I had the intention to start a new blog specifically for the Radical Change Challenge. But I decided to just use this blog for this challenge because this challenge is a part of going from VIctim To Victorious.
This post was initially posted on July 1, 2018
Today was my first official full day in Charleston. I woke up this morning realizing this is the first day of the next chapter of my life. The chapter that is completely blank and between me and GOD we will write it together.
I began this morning going to church. As I drove there I began to get the butterflies. kinda what you get on the first day of a new job or even going to school. Here are some of the questions that began to fill my head
Am I making the right choice moving here:?
What happens if no one likes me at church?
Is it possible to fly under the radar? No one knows me yet and they don’t really have to unless I want them to
Will I fail?
What will I do if I fail?
As I felt my mind overflowing with these questions and really not being able to reassure myself this
I am making the right choice. GOD has made it obvious that this is where I need to be
Not everyone will like me and that is okay. There will be people that I mesh with and we will have lasting friendships
Sure I could fly under the radar. But that is not what this radical challenge is about. It is to do things that scare me. And that is definitely how I am feeling right now and that is okay
THere is a possibility I might fail. But there is a possibility that I will succeed. I will never know if I will fail or succeed unless I try.
So after talking myself down from the ledge (the mental ledge in my mind where I can find myself going off the deep end), I prayed to GOD to help me through this overwhelming moment. I arrived at church feeling better. I was ready to get outside of my comfort zone and introduce myself to as many people as I could.
It was scary at first. But I got the hang of explaining about my radical challenge and my plan. It was quite interesting to see people have a look of surprise when I mentioned my radical challenge and moving here even though I did not have a job or a permanent place to live.
Right before church began a brother came up to me and explained that he would be doing announcements and would like to introduce me to the church. As scary as that would be to stand up and wave. I knew I had to do this to get past my fear of not knowing many people. So the part of the service came where this brother introduces me. I stood up to wave. He says “This is Dana from Daytona Ohio” I heard it and tried to whisper to him since he was only 2 rows away that I was from Dayton. But he did not hear me.
That little-misinterpreted detail was a highlight in meeting people after church. Several people came up to introduce themselves and would ask where Daytona Ohio was. I explained the detail. And most of them kinda laughed about it. THere was a sister that came up and said she was from Canton Ohio. So I made a joke that I am from Daytona Ohio and she is from Cantona Ohio. It was pretty funny.
After church, I hung out with some of the singles and had lunch together. It was very encouraging. I then went back to the host family house that I am staying at for the month of July. The sister explained that they were having some people from church over for dinner. I felt overwhelmed with being overstimulated meeting people at church and now having people hanging out for dinner. I reassured myself that I would be okay. And I could take a break if I needed to so I could calm myself down and regroup.
That is exactly what I did. I would go into my room for a little bit. Pray, check my phone or just lay on the bed until I did not feel overwhelmed any longer. That helped so much.
I went to bed that night feeling successful that I completed the first day of this next chapter. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
To GOD Be The GLORY.
Take Care. Much Love
