Jump Then Fall

God often teaches me things by having me actually do something. Last summer at Camp PBC, we went to some waterfalls. A few people went up and jumped off. After a while it looked like so much fun that I wanted to do it even though I am terribly afraid of heights. So I climbed up the cliff face with great difficulty. When I looked down, it was a lot farther than it had looked  from the bottom, but I couldn't see a way to climb back down the side of the cliff. I knew that I had no choice but to jump off. It was so high that I could barely breathe or move, and I just stood there paralyzed until one of my friends started singing the O No, You Never Let Go song. I finally realized that even though this was really scary to me, God could handle it. So, I just counted to three and jumped. The epic moment was caught on tape... http://www.facebook.com/mschatzel#!/video/video.php?v=137782007245

So now, whenever I decide to do something (like go to Africa), and then I get close and it looks a lot farther than it did before, I remember the moment I jumped off that waterfall. It looked really high, and it was. But it was also so amazing and fun that when I finally plunged into the water at the bottom, all I could think about was that I wanted to do it again.

And that's how I feel now, a few hours from leaving for Kenya. I'm at the top of the waterfall. I'm at the part of the rollercoaster when you're strapped in and can't get out. It clinks higher and higher, giving you time to think about everything that could go wrong and to try to imagine what those drops and corkscrews are going to feel like. So I'm just trying to remember that though it's high, that's what makes it fun. And that when I get back, I'll probably want to do it again.


You may also know that I love finding messages about faith and God in Taylor Swift songs, and "Jump Then Fall" has been in my mind while preparing this week. Some of the lyrics are:

Whoa oh I'm feeling you baby
Don't be afraid to jump then fall, 
Jump then fall into me 
Whoa, I'm never gonna leave you,
Say that you wanna be with me too
Cause I'm gonna stay through it all so jump then fall
The bottom's gonna drop out from under our feet
I'll catch you, I'll catch you


Pray for:
Peace for me and the team over our travels the next two days. Flying can scare me, and a day and a half of traveling is hard on everyone.
Also please pray we get into the country alright and get everything through customs.