“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” — Isaiah 54:2
The seasons that stretch us are often the seasons God uses most.
As summer begins, I find myself noticing how much growth happens this time of year. Gardens stretch toward the sun. Trees are full of new life. The days grow longer. Everything seems to be expanding. I’ve even noticed some new mushrooms in my yard that remind me of my Saturday morning cartoons from my childhood (“The Smurfs”).
Yet if we’re honest, many of us resist stretching and growing when God begins doing it in our own lives. We like the comfort of the normal. We like familiar. We like certainty. We resist the pain of growth because well, it’s painful.
I can remember as a young girl complaining about my knees aching and my mom always said “you must be in a growth spurt.” I wanted to grow, but I didn’t much like the discomfort it caused.
The same is true in our walk with God as we move towards our purpose. We often have to endure a season of growth before He launches us into our purpose. God calls us to step out in faith before we think we even have the courage to do so. Abraham had to leave the “comfort” of home and family to go to a land God showed him (Genesis 12:1-3). Moses had to return to Egypt and appear before Pharaoh to lead the children of Israel out of captivity (Exodus 3). Esther fasted and prepared herself to appear before the king to petition for the lives of her people even though she would have faced death if the king did not give her favor (Esther 4&5). Peter, when he saw Jesus walking on water during the storm, stepped out of the boat to go to Jesus at his bidding and took several steps toward Jesus in faith (Matthew 14). Jesus called Saul to be His disciple after he had been a persecutor of the other disciples and Christians, and Paul began his journey in blindness (Acts 9).
None of them felt ready.
The stretch is evidence that God is growing you.
When I retired after 27 years in corporate technology, I never imagined I would be speaking, coaching, writing books, hosting a podcast, and encouraging others to pursue their God-
given purpose. Looking back, every meaningful season of growth in my life began with a stretch. If I’m honest, God is still stretching me every day in ways I would never have dreamed.
Where is God stretching you right now?
What new thing might God be inviting you to trust Him with?
What would obedience look like in this season?
If you’ve been sensing God stirring something new in your heart but aren’t sure what your next step is, I’d love for you to join me on June 27 for my live Zoom workshop, Reimagine Your Life: Move From Stuck to Intentional.
Together we’ll explore practical and biblical principles to help you gain clarity, rebuild confidence, and move forward with purpose.
Friend, don’t mistake stretching for struggle.
Sometimes the very thing that feels uncomfortable is the place where God is preparing you for what comes next.
This summer, may you trust Him enough to stretch.
Enlarge the place of your tent… do not hold back.” — Isaiah 54:2
Click the link below to join me on June 27
