the world. I don\u2019t know about you but often I find myself thinking that it\u2019s all spiralling out of control and that actually there is nothing I can do, and that puts me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/comfort-zone.png?fit=565%2C350&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9104,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/thoughts-from-the-cvm-team\/out-the-comfort-zone\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":1},"title":"OUT THE COMFORT ZONE","date":"18 November 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Let`s be honest, not one of us of likes to be out of our comfort zone, that is because we feel and look vulnerable. Well today I felt vulnerable, I had organised to go to a place in Aberdeenshire called Go Ape, this is a place where you can do\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Team CVM&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/go-ape.jpg?fit=640%2C361&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6856,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/a-baby-eagle-risks-his-life\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":2},"title":"A Baby Eagle Risks His Life","date":"25 February 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"A day arrives in the life of the baby eagle when he is fledged and ready for take off from the nest that has been a safe haven. He must take this risk and learn to fly or he will starve. His parents will soon stop feeding him and he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/baby-eagle.jpg?fit=565%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2088,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/mission-possible\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":3},"title":"Mission Possible","date":"26 January 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"If you want to walk on water you\u2019ve got to get out of the boat! - John Ortberg Don\u2019t we just love to stay within our comfort zones, hiding behind our busyness and (over) commitments. I know I\u2019m as guilty as the next man.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8655,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/pioneering-with-the-human-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":4},"title":"Pioneering with the Human Church","date":"12 December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I was reminded that the early pioneers to America, whilst pioneering - had arrows shot at them! Pioneering can be tough! When we consider the Lord\u2019s Prayer, Gods desire is that things on earth may be like things in heaven. We are reminded in the prayer that we ask for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/mike-petrucci-uIf6H1or1nE-unsplash.jpg?fit=1000%2C751&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4230,"url":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/50plus\/reflections\/","url_meta":{"origin":7599,"position":5},"title":"REFLECTIONS: Is his spirit alive in our life?","date":"30 May 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Viewfinders, is an open church group that meets to help each other to take better photographs. Each month we set ourselves a photographic task\u00a0this month's subject is reflections, something to 'focus' on... We have recently downsized and moved into a small bungalow to be closer to our daughter and family.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;50 Plus&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/CVM-50plus-blog-640x360.jpg?fit=640%2C360&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7599"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7599"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7602,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7599\/revisions\/7602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cvm.org.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}