Life as an Adventure: Popping the Bubble of Your Comfort Zone

"Just think - you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene of the finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that." (1 Corinthians 1:7-9 - The Message)

So, for those of you that know me, you may be aware that I don't often leave my comfort zone. I have a tendency to stay close to the things I know and the activities I have experienced before. I'm an introvert. I get awkward and uncomfortable sometimes. The honest truth though, is that I am afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of the unknown, afraid of life, and afraid of judgement. It is for these reasons that I often restrain my curiosity and adventuresome side and instead live life taking as few risks as possible. Recently however, I have begun to feel very convicted of this.

In my opinion the passage of scripture, 1 Corinthians 1:7-9, is perfect proof that God intends for life, both spiritually and physically to be adventuresome. Trust me though, as I've already explained, this has not always been my perspective on life and in fact, it is something I still struggle with. This topic and idea began to resonate in my mind late last year and has only continued to grow since then.

If I recall correctly, my first real introduction to the idea of life as a spiritual adventure was during a Wednesday night Bible study at church. Initially when my college pastor starting talking about living life as an adventure with God, I was like, "What? No! That's just not for me! I am not an adventuresome person, at all! You don't know what you're taking about! There's no way you're talking to me!" Even though I thought these things in defiance, I was right, in a way. It wasn't my Pastor talking to me. It was God. God was speaking to my heart and kindling a passion in me for adventure, adventure with him.

When discussing adventure though, it is very important to know exactly what that word means, so I looked it up. The definitions I found were: "an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks" or "an exciting or remarkable experience". Now when looking at these two definitions and taking them for face value both of them sound a little crazy and overwhelming. (At least they do to me...)

However, when considering them further, they actually do in fact fit into the context of a Christian walk. See, life with Christ often calls us to take "unknown" risks, to blindly follow God's calling, forcing us to trust completely on him. A spiritual walk is also often "an exciting and remarkable experience" that grows and strengthens us along the way.

It is very important though to note, that God not only calls us to live life, spiritually, as an adventure with him, but also physically. He does not want us to cower in fear, running away from adventuresome activities. Instead he encourages us to take a leap of faith and step outside of our comfort zone with him at our side.

Back in December, my family and I set off on a 65 mile - 4 day backpacking trip in North East Texas. Although I was very excited about this adventure and thrilled to spend so much quality time with my family, I was also slightly terrified. See, I've spent a lot of time in the outdoors: camping, hiking, jogging...the list goes on and on. But, this was different, there were, what my Dad calls, "known unknowns". There were parts of the trip that were flexible, non-concrete,  and in my mind "unplanned".  We didn't know exactly where we would camp every night or where we would eat lunch or use the restroom. It was scary to think that we would head out and not have every single detail planned. This just goes to show though, and is only one example of my desire to organize and be in control. This is only one reason why I fear adventure so much. It is very spontaneous, flexible, and a little scary because it forces me to relinquish my control. In the end though, I completed the hike with my family and had an amazing time. Yes, there were challenges and it was certainly an adventure but I'm glad I went. I'm glad I left my comfort zone behind.

So, I challenge you, to think about this. I challenge you join me, this year, and take a leap of faith - to follow God's calling for adventure in your life, both spiritually and physically. I know your adventures may look very different for mine. We are at different stages and that's okay. I invite you though to do something daring with God at your side. I challenge you to pop the bubble of your comfort zone and leave it behind for good because "[...]  God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that."

Is God Your GPS?

Every once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary or normal occurrence, I have an analogy hit me. Now trust me, these analogies are not from me - for in and of myself I am not capable of imagining or creating them. However, with all of that said, today I felt the need to share an analogy that the Lord gave me last summer while my family and I were traveling on a road trip to Alaska and back.

On one particular morning, we packed up our camp as usual, left the campsite, and were heading down the road when suddenly the GPS, to our amazement, informed us that we were approaching a right turn. This seemed both odd and unreliable since the "right turn" we were suppose to make would take us off the paved road and onto a less inviting rocky and dirt path. Almost the entire family, upon hearing this, assumed that the GPS was wrong and being the back seat drivers that we are, we suggested that my Dad remain on the paved road instead.

To our momentary dismay our Father turned off the paved road and onto the rocky and dirt one. Needless to say, the minutes that followed were filled with bumps and jolts that were quite unpleasant. As mile after mile passed, I began to believe that my inkling regarding the 'right way' was correct. Could the highway really be this way? I wondered. Stranger still, along the side of the path were huge boulders and dry grass dotted here and there, amidst adventurous campers and their overnight gear. We really are going the wrong way! I thought as we hit bump after bump in the road.

Several minutes later we finally reached the end of the long and dusty path that my Father had chosen. Regardless of my doubting, he was right, it did take us to the highway.

This real-life analogy reminds of the way that my spiritual walk often goes. Sometimes, as I travel through life, God, my GPS, will suddenly stop me and to my dismay direct me toward another path - one that is less traveled or more rustic and intimidating. God reassures me though, that it is the right way and that I need only to trust him. I, on the other hand, choose sometimes to worry and doubt instead of trusting in his direction and leadership. Ultimately, however, he knows best.

I have no idea what you are going through as we begin 2014. I don't know if you are on the "paved road" of life, filled with smooth travel and easy going adventures, or the "bumpy-rocky" one instead, filled with challenges and struggles. Regardless though, I encourage you to remember that God is in control of every situation and that if you follow his direction he will lead you to where he wants you to go. Hang in there and trust him! He ultimately knows best!

The Cummins Clan: Abundantly Faithful

If you have ever met a Cummins, I'm sure you can understand me when I say that music is an integral part of our lives. It has been for as long as I can remember and I'm sure even before that. For many, many years my family and I dreamt of creating and releasing a music album. In 2011, many of you saw this dream of ours become a reality when we release our debut album Living Commitment.


Now, two years later we enthusiastically approach tomorrow,  July 14th, when we will finally release our second album Abundantly Faithful, to the public! If you live in the Dallas, Texas area my family and I would love to invite you to our CD release event. More details regarding this can be found below. If you are also interested, feel free to like our Facebook page for more details and updates on what we have been up to. 

What: The Cummins Clan's CD Release Event 
Where: Duncanville Trinity Church of the Nazarene - 611 N. Cedar Ridge, Duncanville, Texas 75116
When: Sunday, July 14th - 6:00 pm.

* Don't forget to look us up on Facebook! Our page can be found by searching: The Cummins Clan or take a look at our website: http://cumminsclan.weebly.com

A New Horizon

Yep! Over the Horizon has received a face-lift. I felt that since my life has been changing, by blog should too! So, what do you think? Do you like it? Please let me know. I'd love to hear you feedback.

Well, as I just said, my life has been changing. I believe that sometimes life get so crazy and hectic at times that it is not until we stop and look around that we actually notice how far we've come. That's how I feel. Over the course of the last year a lot of change has occurred in my life, much of which has transpired in the last couple of months.

Interestingly, a couple of weeks ago I was asked by a woman at Lake View Park Church of the Nazarene, the church that I attend while at school, to be one of three women to speak at their annual women's luncheon on May 4th. The theme of the luncheon this year was "Change" and how God has been working in our life over the last year.

In the week leading up to the luncheon I attempted on multiple occasions to write out something to say. However, it was not until the night before that the Holy Spirit inspired my thoughts and gave me a message. When I stood up to speak though in front of the group of eight-five women, the words that I heard coming from my mouth were not what I had written down the night before. I was amazing. God had taken over and through me he conveyed the message that needed to be heard. One of the only similarities between my original 'speech' and the one I gave was this closing paragraph.

"In closing I would like to leave you all with a final thought, it is only when we submit ourselves to the Creator and follow his plan for our life that we will reach our ultimate potential. (Change) may hurt, it may break us but we can know that God will never leave us. The lessons we learn may be different from that of our neighbors and we may encounter them at different times. We may even question why God does what he does but ultimately we can know that he has a higher plan and it is only when we follow him that we can obtain it."

I hope these words can encourage you as you continue your journey through life. Don't be afraid of change! Instead, with God's help, embrace it!

The End Of 2012 And The Beginning Of 2013

As it is now 2013,  I decided to write a conclusive blog post summarizing all the significant events that occurred in my life during 2012, as well as highlighting some of the upcoming ones for me in 2013. The year 2012 held a lot of changes for me including both good ones and bad ones. Two of the most significant of these included my graduation from high school on May 9th and my graduation from Mountain View Community College on May 12th with my Associates Degree. Both of these accomplishments were special for me and it was even more meaning for me to celebrate them on the same week.

After my graduations I began considering furthering my education more and eventually narrowed my selection down to two potential school: College of the Ozarks, near Bransom MI, and Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, OK. One morning, while in the shower, I remember telling God that I was so confused about which school to choose and that I wanted him to make the decision for me. That very afternoon I received a letter from College of the Ozarks informing me that they were full for the fall semester and that I would be unable to attend. Although, the timing of this news could have been interpreted differently, I personally believe that this was God's sign, an answer to prayer, meant directly for me.

Following my graduations in May, I attended our regional Nazarene Teen Bible Quizzing event, Extravaganza at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Oklahoma. While there I qualified to attend our national competition and compete on our SNU B team. Although the quizzing competition was stiff  I really enjoyed ending my quizzing years in this way. As an added bonus to this I was able to participate on a local team with my siblings and share many special moments with them.


When my family and I returned from our trip to the national quiz competition, things quickly kicked up a notch as my whole family began making preparations for school to start again. I began buying textbooks, making lists, planning out my schedule, and packing. Finally, the day came for my family to drive me up to Oklahoma for NSI, SNU's New Student Orientation process, and eventually my first day of school. Although it was extremely hard to leave home realizing I would not be back for a while, I was at peace knowing that I was doing God's will.

The semester started out slowly for me and often times I thought that it would last forever. Thankfully though, many of my family and friends were praying for me and reminding me that the Lord was with me all the time. As the semester began to come to a close I saw the proverbial 'light at the end of the tunnel' and I was able make a push to the finish. When the semester ended I had received seven A's!! I am so excited! It has been a great accomplishment for me to have done so well while battling the challenges of being away from home as well as a new environment, house, professors and classes.

I am excited and looking forward to starting my next semester at SNU. Once again I will be taking seven classes including three for my major, Public Relations, two music classes, private voice and choir, a required yearbook practicum, and a required religion course. Although it will be a full and busy semester I am eager to learn more and prepare for my future occupation.

I am so grateful for your prayers, encouragement and support in 2012 and I look forward to them in 2013. May the Lord richly bless you! Thank you again!

Another Update

I apologize for not having posted an update in so long. I know it has been a long time and though I have been very busy, that is not a good excuse. Last time I mentioned that I was having some health complications and I requested your prayers on my behalf. Although I had a scheduled appointment to receive a heart monitor on September 27th I was beginning to do better my then and with my parents help I decided to postpone it and do it if it was only necessary.

I am pleased to report though that I am doing much better. Though I don't have an exact day count it was been several weeks since I have had a anxiety attack and I feel much better. Praise the Lord!

School has continued to go well. Midterms came and went will good results of all A's. Yeah!! My Professors have continued to pile on the homework and assignments since fall break and as we enter into the last six weeks of class the professors are really keeping us students on our toes. 

I have continued to keep up my running. Although I am not as consistent as I would like to be, I try to get out and pound the pavement as many times a week as possible. I have found that this helps me not only physically but also emotionally and physiologically. It is a great way for me to relieve some anxiety and stress while working out. 

Choir has continued to go well. Right now we are working on eight songs for our Chorale Showcase (Nov. 15) and our Sounds of Christmas concerts (Dec. 3-4). I would greatly appreciate your prayers for myself and my classmates as we continue to prepare for these big performances.

Thank you so much for all your love, prayers, and encouragement! 

An Update From SNU: Cora Cummins

I'm sorry it has been a while since I last posted an update. A lot has happened since then and I will do my best to fill you in. Classes are going well. To say the least, some of them have been challenging but that's a good thing, right? My yearbook practicum has been keeping me busy going to events and taking photos. This has really helped me put myself out there and assisted in helping me make friends. This week alone I will be covering to events and taking photos while I'm there! Oh, by the way, I got an official mailbox on campus! I am so excited!! If you are interested in writing me my address is: 

SNU Box 2578

6612 NW. 42nd St.

Bethany, OK 73008

Even though things are sailing smoothly academically, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. This last week has been difficult for me physically. Several times my heart has started racing and beating abnormally which is rather scary. The hardest part though is not knowing for sure why. Unfortunately, it is difficult to time these 'episodes' and I don't know how to react when they happen. Thursday morning I went in to have an EKG done however, the nurse asked me to come back at 2 pm when the Dr. was in so that they could do a second EKG, compare the two, and form a conclusion. When I went back in the nurse took some of my blood for testing and analyses. Friday when I went back in they indicated that they saw nothing of concern in my blood and that it was normal. However, they also expressed that they thought I should have a 24-hour heart monitor to try and 'catch' one of my 'episodes' for analyzing. All-in-all though, at this point they are fairly certain that I have been having anxiety/panic attacks. However, that has yet to be official diagnosed. 

If you are unfamiliar with the symptoms and causes of anxiety attacks the following may be helpful for you. "Anxiety Attack - an acute, psychobiologic reaction manifested by intense anxiety and panic. Symptoms include palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, faintness, profuse diaphoresis, pallor of the face and extremities, GI discomfort, and an intense feeling of imminent doom or death. Attacks usually occur suddenly, last from a few seconds to an hour or longer, and vary in frequency from several times a day to once a month." Anxiety attacks are normally causes when an individual is undergoing a lot of stress or anxiety due to change or a compilation of previous stressful situations.

Although there are several ways to handle these attacks, in my case, the nurse has recommended counselling to try and help me talk through things that could potentially be causing me to have attacks. Please pray for me as I continue my semester at SNU. I would appreciate your prayers for me physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. These last few weeks have been extremely draining and I know that staying close to the Lord is the only thing that has brought me through. 

Thank you so much for all of your support. Blessings,

Cora Cummins