Something I said I'd never do...

 This week, I did something I said I’d never do.  I’ll let the video and pictures speak for themselves, but if you can’t tell…I jumped out of an airplane.  A perfectly good airplane, might I add.   My brother Luke is a skydive instructor.  He jumps out of planes all day, every day.  Crazy, I know.   Well, I’ve always said I’d never go skydiving.  It’s just not really my type of thing—I’m not a risk taker or a dare devil.  I like to stay in the land of predictable with my feet planted safely on the ground.   That all changed on Friday.   My mom and I drove down to Florida, I signed a few papers, boarded a plane, and proceeded to JUMP OUT!  Was I afraid? You bet.  Did I love it? You bet!  I think my favorite part was simply being with my brother in his element.  It was so special to be the first family member to experience his world.  My respect for him grew leaps and bounds.  He is an amazing skydive instructor.  From the moment we entered the drop zone, Luke walked me through each step of the process with calm confidence.  He has a gift of being able to make a person feel somewhat calm and peaceful even though they are about to JUMP OUT OF A PLANE!  The whole plane ride up, he was constantly talking into my ear and reminding me to relax and have fun.  And I trusted him wholeheartedly.  And even when I was standing in that open doorway, 14,500 feet in the air, I somehow felt safe knowing that I was strapped to my big brother and that ultimately, he was in control.

It has been over 48 hours since I jumped, but I’m still thinking about it and talking about it.  I’ve watched the video countless times, and each time the same adrenaline begins pulsing through my veins again.   So, needless to say, I’ve had a lot of opportunity to think through the whole experience.  And the Lord has opened my eyes to some amazing parallels of my skydiving experience to my daily journey with my Jesus.  Ready for this?

Sometimes Jesus asks me to do crazy, irrational, unsafe things.  Things that make my heart fall into the pit of my stomach.  Things that make me shake my head and proclaim, “Oh no, I could never do that!”  Taking this step of obedience would mean taking a huge risk--perhaps even risking my very life. He gently nudges me over and over until I reluctantly give in. And once I decide to obey, Jesus becomes closer than I could ever imagine. As I prepare for the adventure, I am not alone.  He walks me through every step and explains every detail.  We go over the procedure countless times until I feel somewhat confident. He constantly speaks in my ear saying, "I know you're afraid.  I know this is uncomfortable.  But you can trust me."  As the moment of truth draws nearer, Jesus becomes nearer as well.  He pulls me into his himself so tightly that I can literally feel the fall and rise of his chest.  We get harnessed together and he shows me that the connections are secure--He's not going anywhere without me with him!  I can feel his breath on my neck as he continues to whisper in my ear, "Okay, remember what we're going to when we jump...Don't forget to tuck your feet in.  Remember to breathe.  Have fun, dear one! This is the biggest adventure of your life!"  Somehow, I feel secure, even though I know the weight of what's to come.  It's almost time.  I begin to panic.  I plant my feet into the ground and try to resist as he pushes us toward the door.  He smiles and says, "It's time! Trust me."  The door flings open, pulling in gusts of cold air.  I stand before the open door, 14,5000 feet in the air.  I can't breathe.  I can't think.  Fear is literally overtaking my body.  "I don't want to do this! I changed my mind!" I scream.  And then suddenly I remember something.

I'm not in control.

  He is.

I don't have to jump.

He does.

I don't have to pull the parachute.

He will

 So, you mean Jesus asked me complete this crazy feat, but He never, not once, leaves my side?  Exactly.  So, you mean Jesus asks me to risk my very life, but He goes with me?  Yes.  And ultimately, I don't have to worry about anything because He takes care of every detail? Uh huh.  And of course, the journey is incredible.  When we finally land on the ground, I am filled with absolute ecstasy.  I'm jumping up and down and screaming at the top of my lungs, "That was incredible! I can't believe I almost missed it (simply out of fear!)"  I can't stop talking about it--I want everyone I know to experience what I have.  Joy tingles to the tip of my toes as I look my Jesus in the face and see the sparkle in His eyes. "I'm so proud of you, my Child.  Thank you for trusting me."  Ah, the blessings of obedience. And you know what? I wouldn't trade the experience for all the tea in China. :)

I am so thankful for this precious memory with my brother.  And hey! Who knew Jesus was into skydiving, too?! 

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 19:1 

Ps-  Here's the link to our skydiving video if you want to see the real deal!

Abby Luke Skydive