Adventure in the Water

On Saturday we went White Water Rafting! It was amazing. This was a new experience for me- and it was totally worth it!

Although I was excited, there was some trepidation; I knew that we were going to be issued wetsuits, travel along the white water, go cliff jumping and put ourselves at some amount of danger (let's face it, it wouldn't be fun otherwise!). Water is a very familliar place for me, I was a fish as a child and spent a couple of summers as a lifeguard, so there is no fear of water, but without fail, I have always been fearful of jumping off high cliffs into the water. I just have never been able to talk myself into doing it! I was also nervous that I wouldn't have enough arm strength to be a productive paddler for 6 hours. But inspite of it all I went.

In the spirit of my new motto "Imagine how you would feel if you didn't...", I decided that no matter what, I would get the most out of all the experiences offered. I knew that there would be an opportunity to do some cliff jumping. I told my boat mates that I was going to jump off the cliff!

As we passed by the rock we were to jump off, it didn't look that high. We pulled the boats up onshore, and climbed to the top. It came to my turn, and that familliar feeling overcame me. The rock looked much higher than it seemed from the water! I stood for a moment, fighting the urge to turn away and "chicken out", but I had promised myself, committed to my boatmates, and so there really was no choice to make. I HAD to jump. So took a deep breath, let out a little scream and off I went! Falling through open air waiting to hit the water is NOT my favourite feeling, but just KNOWING that I had done it, was amazing. That, and the fact that I had survived a much bigger risk, put it all into perspective.

Earlier in the day, we had body surfed through a very cool rapid. We experienced it first in the boat (and that got the adrenaline pumping!) then our rivier guide told us that we could surf down the same rapid! I was sooo excited.

We got a safety briefing including where we had to position ourselves along the line of waves, what to watch for and what not to do! This rapid was located just beside the spot where we were stopping for lunch, so there was a large number of boats, people and river guides as well!

The current coming out of the rapid was very strong and if you don't swim hard enough, you could get swept down river. At the top of the rapids, one of the river guides, watched and yelled instructions as we approached the rapids, he whistled at us when to roll over onto our backs, he had a high level view and so could see where we were in relation to the waves.

At the bottom, the rest of the guides were stationed at different distances with ropes to assist and then finally, there were a couple of guys in a boat to go get anyone who missed the other safety guys.

It was a scary experience, and it felt like I was going to drown, but in spite of what I FELT in that moment, I KNEW that those guys wouldn't let me get so far down the river that I would be lost, I KNEW that they had the perspective and the expertise to ensure my safety. I also knew that my helmet would keep me safe, the lifejacket would keep me a float, and the wetsuit would keep out the icy chill of the spring water. In the midst of the roiling waves, I got some water in my mouth, and I couldn't catch my breath, but I remembered what the River Guide had said about waiting until the backside of the wave to catch a breath. So I waited and forced myself to breath when it was safe to do so. I had listened and absorbed the lifesaving information before entered the water.

As I thought this experience, I realized that it is a great picture of our lives as Christians. Sometimes we are on the shore, sometimes at the end of a tumultuous period, sometimes we are struggling just to breath. The good news, though is when we are in community, connected to thers who are further along in thier walk and life, when people have experience and perspective AND we let them know what we are experiencing, and keep our ears and eyes open to recieve the assistance that they can offer, we are safe. Safe to step out and try new experiences, safe to risk doing what God is asking of us. We cannot get too far off the path before someone will notice and throw us a rope to haul us back on track. And if we somehow get swept out past all that, we can rely on God to have a team out in the river, with the equipment and the commitment to make sure that none are lost.

This experience has taught me that no matter what the fears facing me, I can overcome the irrational ones and take a leap in spite of the history that would echo and taunt me. As well, I am reminded that having a crowd of amazing people around who love me and are looking out for me allows me to step out and explore in greater confidence, the plans that God has for me.... and the same goes for you!