Before I left Texas, my community group and I decided to have a retreat together. My community group was brought together by our church, and we a simply a collection of four women that meet weekly to discuss our lives and how our faith impacts our out look and decisions. We also encourage each other and counsel each other in biblical wisdom. This retreat lasted Friday night through Sunday afternoon. We spent quality time together at a Hilton Hotel right by a beautiful lake. It was a wonderful, restful, and joyful way to relax together and to get to know each other better. This was the kind of weekend I had read about and dreamed about as a lonely young woman: late nights laughing, playing games, eating junk food and watching silly reality T.V., made even better by the quality of women I was surrounded by. Our nights sequestered in our hotel room were followed up with a day in the sun and splashing around in the cool pool. There was also enlightening, inspiring, and thought provoking conversation dispersed though out the fun. It was a very sweet weekend I hope never to forget.
Something interesting happened during this weekend while I was lounging by the pool that won’t leave my head till I write it down for you. So there I was, lounging comfortably in a reclining beach chair with friends to either side of me while a father and his two year old daughter played in the pool in front of me. Now we were over on the deeper end of the pool where the water was five feet deep. The father would help his daughter to the edge of the pool, where She would pull herself out of the water. She then would turn around and stand looking expectantly at her dad. Dad would stand a foot or so from the edge of the pool, hold out his arms, and encourage his daughter to jump in. That little girl would jump into the water and straight into his arms every time with no hesitation. This toddler had on no floaty devices either! Another man swam up to the pair, and I couldn’t help but over hear their conversation. The man introduced himself and mentioned that he was a father as well. He wanted to compliment the father of the dynamic duo on what a good job he was doing as a father because clearly this little girl trusted him completely to just jump into the deep end of the pool with the only safety net being her father’s arms. The first father shook the compliment off originally stating that he thought his daughter was simply born fearless. However, the second father persisted that it wasn’t fearlessness she was exhibiting but a strong sense of trust in her father. Such a short quick exchange I had the privilege of witnessing. One father saw fearlessness while the other saw a strong bond built on trust.
The interaction made me think of my Heavenly Father and the leap of faith I am taking by going on this eleven month journey. I am jumping into deep, deep waters soon. Waters that I can’t even begin to comprehend the depth and dangers of. But there in the midst of it all, I can clearly see my Heavenly Father, God, standing with His arms opened wide ready to catch me when I start sinking. Because I trust Him with my life, I can be fearless.
What leap of faith is God asking you to make in your own life? Sometimes it’s as simple as saying ”Yes!” to God and seeing where following him will take you. It’s rarely ever easy, but it’s always worth it.
