What an exciting by-product of working at home! But perhaps it’s not a by-product after all. It’s very possible that God is calling you to work at home primarily because He’s got something else for you to do. Just consider it . . .

You’ll experience an exciting opportunity for personal growth.

After a recent rain, I noticed the standing water in a garbage can had begun to smell. The stagnant water proved to be a breeding ground for all sorts of unpleasant beasties who enjoy that mucky environment. That can needed a blast of clean hose water to rinse away the foulness.

Anything stagnant for too long needs to be freshened up, and that includes personal growth. Working from home can open doors of opportunities to expand your knowledge, experience, and develop your strengths and character. Instead of moving from one status quo to another, consider this as a time of intentional personal growth.

You can grow in many different areas. When my friend Lynda started working from home, she read books about being a successful entrepreneur. She learned theories that changed her thinking about money and investments. She embraced teachings on leadership and leveraging your assets. Lynda’s dedication to personal growth transformed her life and the lives of her daughters. Lynda continues to pursue growth and it shows in her success.

In an article entitled “Personal Growth,” in his enewsletter Leadership Wired, John C. Maxwell, one of the nation’s experts on leadership, says this: “I realized that to grow like I wanted, my personal development couldn’t be hit-and-miss. I needed to initiate and activate. I made a decision to devote myself to personal growth. I literally made personal growth my personal mission.”

In what area do you want to grow? Is it better time management? Organization? Do you want a broader knowledge of business practices? Marketing? Character development? Do you want deeper relationships? Leadership skills? Embrace this God-given chance and commit to growing in one or more areas.

Growth happens slowly and often unnoticed. It occurs in small increments and it can frustrate those of us who want it in big chunks and right now. When discouragement hits, remember the oak tree. Although the oak tree grows bit by bit and doesn’t produce acorns for at least 20 years, it is universally known as a strong and faithful tree. It’s a tree that can be counted on to survive the storms, support tree houses, and provide shade for generations. While our lifespan is substantially shorter than the oak’s, we can strive to mirror its solid growth and long-standing faithfulness.

Next week: The Challenges of Working at Home

Excerpted from: Work @ Home: A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work from Home by Glynnis Whitwar (New Hope Publishers). (c) 2007 by Glynnis Whitwar. Used with permission of publisher. All rights reserved. Work @ Home is in bookstores everywhere or by calling customer service at 800.986.7301 or by ordering the book online.

Glynnis Whitwer, a founder of Transition Home, a Web-based and workship ministry is the senior editor for P31 Woman, the Proverbs 31 magazine, and a staff member for Proverbs 31 Ministries. A popular speaker for women's Bible studies, special events, and retreats, she has contributed to The Best of the Proverbs 31 Miinstry; Leading Women to the Heart of God, published by Focus on the Family; and Building an Effective Women's Ministry. She currently lives in Glendale, Arizona, with her husband, Tod, and their five children.