A New Adventure-Cliff Jumping and What's Next

Once upon a time there was a little bird named Faith. Faith was born up on the top of tree on the very edge of a cliff.  Though Little Faith gazed at the beauty of the scenery before her, she was so comfortable and safe in her nest that she never planned to leave. She was quite happy to enjoy it from her tree and, thanks to Mama Bird, Little Faith always had plenty to eat, so there really was no need to leave her nest. One day Mama bird began to prod Little Faith to leave the nest. "Take a leap", Mama bird would encourage, but Little Faith would only quiver at the thought of leaping over that big cliff.  Besides, why should she leave when she had everything she needed now?  Day after day, Mama bird prodded and encouraged Little Faith to take that leap, but Little Faith clung to her nest. Until one day, Mama bird didn’t come back.  After some time, Little Faith cautiously ventured out on the branches of that tree and looked out over the edge of the cliff and into the valley.  Little Faith remembered how Mama Bird had prodded her to take a leap, and after all, she was getting hungry. So with her heart pounding and her eyes closed, Little Faith lept as far as she could off her tree. For a moment she felt exhilarated and excited, but almost as quickly, Little Faith became frantic! She felt herself falling, falling, falling…. Quickly her safe nest disappeared. The scenery before her no longer looked beautiful, but rather it appeared to her like a grave!  Little Faith became angry and fretted as she fell.  “Why, Mama!?” She thought, “Why would you ask me to leap!??”  Little Faith screamed, cried and had just about given up all hope, until suddenly a big gust of air caught her wings.  Little Faith gasped as she realized she was flying! Then as the wind faded, Little Faith flapped her wings as she’d seen Mama Bird do so often and sung in delight as she soared.  Though it had been so frightening at first, Faith knew in that moment, as she soared forward, that she would never return to her safe nest again.  

Have you ever taken a leap of faith?  Leaps of faith sound really glamorous but in reality, there is something about being in that transitional point of your “jump” that can deeply challenge your faith. The leap of faith from the cliff may start to feel like a great fall, and during the fall, you may find yourself looking back and wishing you could undo your leap. You may forget the adventure of your leap and feel instead like you are quickly approaching your ruin.

Not that long ago, you found out from me that I’d quit my job, placed my CPA license on hold, and was moving forward into a new adventure. It wasn’t easy to make that decision to go and leave behind my home, my community, my friends, my church…. And though I lept in anticipation, it didn’t take long for the excitement to fade as I felt myself falling into the abyss of the unknown.  I was numb.  What was I doing!?

Though I wanted so badly to do God’s will, I struggled to discern what that was, and in the meantime, my heart was becoming a dark bitter place.  I was hurt, confused, angry, and honestly, I was miserable with the condition I was in.  I wasted time and kept busy, setting aside my questions for another day. And another day… until a month had passed…. and I still had no answers about “What’s Next?”.   

Prior to leaving Missouri, I had placed my house on the market, and what I ascribe to God’s handiwork, my house came under contract within 30 days! With that, I got back in my car and drove back to Springfield to finalize repairs, sign paperwork and help my sister move prior to closing on the sale of my house.  During that first week in Springfield, God began to soften my heart and helped me work through some things I needed to work through. As He worked in me, I was able again to truly consider again what was next, and it wasn’t long until I had made my decision. I was going to YWAM in Hawaii. And last week, I purchased my ticket, making it official!

This week, unless God has something else in mind :), I will be closing on the sale of my home and heading back to Minnesota for one last month prior to heading to YWAM in Hawaii for 3 months of training and then on to another country for 3 months to do ministry!  While I am on this great adventure, I’d very much appreciate your prayers! Specifically, if you could pray for:

1. My heart that God would continue to give me peace and strength as I continuously work to give up control. (It’s not that easy for me ;)

2. The people that I will meet and minister to over the next 6 months and beyond

Even if taking a leap of faith feels like falling off of a cliff, God never lets me fall to far! Even if I have Little Faith, I will keep living by it and moving forward into this great unknown! No doubt I will have days of frustration at the unknown and my lack of “control” of my future, but overall, I look back at my “safe” controlled past and know that I don’t want to turn back!