“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny…” -C.S. Lewis
“If you’re going through hell, keep going!” -Winston Churchill
Disclaimer: the way I describe this adventure may be exaggerated, but I promise it is how it all went down in my head, aka don’t be scared for my safety, I am fine! 🙂
Being one half of our squad’s logistics team gives me the privilege of going out to our debrief locations early with the Squad Leaders and our Squad Mentor with the intentions of getting everything prepared for when the squad arrives. Of course, this allows some extra play time as well; work hard, play harder.
After getting rest on the first day from the 30+ hour train ride the day(s) before, our second day in Bali brought about a day of adventure. We left out early in the morning for a 3 hour moto ride. Our destination, a secluded white sand beach with very little tourist activity and locals serving the best snapper lunch (for only $6 I might add) I have ever eaten right on the beach looking out into the Indian Ocean horizon. Along the way we were able to drive through many of the Bali towns, see the culture, and feed wild monkeys by hand. But the adventure had barely even begun…
Upon arrival to the beach the first thing that caught the attention of the guys, past the restaurants, white sand, and beach-side massages, was a rocky point that extended out into the ocean. However, the crown jewel sat about a quarter mile out from the point taking the shape of a single island elevated out of the water. Atop this rocky treasure sat a single tree doing all that it could to invite us to brave the sea for simply one touch of our hands. We had our goal in mind, “I gotta touch the tree.” Like I said, it caught the GUYS attention which is why we would endure such a hard challenge for such a simple goal. Our lunch was filled with talk about how delicious the food was and how glorious it will be to make it to the island and touch that tree.
One of the locals overheard our excitement and attempted to give us a word of warning, “It is impossible to swim out there, no one has ever done it.” Of course, that is probably one of the worst things to tell three determined men who have already set their sights on a goal and were hungry for a challenge. The local man’s words of warning were instead just acting as a confirmation of how great of a feat we were about to perform and in our heads we heard him say, “You guys are about to do the impossible and will be the first ones to accomplish what you are about to set out to do.” Not only will we be pioneering to an uncharted island, but now there will be an audience of locals watching us attempt to do what cannot be done. The fire of our drive was only fanned the more we contemplated the challenge ahead of us.
After we finished our seafood feast we quickly (we literally ran) made our way out to the rocky point where we would set off on the adventure of a lifetime. Looking out into the water, we tried to scope out the estimated distance to our destination while also trying to decide if the waves and the current weren’t too choppy along our route. Still unsure about the conditions before us our Squad Mentor, Chris, said, “I’m a little nervous. That means it’ll be good.”
As I was about to jump from the rocky crag a wave slammed me into the barnacle covered rock. I fell against razor sharp edges, cutting up my left calf and my palms. (I mean, is it really an adventure if no blood is drawn?!) I regained my footing and took my first plunge into the waves with a course set for the one-treed island. With blood running down my leg and hands I briefly contemplated the threat of sharks, not sure if they are active in Bali, but it was too late. I was in the ocean and my goal was straight ahead. I had no idea that God was about to teach me a very important lesson.
I started off strong, “We’ll be touching the tree in no time!” But as we got further, the waves got bigger and the winds got stronger. About halfway in it began. A rainstorm hit. From all directions we were attacked by the water and we couldn’t even see the shore that we started from. Our progress significantly slowed and my body was wearing out. Apparently, the conditions weren’t as bad as I thought because the other two crazy Americans were swimming along just nicely! But still I was struggling. I tried to fight back the thoughts of “I can’t make it,” “no one can save me in time,” and “I don’t want to die like this.” Instead I tried to make Dory the fish proud as I tried to “just keep swimming, just keep swimming.” This swim really boosted my “prayer average” for the day by several points. I could do nothing but pray with all fervor that God would somehow carry me to the island. Not sure, but I think that the storm picked up a little and the current even changed, toward the island! Whether it was a divine weather change or just some divine strength, I was able to keep going.
After what felt like an eternity, it happened. My foot touched solid rock. I had made it to the island. I was wiped, no energy left to muster and I struggled to make the climb up the rocks onto the island. But I knew I still had to touch the tree. By now the rain had picked up significantly and we were being pelted by large drops. We sat in a cove on the island for a while to regain our energy and shield ourselves from the wind and rain.
In my mind I could not swim back. I was afraid to go back into the water and wanted to spend as much time on the island as we could. I even suggested that we get a boat to come out and pick us up. I wanted that boat. Looking out to our left, we saw foreboding clouds approaching from the distance. We needed to go now or we would have to wait out another storm from the island. We stood at the edge of the island and prepared ourselves for the return trip. I didn’t think I would be able to do it. I asked for a boat again in a joking (but not really) manner. Jeremy, one of our Squad Leaders, said, “You’re not getting a boat, just get that out of your mind now.” So after a bit of hesitation I jumped back in the waters!
While I was swimming back I felt good, “I can do this!” I knew now that I did have the strength to make it back. I was swimming along nicely. About a fourth of the way swam and we see a boat! One of the girls with us was riding on a fishing boat with one of the locals. Apparently, the locals were scared for our lives (no idea why? we were fine!) and kept saying that there was “extreme weather” on the way. We got picked up and returned back to shore.
Upon arrival, the locals had a mix of fear and amazement at what we did! We were the first people they ever saw swim out to the island. Though I felt pretty whimpy from how bad the water had beaten me down, I had a sense of victory. I touched the tree, I made it to the island, I wasn’t dead.
So from all this what did I learn? There are times in our lives when God calls us to do difficult things. Most people check out then, but the few who do go and “touch the tree” often find their satisfaction in the fact that they are on the island. The island can represent any good experience or a moment of overcoming adversity that God has placed on the other end of a trial. Islands are good, but if we choose to stay dwelling in our good experiences then we will never get back to the shore where God can send us on another adventure. We don’t want to leave the island because we remember how hard it is out in the waters. We pray for a boat or something that can easily get us back to shore, but the boat never comes. Our only way to get back is to jump in! That’s where I was, there was no boat coming, so my only option was to take the plunge and brave the waters once again. When I stopped looking for excuses and easy ways out, I was able to just do what it was that I had to do. How many times do we try to find ways to do something that differ from God’s command? How many times do we look for comfort to avoid the hardship? How many times do we try to just jump to the island and avoid the waves altogether? The truth is, the islands in our life mean nothing without the hardships that proceed and come afterwards. Touching a tree would not be anything worth being excited over if there wasn’t an expanse of rough ocean to overcome. The waves build character and make the island that much more beautiful.
Secondly, my experience took me back to Abraham. After years and years of waiting for God to fulfill his promise, Isaac was finally born. Now Abraham lost faith in God beforehand and tried to fulfill God’s promise on his own, but that did not work out. However, after God’s promise to Abraham was finally fulfilled, it seemed as if God wanted to take it right back as he called Abraham to sacrifice his son. It would be easy for Abraham to stay on the island of Isaac and not follow through with God’s command, but Abraham remembered God’s faithfulness to bring him to where he was so he was able to jump back in the waves. Abraham quickly responded and took his son to be sacrificed, instead of looking for an easier way to complete God’s command. Abraham followed God all the way to having his knife in hand and ready to deal the final blow. And that’s when it happened. God provided the lamb! Abraham would’ve never seen God’s faithfulness in this moment if he would’ve stayed on his island.
What does that mean to me? I didn’t think I could make the swim back. I wanted a boat. But I had to get the thought completely out of my mind that there was an easier way and just face what lay before me. I had to jump in with all intention of following completely through with what I had to do. If not I would either remain on the island or get caught up in the turmoil of the sea. It was when I was in the water with my mind fully committed to swimming back to shore that God provided the lamb. My lamb came in the form of an Indonesian fisherman on his boat with Esther in the front coming to take us back to shore.
I would encourage whoever is reading this to embrace the hardships that come when following God. If you think that following Christ is supposed to be easy then try reading, “And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Matthew 8:20)” or how about “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it (Luke 9:23-24)” then there is the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Read scripture and see that anyone who says that all God wants to do is bless you and make you happy is dead wrong. Paul puts it well in Romans 5:3-5, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” We will not grow in our character, endurance, or relationship with God if we avoid hardships. I could go on and on about this, but I hope I have gotten my thoughts across. No need to lengthen this already long blog post.
So I will leave you with these few takeaways from my experience:
-Jump right into the waves & don’t try to stay on the island
-Trust God will pull through
-If you see an island, swim to it! (but check the weather first)
-LEATHERMAN creates quality products (Mine stayed on my pocket the whole time)
-I want to buy a motorcycle for more adventures 🙂
-I now have a new understanding of the lyric “If grace is an ocean we’re all sinking”
