Earlier, I’d explored the lower Provo River before it dumps into Utah Lake and kayaked around reeds to get up close to congregations of seagulls near the shore.

My kayak glided over clear water as I passed into the lake from the river.

But further from shore, the water took on it’s notorious Utah Lake murkiness. I couldn’t tell how shallow the water was. I soon found out it was VERY shallow.

Far from shore it seemed deep because I couldn’t see the bottom.

Just as I maneuvered through clumps of stiff reeds heading back to shore, I hit the submerged sand bank and started sticking to the muddy bottom.

No problem, I thought. 

It Was a Problem

I first paddled hard to get some momentum, hoping to glide over the immersed bank below me. 

 

Nope. 

 

Then I paddled fiercely while lifting my rear end up off the seat and laying back across my kayak to displace my weight evenly. I’m sure I looked absurd! 

 

When that didn’t work I dug my paddles into the mud in an attempt to push my way off the bank using sheer determination. 

 

I didn’t get very far.

 

I was STUCK and unable to move on. 

 

I realized I’d have to stand up, put my feet in frigid water, and step out of the boat. In order to get moving again I’d have to leave the comfort of my kayak and pull it to deeper, flowing water.

 

Even with the shore in sight and shallow water, I still felt out in the belly of the lake and I didn’t want to step out to drag my kayak off the mud bank. For some reason that made me feel dreadfully uncomfortable – mud squishing into my toes through my open water shoes, cold water freezing me to my ankles. Just the idea of getting out of my kayak in the middle of that marshy wetland was unnerving. I didn’t want to leave the comfort of my boat.

 

But I did it. 

 

And it wasn’t so bad. 

The Life Lessons I Learned

Once back in my kayak paddling happily upstream into the Provo River towards the boat ramp, I thought about how like life that silly experience was:

 

• Sometimes we’re stuck in our lives. We’re not progressing or moving forward. Maybe we’re even going in the wrong direction! Have you ever felt like that? Could that be where you are right now? 

 

• We try to get moving again by shifting a few things in our lives. Maybe we make some little habit changes here and there. Maybe we adjust our priorities. And sometimes that’s all we need. But in some cases it’s not. We still feel stuck.

 

• When little changes don’t fix the problem, in desperation we frantically dig in, trying to free ourselves through sheer determination and effort to make things better on our own. We work harder, pray harder, yell louder 🙂 But nothing changes and we are still stuck.

 

There are times when a GREATER CHANGE is required to finally be free and able to move on. We have to do something different than everything else we’ve tried to this point. Sometimes we have to GET OUT OF OUR BOATS, get out of our comfortable places where we’re stuck and drag ourselves to a completely different location. To have a complete fresh start and new beginning.

 

Maybe it’s deciding to go back to school.

Maybe it’s starting that passion project that keeps prodding.

Maybe it’s seeking outside-help for addictions or trauma.

 

Maybe it’s a change in character or heart.

How I Get Un-Stuck

When I feel stuck in my life, when things aren’t right, the one source I can always rely on is The Lord Jesus Christ. When I finally decide to stop my frenzied, lonely, ineffective efforts and step out of my comfortable circumstance into the Living Waters of the Savior I’m given grace and capacity to make changes that lead to freedom and progression.

Jesus Christ is my answer to getting un-stuck in life.

 

After all, The Atonement of Jesus Christ is all about change.

 

“The word for repentance in the Greek New Testament is metanoeo. The prefix meta- means “change.” The suffix -noeo is related to Greek words that mean “mind,” “knowledge,” “spirit,” and “breath.”

Thus, when Jesus asks you and me to “repent,” He is inviting us to change our mind, our knowledge, our spirit—even the way we breathe. He is asking us to change the way we love, think, serve, spend our time… teach our children, and even care for our bodies.

Nothing is more liberating, more ennobling, or more crucial to our individual progression than is a regular, daily focus on repentance. Repentance is not an event; it is a process. It is the key to happiness and peace of mind. When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” ~Russell M. Nelson

Feeling stuck? You’re not alone. We’ve all been there! But I’ve got great news for you my Friend. Watch the video for a virtual hug and words of encouragement from me. You’ve got this!

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