Stepping out into a Good Day

Yesterday was a good day.  Some of my best days happen when I am presented with a challenge or opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and take a risk.  Yesterday was one of those days.  I do not always accept the challenge or venture out of my comfort zone when given the opportunity.  Yesterday I did.  And it was a good day.

As I was in my home yesterday morning preparing for the day, I received a call from my teammate letting me know that she wasn’t feeling well and she would need for me to handle the lesson and activity at the feeding program by myself.  My first thoughts were “Of Course” and “Feel Better” . . . “I’ve got this.”  I mean I am involved in the program every Friday so I know how things are done and what needs to happen . . . I can step up no problem.  I love this program and the relationships that we have with the locals that run it.  I am willing to step up and do whatever is needed to support them.  Then it hits me . . .

I’m going to lead a kids’ lesson  . . . IN SPANISH.

First of all, this is leading a kids’ lesson.  This is not my area of strength.  Furthermore, this needs to be done in Spanish.  Did you catch that?  100% IN SPANISH.  Definitely not my area of strength!

If you know me, then you know that I am not a shy person and that I’m very comfortable with public speaking.  However, you also know that I would prefer to speak to a group of 300 adults over 30 kids.  Kids are out of my comfort zone.

You should also know that 4 months ago I could speak little more Spanish than to count to 20, name the days & months, and do basic greetings . . . and even those skills were dicey.  I have been taking classes over these past few months and practicing as I can in the community, but my language skills are still limited at best.  Spanish is still out of my comfort zone.

What was seemingly asked of me was a very simple task.  Read a short story in Spanish from the children’s storybook bible and initiate the planned activity for that lesson.  It was simple enough.  But what was really asked of me was to step out of my comfort zone and step into what was needed.  That was what I did.

Though I may have botched a few words in the story, and may not have been 100% sure that I was always saying what I meant to, it went well.  The kids listened . . . as much as 30 kids sitting outside in the heat waiting for their lunch can be expected to.  The task was completed. 

However, more importantly, I felt a sense of excitement having led my first lesson in Spanish.  I have a long way to go before I can lead a study for adults, have relational conversations about the Lord, or even handle a Q&A session with the kids . . . but it was a start.

The opportunity was put before me.  I stepped out of my comfort and into the challenge.  The Lord blessed it.  It was a good day.