Just Walk Across the Room

For the past week or so we read through a book by Billy Hybels called Just Walk Across the Room. It was a great book that I recommond everyone to read who is looking for a more natural, relationship style way of sharing your faith. There are so many parts of this book that I really liked and connected with. Hybels pretty much focuses on the idea of leaving your 'circle of comfort' and entering into the 'zone of the unknown' by walking across the room and introducing yourself to someone new. You have no idea how God might use you in that person's life! He also talks about the idea of radical inclusiveness and acceptance. That is seeing every person as someone who matters and accepting them for who they are and wanting to be in relationship with them no matter what their story is. Towards the end of the book Hybels also talks about having a Grander Vision. He wants people to realize that at the end of our lives it's not going to be anything materialistic that matters, but people. The only thing that has eternal meaning is the soul of a human being.

I gained a lot of knowledge from this book - and although sometimes I caught myself frustrated thinking where do I start? How am I supposed to accomplish all of this right away? I looked through and saw the challenge of taking it one step at a time and knowing that practicing it is how I will become more comfortable with this style of sharing my faith. I love the idea of building relationships with new people and I was so excited after reading the book, I actually had an opportunity last night to put it into action! There was a festive Christmas party last night and there were a lot of people I knew. There were also a lot of people I didn't know. At first I found myself talking and reconnecting with people I am very close with and then it hit me. This was a perfect opportunity to reach out to some other people there who were standing across the room by themselves thinking everyone else was crazy with the music and outragious outfits.
I ended up meeting some great people last night! Found out a little bit about them and heard their stories and shared my own of what Christ has done in my life. It was so great to see how God used me in those few hours to encourage, inspire, direct, connect, and reach out to people where they are at in life. It's always great to make new friends and build on relationships that have some foundation.

I have grown so much from this course and reading this book =) Although this is my last blog post for my class, I really hope to continue this blog and share more about the way God is working in my life as I finish school, graduate, and take the next steps to where he is calling me.Thanks for following me on this journey so far! Hope you've been encouraged and challenged from reading.