Have you ever found yourself facing a mode of transportation
that has you second-guessing? As someone who has found herself face-to-face
with a bear while hiking and plowing into heavy seas with a sailboat, I’ve had
my share of travel adventures and misadventures.
Sometimes, though, I know beforehand that it’s something I do
not want to do. Naturally, those “no way” modes of transportation are precisely
what my husband is dying to do.
First he insisted on parasailing. “It’ll be fun,” he said. I
saw instead the potential for an ugly crash landing on the deck of the boat.
Yep, me splattered with broken bones. Only after grilling the captain, did I
agree to go. Yeah, it was fun. I loved it. Hubby? Let’s just say his knuckles
never stopped being white.
Next up, whitewater rafting. When they made me sign a waiver
that they weren’t liable even if I died, I had to ask how many had died on
their tours. Well, none yet, but there’s always a first time. Don’t you love a
kidder?
Next he wanted to take a helicopter ride through the
mountains. Really? Hadn’t he read the same newspaper articles I did about tour
helicopters crashing? I might have a chance over water but not over the
northern Rocky Mountains.
The writer’s mind automatically thinks up all the
possibilities and settles on the one that will most dramatically change the
story and affect the characters. That’s great on paper but not so fun when I’m
the one signing off on the waiver.
Yes, I did all of these, though it took a lot of praying and
reassurance from the Lord before agreeing to the helicopter ride. And you know
what? None of the bad stuff happened. In fact, each adventure was fun and at
times exhilarating. The moment the helicopter landed following the tour, I
turned to my husband and said, “Let’s do it again, right now.” How else could I see God's beautiful creation from this perspective?
Lately the Lord has been showing me that I need to trust Him
completely. It’s not easy for this constant what-if thinker, but He has always
come through. He is faithful. I’m the baby, uncertain whether to try that first
step or not. Thankfully my Heavenly Daddy has big arms and unshakeable love.
In our books, our heroines all take a leap of faith, whether
it’s women answering a mail-order bride advertisement, such as in my Love
Inspired Historical Boom Town Brides series, or a poor woman spending
everything to go to a new land to make a new life, such as in Honor Redeemed
(Revell).
What leap of faith have you made that turned out to be the
best decision ever?
Christine Johnson
Honor Redeemed (#2, Keys of Promise, Revell, July 2016)
Mail Order Mix-Up (#1, Boom Town Brides, LIH, April 2016)
Mail Order Mommy (#2, Boom Town Brides, LIH, Nov 2016)
Posts
I have always wanted to ride in a helicopter! My dad was a pilot and had a couple of planes. Loved going over the Texas Hill Country.
ReplyDeleteThat would be beautiful to see, Jolene.
ReplyDeleteWe did a helicopter ride to a glacier in Alaska. It was breath-taking and a little scary, too, but it was definitely worth it.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a gorgeous helicopter ride, Merrillee!
ReplyDeleteZiplining is on my "to do" list, Stephanie.
ReplyDelete