"What happens if you bend your knees?" I asked.
"Well, if you bend your knees then you lose that sensation of feeling like you're falling to your death." The guy told me happily, but it had the opposite effect then what I think he wanted.
"Falling to your death. Yeah I don't think I want to feel like that..." Oh me, big fat chicken. So after trash talking Emily, I totally sat down on the edge of the tower and slowly... slid... gently...off...
I reached the other side of the lake and was like, "Emily, it wasn't so bad. I need to do it again and this time like actually walk off." So I did just that, but as I was standing at the top of the tower again, I didn't think I'd get scared again, but I did... of course. Something about jumping off a large tower over a large body of water did not sit well with my stomach. Yet, I knew I had to do it. So I walked off, slowly and shouting "THIS IS SO FUN!!" Either to distract myself from what I was doing, or actually convince myself it was fun. I'm pretty sure the whole camp heard the yell. Haha. Still I knew I had bent my knees. I reached the other side and said, "Okay, Emily. I'm running this time." She laughed, but agreed I should do it again. So I went back around with our friend Jessie, who was planning on falling backwards the next time she went on it.
How wrong I was...
Yet, I did it. Heart pounding, screaming, "I'M NOT GONNA DIE!!" I ran off that tower!! And I didn't die!
It was so scary and so fun at the same time! Yet, I felt pretty good about myself lol. Jessie did end up falling backwards and told me I should do that, but I said I'd had enough lol.
In the end God did a lot of cool things in people's lives at the retreat. I was happy to have been a part of it... and I just keep thinking to myself how the Christian life is a lot like a zip line. You see the drop, the waters below and you're comfortable staying on that tower. Why risk everything? We often forget that we're securely attached to the ultimate lifeline, life in Christ. He isn't going to let us fall, yet we still get scared and choose not to trust Him, because it's easier that way. I don't want to be a tower dweller Christian, what is the point of climbing to the top of that tower only to stare in fear. God did not call us to stand and watch, he called us to run, and to fly, and trust that no matter what He's holding us up abover all that we fear. When we make that jump, we are already victorious in Him.
To that I say, "THAT'S AMAZING!!!" oh, and "Thank you Jesus!!!"
Don't forget to look up to see your harness attached to God's zipline. You'll won't get stuck as a tower dweller that way... and you will travel much farther :)
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you