Take a Risk

“Beware of the tendency of asking the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative, stop hesitating and take the first step. Be resolute when God speaks, act in faith immediately on what He says….” {Oswald Chambers}

I always feel like summer is the time for taking risks and hunting down new adventures. A fresh burst of courage seems to hit our souls and we feel eager to launch new ideas. However, thinking and doing are two completely different concepts. Simply thinking of an unending amount of ideas and cultivating creativity is thrilling! Implementing and activating those ideas is a little bit different story and takes big faith courage…..sometimes the actual jump into new adventures can feel so daunting and unknown we are prone to hesitating.

Kinda like taking a lunge off a bluff jump….

I remember the summer I catapulted myself off a 50 ft bluff jump. I was working at a summer camp and we had taken all the campers on the mini bluff jumps. Simple. Nothing major and really just gave us a chance to enjoy the lake, the sunshine and the fun. But then right before we hopped in the boat to go back to our campsite some of the veteran counselors took some of the newer counselors up to see the counselor bluffs. Completely safe, but ridiculously high. And to top it off you had to clear a tiny pine tree as you jumped.

Uhmmmmmm…..yeah, fun to think of and a little different actually making the jump.

About the time we had decided to walk back down to the kiddie bluffs we heard all the campers chanting our names and begging us to bravely leap. Clearing the tiny pine tree of course. We newer counselors went back and forth considering….almost jumping, hesitating and then walking back….restrategizing, contemplating, and truth be told shrinking from the adventure.

I’m a first born through and through so taking unreasonable, uneducated risks is off the table. However, there are times in life when bold risks towards great adventures will require unquestionable faith and courage…to just jump.

When I thought the time had past and we had questioned the jump long enough to head on back down one of my co-counselors made a fast twitch choice to turn, lunge and leap off the bluff into the water. Splash!

Welp. You guessed it…I wasn’t about to let her have all the fun. Deep breath, quick turn, lunge and leap. Yes, I cleared that tiny pine tree and it was the thrill of adventure blowing through my hair all the way down to the brave splash of water.

I do believe Oswald Chambers was on to a good navigation tool regarding taking risks with Jesus as our guide.

Take the initiative.

Stop hesitating.

Take the first step.

Be resolute when God speaks.

Act in faith immediately.

“Keep your soul fit to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on memories; let the word of God be always living and active in you.” {Oswald Chambers}