Don't Hand it Back!

It may seem too often that I refer back to Peter's adventurous, but few, steps out of the disciple-packed boat onto the waters before Jesus, but it's truly an iconic lesson for me for many aspects of my life and leadership.

The main point is he got out of the boat.  The second point is that he lost focus and plunged into the water.

But what I love about how it all went down is the journey Peter likely took as he sunk.  I imagine how incredible it must have been for him to be participating at such an intimate level with Jesus.  But I can also imagine how Peter, although soaking in every moment of it, ultimately had that moment many of us have when we realize it just might be TOO good.  It's that moment where we think to ourselves that this wasn't meant for us, but someone who's more capable to handle it, or when we think it's an accident that it's happening to us, and we'd rather hand the moment back than go through the possible pain of failure.

So Peter sinks.  So we sink.

This life experience has visited me twice recently, and I'm thankful I had the intuition and Spiritual guidance to let it be, to love it, and NOT to hand it back.  After all, it's quite difficult for God to work blessings in our lives if we keep handing them back.

Life experience #1:  Moving into our house last weekend.  It was an entirely overwhelming experience.  But NOT because there was chaos and disaster, but because it was too organized, too efficient, and too well supported by church, family, and friends.  We were done moving in 2 hours flat!  Things were going so well that I could no longer control it or be involved in it.  I had to just let go and trust and soak it all in.  (I'm thankful I didn't try to slow the process down or turn anyone away!)

Life experience #2:  Ground breaking on our Patio project at the church (an outdoor facility for recreation, conversations, and new community).  The project has felt relatively safe on paper, but the moment our project manager shared that not only would we make a couple pock marks at the ceremony, but that by the afternoon, the location would be excavated and leveled for footings and cement, I felt a wave of panic.  My instinct, like Peter's, was to run out to our graceful project manager and ask him if we could just think about it a little longer and make sure we're all ready to go before moving forward.  Thankfully I didn't.  This is God's work and God's blessing.  Let it go, just float in this moment Jason... are the words I spoke to myself.  Stay on the waters and keep your eyes on Jesus.  He wants to use this Patio as HIS dock.

And so, a week later, our house looks like we've lived there half a year.  And yesterday, before I even left the church for the day, I had the joy and treat of catching Josh Hardesty, whose children we recently had the chance to baptize, doing one of the things he does best:  moving dirt!

My lesson:  Don't hand it back.  This is God's, and it's yours.


More to come!

Jason <><