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It can be one of the hardest things we ever do — keeping our hands unclenched when everything in us wants a tighter grip. Staying open when life has taught us that open means vulnerable, and vulnerable means hurt. But here's what I've learned, and what I'm reminded of in every new season: the moment we close ourselves off is the moment we stop becoming who God created us to be. So today, I'm asking you to stay open — open to His leading, open to growth, and open to the beautiful, unexpected things He has waiting on the other side of our yes. We are creatures of self-protection. It's wired into us. When a relationship wounds us, we build a wall. When a dream falls apart, we stop dreaming. When a prayer seems to go unanswered, we quietly stop asking with the same boldness we once had. And none of that makes us bad people — it makes us human. Desire to be supported and encouraged by other like-minded women? Join us at the Kairos FREE Online Community. https://createyournow.com #Inspiration #CreateYourNow #DailyMotivation But God didn't design us to live behind walls. He designed us for gardens. Open spaces. Expansive places where roots can stretch deep, and branches can reach wide without apology. Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." I think we sometimes misread that verse. We take "guard" and turn it into "barricade." We interpret protection as isolation.  But guarding your heart doesn't mean shutting it down. It means being intentional about what you let in — and equally intentional about not letting fear be the gatekeeper.  There's a world of difference between a guarded heart and a closed one. A guarded heart says, "I'm wise about where I walk." A closed heart says, "I'm not walking at all." Think about the seasons in your life when the most growth happened. I'd be willing to bet they didn't come during the comfortable, predictable stretches. They came in the seasons when you were stretched beyond what felt safe. When you said yes before you had the full plan. When you stepped into something knowing you didn't have it all figured out but trusting that the One who called you would be faithful to complete it. That's Philippians 1:6 in action — "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." He started it. He's not walking away from it. But He does ask us to stay open to how He finishes it, and that "how" rarely looks like what we expected. Staying open requires a particular kind of courage — the kind that doesn't demand answers before it moves. It's the courage of Abraham leaving Ur without a destination pinned on a map. It's the courage of Mary saying, "I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled," when nothing about the angel's announcement made earthly sense. These were not reckless people. They were surrendered people. And surrender is what staying open looks like when it puts on shoes and walks out the door. The K.I.S.S. ~ Stay open! I'll be honest with you — I've had seasons where I wanted to close the door on something God was clearly doing because it didn't fit my timeline or my comfort zone. Maybe you've been there too. Maybe you're there right now. You can feel Him nudging you toward a conversation you don't want to have, or a forgiveness you don't want to extend, or a new direction that feels too risky for this stage of life. And every fiber of your flesh is screaming, "Close the door. Lock it. Throw away the key." But the Spirit whispers something different. He whispers, Stay open. Staying open doesn't mean staying naive. It doesn't mean you ignore red flags or abandon discernment. It means you refuse to let yesterday's disappointment write the rules for tomorrow's possibilities. It means you hold your plans loosely enough that God can rearrange them without having to pry them out of your white-knuckled grip. As Corrie ten Boom once said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." That's the whole thing, isn't it? We don't have to know the future. We just have to know Him. And when we know Him — when we really anchor ourselves in His character and His faithfulness — staying open stops feeling like a risk and starts feeling like the safest place we could possibly be. Because closed hands can't receive. Closed hearts can't be transformed. And a closed mind will walk right past the blessing God set in its path because it didn't come in the packaging we were looking for. So wherever you are today, I want to encourage you — stay open. Stay open to correction. Stay open to new mercies. Stay open to the relationships, the revelations, and the redirections that God is weaving into your story right now. You don't have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing. And willingness, my friend, is the fertile ground where God does His very best work. "Be present. Be incredible. Be YOU!!!"   🔔 Desire to be supported and encouraged by other like-minded women? Join us at the Kairos FREE Online Community. https://createyournow.com TAKE A.I.M. ~ Action Ignites Motivation  - This is a complimentary (FREE) coaching call with me. You will discuss your specific situation while gaining tools and strategies to move you forward. (https://form.jotform.com/62988215824163) 🙏  Create Your Now TV on Pray.com (https://pray.com) 🎥  Create Your Now on YouTube (https://youtube.com/createyournow) 🎧 Create Your Now on Spotify, Pandora, and Audible. 🎶  Create Your Now on iHeart Radio (http://www.iheart.com/show/263-Create-Your-Now-Your-Best/) ✍️  YourBestSelfie@CreateYourNow.com  Instagram @CreateYourNow @KristianneWargo Twitter @KristianneWargo @CreateYourNow Facebook www.facebook.com/TheKISSCoach www.facebook.com/CreateYourNow   Cover Art by Jenny Hamson Photo by Canva.com   Music by Mandisa - Overcomer http://www.mandisaofficial.com Song ID: 68209 Song Title: Overcomer Writer(s): Ben Glover, Chris Stevens, David Garcia Copyright © 2013 Meaux Mercy (BMI) Moody Producer Music (BMI) One Songs (ASCAP) Ariose Music (ASCAP) Universal Music -  Brentwood Benson Publ. (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Create Your Now with Kristianne Wargo
http://createyournow.com
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