In my family, we all love home videos. Well, really I love home videos and I like when we can all sit together and remember the good old days through these films. But there is one that no one will watch.
The diving board video…
It's a beautiful summer day. A six year old Emily is making her way around the outside of the pool. Other children are laughing and splashing in the background. But my goggled face is struck with terror. You can hear my parents behind the camera, assuring me that everything will be okay. They coax me to the source of my horror:
the diving board.
In my swimming class, it's time for everyone to jump. I stand in the line. My little heart is pumping too fast. Little girls and boys jump joyfully into the water, closing the gap between me and the menacing board. I move closer to the ladder that will lead me to that moment. The moment that I will have to jump.
It's my turn. I don't move. The little girl behind me gives me a little nudge. I take a step and my parents cheer encouragingly. At the top of the ladder I take a dramatic pause before starting baby shuffle steps toward the end of the board. The teacher is treading water below and is there to catch me. "Alright, jump!" she says. Like it's that easy.
I bend my knees. And… And… And I run back to the ladder. This happens about five times. Seriously, five times. After the back and forth, I stand at the end of the board for a long time and keep looking at the camera. The look of terror has grown into full panic, tears filling my goggles.
20 MINUTES go by on this video!
The little girl that had earlier given me a loving nudge is now being restrained from pushing me in. My dad is yelling "someone push her!" from behind the camera. The poor instructor is nearly drowned from treading water.
After this long saga that has captured the attention of the entire pool, something finally snapped in me.
I look at the water.
And I take the plunge.
I JUMP!!!
Everyone takes a sigh of relief as I doggy paddle to the side of the pool.
And I immediately go and stand in line to do it again.
This dramatic tale from my childhood very much describes some moments that I have had in the process of deciding to do the World Race. Fear that paralyzes. And then the rush of excitement that comes from the commitment to jump.
I often still feel like that little girl, wanting to be brave, but feeling so scared. In the past few weeks I have had many of these moments. I'm sure my family and closest friends sometimes feel like that girl in the video who wanted so badly to just push me in.
Well, I have jumped in to this amazing World Race experience and here I am, preparing to go. Yes!
So far the main obstacle, the biggest diving board moment, that I have had in this process is the idea of asking for support.
This is very hard for me.
Even though I know that other challenges will come, I feel so excited to jump into this experience of traveling and serving and being a part of other cultures. But asking for help has been difficult to think about. And I have not wanted to jump in.
So this is me jumping.
I'm asking that you pray about supporting me financially.
I need your help. For the entire year I have to raise $15,500. And I have a close approaching deadline of $3,500. I will post an official support letter with all of the details of how you can offer support in this way.
I'm asking that you support me in prayer.
Already, I am feeling opposition from my enemy. If you think of me, please pray for me. Pray for strength, protection, peace and courage. Pray for whatever the Lord puts on your heart.
I'm asking that you talk to me.
During the year I will not be able to receive letters, calls or visitors. I will be away from everything familiar. If you think to write an email, note or comment, please do. Your words are so valuable to me.
Thank you for your care. Your support makes it so much easier to JUMP into this thrilling, scary, challenging, wonderful experience.
