Glory 15 - Leaning In

There was one particular line in today’s writing that really hit me. I know I am doing a bit of proof texting here as it isn’t necessarily what the whole was about, but...Anyway... here’s what I read...

I think about what I missed out on as a child because I was afraid. I was afraid of the unknown, afraid of the dark, afraid of going too high or too far, afraid of the water, afraid of adventure.

While not all those fears were ones that I held, I admit looking back that I lived a cautious life (putting it mildly). I remember things I passed on doing that I didn’t think I could really do it. I remember skipping a high ropes course one time in college because I was afraid I couldn’t “do it” and I made up some excuse as to why I didn’t want to go up on it. I remember giving into fear way too many times and missing out on opportunities that were before me.

However, if someone could go back in time and tell that younger me that in the last few years I have gone shark cage diving, zip lining over a jungle in South Africa, and have excitedly accepted an offer to go skydiving , I’d probably say that they were talking about a very different person. The last few years as I have grown in new ways in faith, I have begun to live not out of fear but out of hope and trust. Not living in a way of focusing on what could go wrong or what is wrong, but instead trusting that all will be well and looking for the beauty in every day of life. Scripture, of course, speaks a whole lot about this - tons of times that “Do not fear” is the message to the people of God.

I was emailing with a clergy friend this morning sharing about the step of faith that my family and I have taken. I noted that I was equal measure excited and scared. She replied simply, “I hear courage!” I also got an out-of-the-blue call from another friend who shared of some amazing courageous steps she is taking in her life. Courage over fear! Thank you, friends!

Curtice ends her prayer for today with the following...

Lean us into our pain, lean us into our strength, lean us into spirit and soul and life. Lean us into you. Amen.