“Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it is choosing to act inspite of the fear”
Well, I’m not ashamed to say it… I jumped off a bridge, and I did it because my friends were doing it. This was one time in my life where peer pressure actually pushed me in a positive direction!
Was I afraid? Yes. Was I courageous and chose to do it anyways? YES!
Jumping off that bridge was the best decision I made at Victoria Falls this week. I would even be as bold to say that is was the best decision I made this entire month.
Going to Victoria Falls is something I have always dreamed of doing. This month I literally checked off the NUMBER ONE thing on my bucket list. Seeing and experiencing one of the seven wonders of the world, was absolutely incredible. As I was walking through the jungle exploring the falls, I was completely consumed by God’s beauty and magnificence. This place was even more captivating than I could have imagined.
God is THE Creator, and HIS creation is absolutely breathe taking.
I am so grateful that God allowed me the opportunity to see and experience the magnificence of His creation. I am also grateful that I got to experience the falls with the group of people I was with. I was with my team, and two other teams at the falls. Being in a community that understands the complete adoration I have for my Creator. A group of people that will willingly stop what they are doing and pray with me simply per request. Being with a group of people that actively hears from The Lord, spends time with Him, and loves Him as much as I do. Experiencing Him, with these people. Now that was priceless.
Joshua 1:9 “be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, the The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.
Now to the bridge… To the moment I pushed passed fear, and jumped into more courage.
That morning I was not necessarily planning on bungee jumping. I gave the idea thought, I wanted bungee jumping to be an experience I had before I died, but today? Abel, Andrea, Joy, and Jameson were all plan on jumping. They were standing in line at the booking office to pay. The question, “Faith, are you going to do it?!” Ringing in my ears.
Okay.. Okay! I’ll see if my card goes through… I’d been having issues with it the entire month of Zimbabwe. I handed my card to the booking agent *gulp*. My first card didn’t authorize. Okay, back up card that I haven’t used the entire Race… Here it goes. Swipe! It authorized, he handed me back the card and told me what time to go to the bridge.
What?! Am I doing this? Okay, okay… Abel, high fived me and shouted for joy “yes!”.
We started our adventure to the bridge. We were walking, in the hot sun. Trying to avoid the baboons and warthogs that just roam free in the streets of the city. Read Kayla Garrison’s blog: I Was Robbed by a Baboon, a True Story – if you want to hear more about how much of an adventure walking in Zimbabwe really is. As we walked, we continued to be approached by men who were selling different items.
We crossed the Zimbabwe border, headed into the no mans land of the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Still in pursuit of the bridge, I was approached by a man named “Tomato” – and I bought a copper bracelet for courage. He high fived me, and wished me luck. We were there.
In the middle of the bridge, there is a small covering with a sign indicating bungee jumping. As we crossed the bridge headed towards the covering, I didn’t dare look below me, or over the railing. In the distance I could see the falls, and I could see the mist rising in the sky.
We signed the release forms, indicating it wasn’t their responsibility if anything happened to us. We got weighed, and then they wrote the numbers in sharpee on our arms. Our crowd of squad mates cheering us on the entire time, and encouraging us. Then the workers asked… “Who’s first?”
“I am”… As the breath of the words left my mouth, my heart stopped for a moment.
My squad mates cheered “Yeah Faith!” I high fived a couple people and approached the workers. They looked at the numbers on my arm, asked me my name, and then had me step into a harness. They put a life jacket around my body on top of the harness just in case the rope snapped and I plundered into the water. Then, they tried to usher me onto to platform.
“Wait!” I exclaimed, “can we pray?” I turned to my squad mates and asked. “Of course!” They all replied. Everyone nodding their heads yes. We huddled into a circle, all holding hands – then they turned to me. I prayed and prayed, like my life depended on it. Talking to God about this experience of bungee jumping, like it was the only moment that mattered. Passionately declaring His faithfulness, protection, and boldness over me and the four other squad mates jumping.
I don’t remember the whole prayer because honestly it was the Spirit, but some of it was as follows: “Lord let us jump into more boldness and courage in YOU, let us be jumping into YOUR hands and into a deeper relationship with YOU.”
This moment wasn’t just about me. This moment was a commitment between me and my new Husband. This is about the new facet of my relationship that I have been experiencing God in. This is about the Creator of my life becoming more intimately connected with me in a sacred relationship. This is a lifetime commitment to pursuing God more than anyone or anything in my life. Devoting myself to Him instead of to my comfort, my flesh, my fears. Choosing to TRUST in Him, above all else.
“Amen!”
The moment was here. I was ushered onto the platform. They asked me to sit down on bench as they wrapped big blue towels around my ankles. They were talking to me about the jump, but I didn’t quite register what they said aside from we will count down from 5, and you have to jump on 1. The better the jump, the better the experience.
They tightened a strap around the towels so tight that I could barley shuffle my legs. They asked me to stand up and pointed a camera into my face and asked “any last words before the jump?” Then asked me to walk to the edge of the platform. My breathing was heavy, my hands were shaking. Terrified to look down, “am I close enough to the edge yet?” I asked, “no, keep going” they replied. I was literally standing on the edge of the platform, toes dangling over the edge, inches from falling, or jumping…
And nothing..
They don’t count down, I’m standing there with my heart pounding, waiting for the one thing I remembered them saying (5,4,3,2,1) and nothing happens. I comment that I feel like i’m falling backwards, and then they pull me back and say “the electricity went out, you can’t jump right now”.
I was literally seconds from jumping. Now I’m pondering the implications of jumping without electricity. Half of me thought they were joking. “Really?” I asked, they shuffled me off the platform, all five of us take off our harnesses and then tell us “come back in two hours”.
I can’t believe that I had to do this entire experience twice, for one jump. After the first time, and how nervous I was I couldn’t believe that I actually went through the complete process again. When we returned to the bridge the electricity was back on, and I suited up again. Only the five of us who were jumping were at the bridge this time because the other squad mates went into the park to see the water falls. I asked everyone to pray, once again, before they shuffled me back onto the platform.
Abel prayed for us, and then before I knew it, it was happeneing. I was less afraid this go around. I shuffled to the edge of the platform, praying out loud. The workers said amen, and I kept my gaze on the horizon and listened… “5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and I JUMPED!
As I was jumping I continued praying, then as I was falling I screamed, and screamed. As I hit the bottom of the rope I felt so good! I bounced back up and I exclaimed “God you are so good!”. Floating underneath the bridge I was surrounded by so much peace! I felt completely surrounded by God and His presence. I felt so much confidence pulsing through my veins!
Jumping off the bridge was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done. If I can do that, I can do anything!
The Lord quickly answered the prayer I prayed on the bridge. I was immediately filled with confidence, boldness, and courage. Jumping off that bridge was the best decision I made, because jumping off that bridge symbolized so much more than an adrenaline filled adventure.
I jumped completely into God. I could feel Him all around me. That fall was my honeymoon with Him, and it was the most intimate thing I have ever experienced. As I was falling I was falling into a deeper love and adoration for my God. I put my complete trust in Him, and I abandoned my fear of heights. I didn’t fall or get pushed into it – I chose to JUMP into Him, and to completely abandon myself in the process. I urge you to choose Him. Choose to abandon your fear for love.
1 John 4:18 “there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear”.
I am reading Rising Strong by Brene Brown right now, and in the book she states “The only decision we get to make is what role we’ll play in our own lives: do we want to write the story or do we want to hand that power over to someone else? Choosing to write our own story means getting uncomfortable, it’s choosing courage over comfort”.
Go do something crazy and make it not about yourself, but about your commitment to Him!
Go Jump Off A Bridge!
