I recently had the most incredible experience of skydiving! I have always wanted to do this and put it on my "list for the future". So I was thrilled when I had the opportunity last weekend! I have been reflecting on what the experience was like for me and can't help but compare it to how making a "leap of faith" consists of the same thoughts, feelings and actions.
We just finished the 6 hour training. Myself, friend and uncle were the first group to jump. We were trained in the body position in which to jump, to count to five from the second we jumped, look to check to see if our canopy was without error, grab the handles, test the manuevering of the canopy and then enjoy the rest of the way down, listening to the walkie attached to us guiding us to our landing. Of course, we learned how to deploy our back-up chute in cases there was a malfunction. Sounds easy right?!
I'll be honest, I really wanted to speed through the training. We learned the basics and in my head I am thinking "this sounds easy, no big deal". Kind of interesting how when life is moving smoothly that we think, "I got this". We acknowledge God and thank Him for the goodness of life....but our every move is not dependent on Him.
I have my jump-suit on. The trainers are attaching my 30 pound pack, checking every attachment, pulling and tightening my harness. At this point....I am FREAKING OUT!! I am not feeling so confident anymore and going through every step in my head over and over again! They cram us in the tiniest plane I have ever been in....no seats, and no door! What!? I find myself closing my eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply to just get a breath. The engine starts....after the 4th try...this did not help!
We are on the grass run-way. Taking off. At this point I know that I can't back down, I HAVE to do this, I HAVE to follow through. Again, I am playing back the training in my head, trying to figure out how on earth I will be able to do it all correctly. I watch my uncle go first, then my friend. The plane circles around and the jump master tells me to get in position.....
I swing my legs out of the plane, trying to keep my legs together facing the wind. The jump master keeps telling me to "scoot out, scoot out!" They expect you to be half-way out of the plane with only half of your butt-cheek left on the plane! Let me tell you, impossible! The wind is blowing your legs the opposite direction that they are supposed to go and if you scoot out anymore you are confident that you will just blow away!
"Ready...GO!" I take a breath and then.......JUMP! Well....not really a jump...more like a tuck and roll :) I did NOTHING that I was trained to do! My body position was terrible and I know that I didn't count and check my canopy. It wasn't until my canopy was out and I looked up to grab the handles that I thought..."Oh crap, I need to look at my chute!" I still don't remember checking it over, so good thing it was functioning like it was supposed to!
I take a deep breath. I am surrounded my blue skies. There is nothing but the sound of wind. I look down, around and above. Breathless. The absolute terror I was experiencing 5 seconds ago was gone. I listen to the trainer on the ground directing me how to steer. I make it down. I land (not so gracefully). I made it.
God asked me to JUMP as he planned my summer in Uganda. He asked me to JUMP as I had to resign from my job to be able to stay in Uganda this summer. It has been terrifying, exciting, exhilerating, nerve-wracking and peaceful. He is our parachute....always! We know that HE will never fail us, never leave us.
So often we sit around and wait for God to show us what our future will look like. We sit on our couch hoping that something amazing will soon happen. We listen to other's stories...hoping that one day we might have the same. YOU HAVE TO JUMP! Peter never would have walked on water if he didn't get out of the boat.
It is not easy....this has been on of the scariest things I have ever done. But, those first few moments of fear have been replaced by extreme peace and reassurance. When you know that you are confidently walking the path that God has created for you.....nothing will compare. There will be an abundance of beauty in the end.
Will you JUMP?????
We just finished the 6 hour training. Myself, friend and uncle were the first group to jump. We were trained in the body position in which to jump, to count to five from the second we jumped, look to check to see if our canopy was without error, grab the handles, test the manuevering of the canopy and then enjoy the rest of the way down, listening to the walkie attached to us guiding us to our landing. Of course, we learned how to deploy our back-up chute in cases there was a malfunction. Sounds easy right?!
I'll be honest, I really wanted to speed through the training. We learned the basics and in my head I am thinking "this sounds easy, no big deal". Kind of interesting how when life is moving smoothly that we think, "I got this". We acknowledge God and thank Him for the goodness of life....but our every move is not dependent on Him.
I have my jump-suit on. The trainers are attaching my 30 pound pack, checking every attachment, pulling and tightening my harness. At this point....I am FREAKING OUT!! I am not feeling so confident anymore and going through every step in my head over and over again! They cram us in the tiniest plane I have ever been in....no seats, and no door! What!? I find myself closing my eyes, inhaling and exhaling deeply to just get a breath. The engine starts....after the 4th try...this did not help!
We are on the grass run-way. Taking off. At this point I know that I can't back down, I HAVE to do this, I HAVE to follow through. Again, I am playing back the training in my head, trying to figure out how on earth I will be able to do it all correctly. I watch my uncle go first, then my friend. The plane circles around and the jump master tells me to get in position.....
I swing my legs out of the plane, trying to keep my legs together facing the wind. The jump master keeps telling me to "scoot out, scoot out!" They expect you to be half-way out of the plane with only half of your butt-cheek left on the plane! Let me tell you, impossible! The wind is blowing your legs the opposite direction that they are supposed to go and if you scoot out anymore you are confident that you will just blow away!
"Ready...GO!" I take a breath and then.......JUMP! Well....not really a jump...more like a tuck and roll :) I did NOTHING that I was trained to do! My body position was terrible and I know that I didn't count and check my canopy. It wasn't until my canopy was out and I looked up to grab the handles that I thought..."Oh crap, I need to look at my chute!" I still don't remember checking it over, so good thing it was functioning like it was supposed to!
I take a deep breath. I am surrounded my blue skies. There is nothing but the sound of wind. I look down, around and above. Breathless. The absolute terror I was experiencing 5 seconds ago was gone. I listen to the trainer on the ground directing me how to steer. I make it down. I land (not so gracefully). I made it.
God asked me to JUMP as he planned my summer in Uganda. He asked me to JUMP as I had to resign from my job to be able to stay in Uganda this summer. It has been terrifying, exciting, exhilerating, nerve-wracking and peaceful. He is our parachute....always! We know that HE will never fail us, never leave us.
So often we sit around and wait for God to show us what our future will look like. We sit on our couch hoping that something amazing will soon happen. We listen to other's stories...hoping that one day we might have the same. YOU HAVE TO JUMP! Peter never would have walked on water if he didn't get out of the boat.
It is not easy....this has been on of the scariest things I have ever done. But, those first few moments of fear have been replaced by extreme peace and reassurance. When you know that you are confidently walking the path that God has created for you.....nothing will compare. There will be an abundance of beauty in the end.
Will you JUMP?????
