The Jump

This morning, as I was getting Blake's bottle ready, I heard a news story about the latest YouTube video to go viral.

It's a video of a 14 year old girl about to make her maiden voyage down a ski ramp and off her first jump.  I was totally mesmerized by the video, so much so that I over warmed Blake's bottle and had to start over (oops). 

Here it is:

Man, I love this girl's heart.  Such courage!  Just looking down that jump ramp makes my heart skip a beat.  I'm the girl that skis the bunny slope over and over because I hate the thought of racing down an incline.  What can I say?  My skis always cross and I end up doing an impressive face plant.  Yes that really happens.  Once, a five year old even skied up to me and asked if I needed help.  Yes, that really happened too.

Maybe that's what made me pause initially when I saw this video.  I was seriously impressed with her courage.  But then, after I'd fed Blake and plopped him down for some floor play, I went back and watched it again.  And again.  I think it was on the third or fourth viewing that I realized what I really, really liked about this video.

I love that she named her fear.  She acknowledged it.  Her voice shook with it.  She allowed herself to be paralyzed by it for just a minute.  And then, there....she.....went

I found that incredibly powerful.  And I also think it's a really good metaphor on faith. 

I have to admit, there have been a handful of times in my life when I've found myself standing at the top of that proverbial ski ramp.  And I've looked down and been absolutely petrified by the sheer intensity of what lay before me.  Dang.  It seemed like a long way down.  Standing at the top, it looked insurmountable.  Like there's no way in heck my skis wouldn't cross and send me tumbling head-first off the side of the ramp.

But it's in that moment, when you're standing at the top of the ramp, that you have the opportunity to name your fear.  To stare it down. 

And then, to just....let it go

In the video, once Zia gets to the bottom of the ramp you can just hear her whoopin' and hollerin' and celebrating her victory.   She did it.  That feeling of absolute euphoria was her reward.

As believers in Christ, we are in a unique situation as we stand at the top of that ramp.  We are absolutely assured of the euphoria to come.  A life lived for Christ will be rewarded with an eternal life in Heaven.  Fear is a tool of the enemy, but it doesn't have to make us weak.  Rather, we can use it to make us strong.  Because our reward is assured.  Every step out in faith is a step forward in obedience to the Father.  And this life?  Well it's kind of like the trip down the ramp.  It's fast, it's terrifying, there are a few moments when your skis start to cross and you're doubting whether or not pushing off from the top was realllllly such a good idea.....but then you reach the bottom.  And it's euphoria. 

I think Zia's example was a good one.  Her voice trembled.  Her fear was palpable.  But she didn't let that stop her, and her reward was great.

The next time I'm standing at the top of that ski ramp, I want to use her example.

I have no doubt my voice will tremble.  I have no doubt that my palms will be sweating and I'll be envisioning what I'd look like catapulting off the side, turning myself into a giant snowball.  Not pretty.  I might even give myself a moment to absolutely sweat it out.

But only for a moment.

Because I know that taking that leap of faith will ultimately be for my good.  And so I'll slowly inch my way towards the edge, because I know that the fear doesn't have to cripple me.

Because I know that my faith will grow when I reach the bottom unscathed

And because I know that what lies at the bottom of that ramp is worth the risk it took to get there. 

Because if it wasn't, my Savior would never have asked me to take up my cross and follow Him.  

Sometimes, my cross might look like that ski ramp.
 
So, in the words of little Zia......

'here goes.....something'

Something great.