Stepping out on nothing and finding something there

Today I would appreciate your prayers. It has become apparent to me in the past 6 months that there are some important issues in my life that I need to face head on and with God's help, deal with properly. Today I am faced with handling some of that. I have always been the type of person who wants security and pretty much stays in my 'comfort zone'. I limit myself on trusting and loving to protect myself from hurt. God doesn't want me to live like that any more. Through wise counsel and intuitive advice I have learned that I often cope with difficult things by disassociating myself from things that have happened or are happening. Sometimes when we go through intense loss- either of people in our lives or dreams and expectations- we do whatever we can to salvage what's left. Friends, I have learned that I can not live in a bubble of protection. I can't hide hurt and reality from my children. Life is not exactly pretty or orderly. Oh, there are moments of unmatched beauty in life, but it's going to take unexpected turns that we can't always anticipate. I keep coming back to the fact that we live in a fallen world, but (the good news) we are redeemed and we know that the ending of our life's story is, indeed, a very victorious one. I feel like God is calling me to live. That probably sounds really simple and likely quite odd to most of you, but it makes alot of sense to me. Writing helps me to gain perspective and clarity, so today's post is really for me. I think that until I take some real steps of faith in my life, as well as face difficult things with out backing away from reality, I will never be able to experience the richness of a life lived freely and abundantly. John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (The message) "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better than they ever dreamed of." Today I am resting in the knowledge that I can trust. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."