New beginnings—an opportunity for adventure, challenge, personal growth, and so much more. I’m a new beginnings junkie. Hooked on the excitement of the unknown, I strive to trust God for my very next step, confident that He leads the way and has my back.

As a personal coach, I get to partner with those on a mission of personal growth. With a front row seat to their journey I see their excitement at the beginning—so much fun to watch—they open the gift of the unknown with eyes that see a future they believe to be true.

Enter Tension

Not long into their journey an unwanted visitor shows up… tension. Some call it structural tension or creative tension—no matter what you call it, there it is. It’s the battle between what was and what wants to be. As I like to say, you can’t get to where you’re going until you leave where you’ve been. Some try to fit their new adventure into an already full schedule and they soon learn that doesn’t work. Something must go and therein lies the struggle.

This message has been percolating in my spirit for some time. You see, I too have embarked on a new journey. I’ve chosen to pay it forward in a bigger way—to build a team of coaches. This is my season to teach, mentor and coach those that want to start their own business. It’s my season for multiplication. Although I know better, I was surprised by my own battle to embrace the new and keep the old as well. But for this season, something must go.

Embrace Tension

These words kept showing up for me… embrace the tension. It will show up, so I encourage you to anticipate and embrace the lessons it offers you. Take a good look at whatever tension looks like for you. Try to identify what is at the root of it all. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt usually show up—just to keep us on our toes. Other people’s goals show up to try to distract us from our own purpose. Seriously, God’s in charge of them… it’s not your responsibility.

Always keep your why-it-matters—the reason you embarked on this journey or project—in front of you. If it matters, then you will be willing to step away from the familiar and trust the unknown.

“Jesus called out to them and said, ‘Come and follow me, and I will transform you into men who catch people for God.’ Immediately they dropped their nets and left everything behind to follow Jesus.”  -Matthew 4:19-20 (TPT)

It’s humbling to read about Simon Peter and Andrew—how they dropped everything to follow Jesus. Would I be willing to just walk away from it all? I haven’t been asked to do that, so I ask myself, “Seriously Maggie, what’s a little tension? Get over yourself and trust the journey.”

It’s Up to You

Jesus asked the invalid in Matthew 5:6, “Do you want to get well?”
I ask you; do you want to pursue your next dream?
Then Jesus said to him in Matthew 5:8, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
I invite you then to learn from the tension; let go of what does not belong; and GO! Follow your dreams to your next adventure!

Photo by Hannah Busing

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Maggie Sabatier-Smith

Columnist at Chispa Magazine

Passionate about living a life that matters and honoring God is what speaker, life coach, and author, Maggie Sabatier-Smith is known for. Her mission for herself and others is: You Matter. God said so. Do something about it! Which is why her famed tagline is so appropriate: #HelpingYouBeYou. Uniquely qualified, she has lived her own transformation story multiple times—often referring to herself as the Queen of Do-Overs. Cuban born, NYC raised, Maggie knows how to navigate through life changes. Coach Maggie believes in second chances not only for the pets she and her cowboy have rescued over the years, but also for men and women in transition. Active in prison ministry for more than fifteen years, Maggie is a dedicated mentor and teacher. Empty nesters, she and her husband, Paul, live in Central Florida.

Latest posts by Maggie Sabatier-Smith (see all)

• Let the Bully Go! - July 31, 2020
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• Caught Unawares - June 26, 2020