January 2022 – Dare Greatly

January 27, 2022January 27, 2022

The Safest Time to Kayak Over Waterfalls is When the Water’s Big

I feel like I’ve had a lot of “20-years later” stories either lately or coming up. (Kayelling, 9/11, attending the 2002 Winter Olympics). Well, Senior year of college was a busy time for me, I guess. Today’s post talks about an event that happened 20 years ago this week.

There’s a creek near where I went to college that had a pair of roughly 6-foot waterfalls that were spaced about 50-100 yards apart. During most of the year, this is a very scenic spot with a water depth of only a few inches, but during the spring rains and snow melt, the creek swells, the current becomes much swifter, and for kayakers, the water gets too big to resist.

A 6-foot waterfall doesn’t sound like much. I’m a little over 6 feet tall, so it’s no big deal when I look eye-to-eye with another person the same height as me. It’s a different story when you’re sitting on the floor, looking up at someone that tall. That’s sort of what it’s like when sitting in a kayak and looking at a 6-foot-tall waterfall. I’d been over a four- or five-foot waterfall before and it went very well, but it wasn’t in water this big and it wasn’t in a “must-succeed” situation where a second set of falls lay waiting beyond.

There were three of us going that day. We all slid our boats into the water and allowed ourselves to get a good amount of space between us. Our most experienced paddler went first and demonstrated the line we should follow. As the least experienced kayaker, I went second, and the third guy brought up the rear. I followed the guide’s line, and I hit the first set of falls perfectly. I paddled right over the edge and had a great landing, and it was exhilarating!

I’m not exactly sure what happened next, but I think I hit some kind of undercurrent I wasn’t expecting, and I flipped over. I can tell you from experience that it’s a very unsettling feeling to be headed toward a waterfall while floating upside down in a capsized kayak.

Even though the creek was swollen to several times its usual size, the water was still only about 18 inches to two feet deep. As I was upside down, my helmet bounced along the bottom of the creek bed. I moved the paddle into position to right myself, but I had to modify the technique because the water was so shallow. I think I was trying to decide whether I should try the technique I’d practiced countless times in the pool, or let go of my paddle and use my hands to try pushing off the bottom to get flipped back up, hoping to catch the paddle again afterward. I didn’t want to risk going over the second set of falls without a paddle, and this wasn’t really the best time to try flipping back over using a method I’d never tried before, so I went the traditional route, but the water was too shallow to make it work the way I’d practiced. I don’t remember how many times if I tried it, but between not knowing how far away the upcoming falls were and confronting a compelling need to breathe, I decided to bail out.

Without question, it was really nice to be able to take a deep breath again, but I still had to contend with some challenges. After dragging my head along the bottom and fighting against the creek bed to try to position my paddle, I figured I wouldn’t have any problem just standing up wherever I was. I faced upstream and got on my knees. My wetsuit stopped above my knees, and I later realized that being pushed along while kneeling on a stone creek bed tears up your shins pretty badly. I got up on one knee, but my sandals couldn’t get any traction. I think I tried on the other knee too, but neither try worked. With my back to the looming falls, I did the only other thing I could think of: I swam as if my life depended on it in a foot and a half of water.

Thankfully, I did NOT take a trip over that second set of falls. I made it to the bank safely and jogged downstream to catch up with the first guy, who recovered my boat and paddle for me.

Ever have something just go in a TOTALLY different direction from what you expected? Don’t let it get you down. Living a life for Christ is going to have moments where you simply feel overwhelmed or inadequate. Then on top of that, experiencing failures only makes it feel worse. I’m certainly thankful there weren’t too many people there to witness this embarrassing situation. My two fellow paddlers were extremely gracious, and they reminded me that outings with the biggest mishaps make for the best stories.

If things had gone according to plan, it would have been an amazing 90 seconds to experience, but it wouldn’t be a very exciting story to pass along. Don’t be afraid to attempt big things in the name of building Christ’s kingdom, but when things don’t work out the way you expect (because God doesn’t follow YOUR plan), learn from the experience and use it to either make the next time different or to benefit someone that reminds you of your unfortunate or inexperienced younger self. You’re not the first one to make mistakes, but maybe you can pass along the wisdom you’ve learned through hard-won experience so others don’t have to make the same mistakes you’ve made.

Lord Jesus, when I look back at all the crazy situations I’ve willingly placed myself in, and how unscathed I came out of them when I should have met with much more serious consequences, it’s clear to me that there’s something after those experiences You wanted me around for, and it reminds me not to waste this life. Help me learn from the past, be bold in following after You, and share the things I’ve learned with others. Also, I don’t know how many guardian angels you’ve assigned to me, but please…thank them and bless them in a special way for me!

January 20, 2022January 19, 2022

The Time Will Soon be Past

Every year in early November, our church does a harvest/fall festival. Kids are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and there are a lot of games and opportunities for kids that are elementary age and younger to win candy. It’s a community outreach that brings a lot of families onto the church grounds, and it’s usually a lot of fun for the kiddos.

One of the recurring attractions is a giant inflatable obstacle course. It’s set up so that two people can go head-to-head through tunnels, barriers, walls, and some other weird stuff. All three of my kids have done this, and I think I accompanied each of them on their first time through.

The girls each thought it was okay, and they still go on it most years, but my son is the one that wants to take on his old man each year. He’ll wait in line for a long time to make sure he gets a shot. When he was little, I’d hang back as we were going through the course and make sure he got past a certain set of obstacles before clearing it myself. As the years went by, I’d have to hang back a little less each time. Now I’m not hanging back at all. Once we start, it’s an all-out dash to the end. I’m vaulting over stuff, bouncing off the walls, and leaping up as high as I can on walls to keep up with him.

The final challenge on the course is always climbing up a steep hill and then sliding down the other side. The last time we raced on the obstacle course, we arrived at the last challenge at the same time and started scrambling up the wall. We got to the top at the same time, but when he hesitated to swing his feet around in front of him for the slide down, I plunged right on through, going down the slide head first. I hit the finish line having given my best.

I’m pretty sure this was my last year taking the crown. As he gets bigger and faster, I’m getting slower and less flexible. If I win next time (a big “if”), it will likely be because I’m able to have a cleaner run than he does. It’s a fun tradition, but I know my time as obstacle course champion will soon be over.

The Bible compares the Christian life to running a race. First Corinthians 9:24-25 says Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

For all of us, the race we’re running will one day end. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re no longer in the race simply because you’re no longer able to physically do the things you used to be able to. If you’re still breathing, God’s not done with you and there’s more work for you to do. I encourage, and even plead with you, finish your race strong! When you get to the top of that final obstacle, don’t stop to admire the view or get your legs in front of you; dive headlong with abandon over the peak of the challenge God commissioned you to face.

January 13, 2022December 27, 2023

The Hierarchy of Christian Focus

Today’s post marks sort of an interesting milestone. Since I started the site, I’ve had three posts written by guest authors. Since this is the blog’s 203^rd post, that makes this the 200^th entry I’ve written. Woohoo!

Okay, something a little different today. I’ve been trying to develop this one for awhile, but I don’t know that it’s baked all the way through just yet. I can’t be the first person to think of this concept; there’s probably something similar in a seminary textbook or some theological dissertation somewhere, but this is the version I came up with and am sharing with you.

You’ve probably heard of Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs.” In short, you need to have your basic needs met before you can tackle more advanced challenges. If you’re not sure where your next meal is coming from or where you’re going to sleep tonight, you’re probably not throwing yourself into difficult engineering scenarios or sculpting great pieces of art. Another way of looking at it is to see that the people doing big things in life probably aren’t worried about the things that are near the bottom of the hierarchy.

This is a famous principle that’s been around for quite some time now. I’m not sure what got me thinking about it, but I started thinking…there’s got to be a version of this that applies to Christ followers.

Now, before I get into this, I want to acknowledge that the Holy Spirit does as He sees fit, and is perfectly able to do anything He’d like through anyone that’s anywhere on this scale, so I don’t want to make it seem like someone is a failure if they don’t get past the first level. The thief hanging on the cross next to Christ didn’t get real far on this hierarchy, yet his example has been referenced countless times since then to God’s glory and for the benefit of other believers. For some, though, my hope is that this helps spur them on in their Christian walk, possibly encouraging someone seeing this post to move up a level or more.

Each new level in this hierarchy is something amazing and miraculous to the person that’s just arrived there. Getting to a particular level is not a sign of a certain level of intelligence or some other measure of worldly success; it’s more often an indication of a person’s level of maturity in Christ. There may not be clear delineations between levels, and there may be some rising and falling that occurs along the way. Some believers may reverse some of the levels in this pyramid or even skip a level every now and then, and some levels may even intertwine. This is just a general version of life after acceptance of Christ.

Let’s get started.

Often, when a person commits their life to Christ, crossing over from Satan’s kingdom to that of eternal life in Christ, it’s marked with a sense of awe, of wonder, at God’s mercy and grace. “He did that for me!” It’s incredibly humbling to realize the extent of Christ’s sacrifice, and those that are young in the faith are often overwhelmed by the fact that God left the comfort of Heaven to be a part of Humanity, fully knowing what would happen and how many would reject Him. The first level of the “Hierarchy of Christian Focus” is “Marveling at Christ’s Mercy and Grace.”

What comes next? Those new to the faith, whether they fall on shallow soil or good soil, want to know more about God, praise Him for His goodness, and draw nearer to Him. It’s so important to get new Christians plugged into a community of fellow believers where they can grow in the faith. Too often they fizzle out because they don’t find anywhere to get plugged in and receive mentoring or guidance from those that are more mature in the faith. The second level of the hierarchy is an Excitement to connect with God.

Those two are very close together and are often interwoven. After that it gets a little tricky. Do you think the Devil is going to stand idly by while someone that defected from his rule assists his enemy? (Spoiler alert: no.) He’s going to try lots of different things to get your faith to die on the vine. If he can’t stop you from defecting, he’ll do what he can to limit the amount of damage you can do to him and his domain. I wrote a series on some of the tactics he uses awhile back. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) Though it can happen anywhere in the pyramid, in the third level, Christians have their first major encounters with doubt and pushback. They start learning to overcome those obstacles, and it’s something they’ll likely encounter for the rest of their lives. When we start getting down on ourselves, it’s easier to worry that maybe we’re on our own. I’m fond of the line from one of Lauren Daigle’s songs: “Remind me once again just whose I am because I need to know.”

Precursors and hints at the fourth level of a Christian’s focus may have been happening even before they accepted Christ, but in the fourth level, Christians stop fighting the calling that God’s been whispering (or even shouting) in their ear. This is where believers move beyond a faith that had, up until now, been able to “fly under the radar.” Some people have an easier time following their calling than others, but it generally involves being willing to say “yes” to a feeling that prompts them to enter waters they perceive are a little too deep. There’s a stark realization that “I can’t do this on my own, but I also can’t not do it.” Think Gideon, David, Peter, and Paul. “What I’m doing right now makes no sense, but I know it’s what I’m supposed to do.” It’s the thing you were placed on Earth to do; it’s your purpose in life. You can ignore it if you’d like, but you’re intentionally avoiding the fulfillment of your potential if you do.

I’ve heard it said that God is working on you until you take your last breath. That means He’s always stretching and growing you. In the fourth level you step out in faith to pursue the path you believe Christ has for your life, but in the fifth level you look back at the amazing things He’s accomplished through you, only to find another seemingly impossible challenge that will grow you in a different way (or maybe place a new, insurmountable spin on something you were already working on). Successfully start a business that you didn’t see coming? Congratulations, now it’s time for you to adopt a child refugee or sell the business and go to seminary. At this level, it’s important to keep leaning on God even though you start growing comfortable with the idea of doing things that “can’t be done.”

By the time you reach the sixth level, you’ve seen and done a lot of things in your Christian walk. You’ve learned a lot, both about how to do things and how not to do things. In the sixth level, you realize that the most important legacy you can leave is to help pave the way for those believers that will come behind you. You want to train and/or empower them to do things that will advance the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ. I recently heard a speaker say that as he’s laying on his deathbed sometime in the future, it’s his desire to see the backs of fellow believers advancing past him to go further and do things that he never could. Ladies and gentlemen, the things we do with our lives are important, but there are few things more important than helping other believers reach their potential. This is true for Christian parents, Christian mentors in all areas of life, and Christian peers. Iron sharpens iron.

All along the way, there are upward and downward pressures that help or hinder movement up the pyramid. Time spent reading the Bible, praying, and relying on Christ all help grow the trust you have in Him and help you move up the levels, but at the same time the Devil is trying all manner of tactics to bring you back down. If he can’t stop you from switching teams, he’ll do everything he can to render you ineffective at the upper levels and keep your faith to yourself.

There may be more levels, but I simply may not know what they are.

Like I said earlier, God can use anyone at any level to bring glory to Himself and for the benefit of other believers, but I believe we should all strive to get to a higher level.

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

January 6, 2022January 5, 2022

When We’re Groggy but Settled

One of the things that are most fun about family get-togethers is seeing little kids. If you only see certain friends or family infrequently, you sometimes don’t realize how long it’s been until you see how big those kiddos got since the last time you saw them.

A little over a year ago we got together with some family that had a newborn. This year she was, well, a year older. The younger you are, the bigger difference a year makes.

There were a sizable number of people at this particular get-together. As the house started filling up with arriving family members, a mom with young kids disappeared into one of the back rooms. When she returned, she was carrying a toddler that had just woken up from a nap. This poor kiddo, who had been napping in a nice dark room, was brought out into a bright, loud room that had a bunch of people who weren’t here the last time around. She was still groggy, was still squinting, and had flushed cheeks. She looked confused, but she was with Mommy, so she didn’t seem upset or worried.

The following day was Sunday, and in church someone brought up the fact that once we trust Christ and are saved, we don’t just instantly disappear and show up in Heaven. He said something like “we’re left behind on Earth for awhile.” He went on to say that the reason for that is because we have work to do here on Earth; God calls each of us to live lives that honor Him and somehow contribute to His kingdom.

I’m not really sure what made me think of that little toddler, but for some reason she came to mind. Here we are, Christians…in the world but not of it. Our Heavenly Father has us in His arms, but we have no clue where He’s taking us while we’re here. We’re often disoriented, confused, and looking around at our surroundings without any understanding at all of what’s going on or what’s about to take place.

As we grow in our relationship with Christ, however, our trust in Him deepens. A newborn wails at the slightest hunger, but as they grow and learn to trust those caring for them, they learn that it’s not necessary to make such a fuss. It’s the same with us learning to trust our Savior. He’s going to do things we don’t understand, and will deny us things we desperately want, but as long as we can get past our self-centeredness, we can learn to trust Him. That trust deepens over time if we continue walking with Him. We’re going to be placed in situations where we’re uncomfortable or disoriented, but ultimately we know that we’ll be okay because we know Who’s holding us.

Honorable mention; saw this and had to include it

Here at the beginning of a new year, I hope you’ll take steps to walk closer with God, deepen your trust in Him (even when things are painful or uncertain), and be willing to let Him use you for His purposes.

Lord, as a new year begins, please help me to be open to whatever you have in store for me. We’ve had a couple rough years in a row now, and I don’t know what lies ahead, but help me to be confident in the hope that comes with living for You. Give me the strength and the resolve to follow wherever You lead me this year. In Your Holy name, Amen.