%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 20 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 17 0 R /GS4 18 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20251013193652+00'00') /ModDate (D:20251013193652+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1746 >> stream xXێ6}WLZnoi nчDK%Q!8gE=CɻN Eif眹pWq1]_MᎲ?M[ǜm݁o_IQjhHOQʁF^ӻ՛Q9dIxʶeW|27 "OD1p\¯s*oS:rCe%]ꭔgV(-xYQ*vss\"ZV2c8 q6n&X|I%xf$gv;mJ['btB =6 V:k$,%:srZ?Aޯ͑uNc&2GSmȵ~n#zl6%}C)%uQ|4ELݚ^a'ukxsRz뱓@#d>Ob z9^]IFpSNIn]<]'F"ĭ5G@I!&";5iSյhG;쀇Z)N4J*C?U-Iadnx &ϡ]"q-;M*ݏt=ɶDs$KBoedQ#. ^xAU4NY~@ft\kH!9«Wl?BaK_.Vًszy[QI e )"avReQ $g/J U=/ˑn:vQʑН8ߖRDI1DvѲY_DEaLfUfihĶo9<^e٪rM0J:f@M8#&ߎ&k1KLEwdF/'/ 7 Rfą+Κ u`O`C Ph~y',Fj_^‚|I:⡞כg$x۞ۋF.5 N_;ƋX!Ƅx0ֳ.R-C.8#(}e㋓fQ |酴`~ԼRw71mԟ9/p{8OK> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 21 0 R >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 308 >> stream xmQO0qKG5h\${q> - e_zӦ߹ RB)lMp!bp #c`PduMguptȫ,ߑ=6$%)!#3/ƾItmbmuWE~tVÔ?1%ߘ&./s E"(A'N:oG<&-k1\aXבbm}U' CL*߁ ~"xSG)Ro)(}e`sm q%t3!?V endstream endobj xref 0 22 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000401 00000 n 0000000430 00000 n 0000000579 00000 n 0000000682 00000 n 0000002501 00000 n 0000002608 00000 n 0000002716 00000 n 0000002826 00000 n 0000002939 00000 n 0000003055 00000 n 0000003084 00000 n 0000003194 00000 n 0000003251 00000 n 0000003308 00000 n 0000003367 00000 n 0000003426 00000 n 0000003455 00000 n 0000003560 00000 n trailer << /Size 22 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[] >> startxref 3941 %%EOF Reaching our God-given potential | Caring Magazine
Read Caring Magazine Volume 29

Vol. #29

Hope in Action

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Reaching our God-given potential

February 20, 2009
2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

by Tory Ross, Captain –

I was 17 when I took my first job, working as a clerk typist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in St. Paul, Minn. Like most teens receiving a salary for the first time, I was excited about the possibilities and challenges ahead of me.

Eventually, though, I realized that proving myself to my superiors was much easier than I had imagined. All I had to do was complete my task, show up for work every day and be willing to do the mundane duties assigned to me. I received a lot of outstanding performance ratings—just for doing my job. At the time, I didn’t realize that I was developing an attitude of “complacency.” I did what I needed to do, did it well and filled the rest of the hours talking with friends or associates. Initially a challenge, my job had been reduced to a mindless routine that simply provided me with a paycheck.

After a while, I left that job and moved on to the next challenge, but found myself in the same situation—becoming bored and restless, with idle time on my hands. Instead of challenging myself to move beyond the status quo, I moved from one job to the next, never finding the fulfillment that I was seeking. School eventually became a challenge for me, but again I found myself with a lack of fulfillment when the challenge passed.

As I grew in my faith, I realized that God designed each of us for a specific purpose—a plan and a reason. I began to understand that God wants to fulfill his purpose in our lives, but sometimes we get in his way! Our fears, our doubts and our inability to trust him in areas outside of our comfort zone keep many of us from going beyond the status quo.

Today, I am realizing more and more that “yes,” God does have a plan for all of our lives—one that will bring him ultimate glory and us ultimate peace. The only way we can truly walk in God’s will for our lives, however, is if we are bold enough, strong enough, and courageous enough to go beyond our comfort zones into areas that we never imagined, dreamed or hoped for.

Reaching our God-given potential and bringing God ultimate glory can only be done through his strength. We can reach this potential, and rise out of our comfort zone, through Christ Jesus who strengthens us all.

I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13 NCV)

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like