What God taught me through doing a high ropes course in Ecuador at my second ministry, El refueo, the Lord has us at for a season. So we get done with our last ministry day for the week, and a part of the area at our ministry, is a high ropes course, so what better way to end a week than to hike the mountain, to do some team bonding together!
When we arrived there, immediate fear set throughout my whole body. I started to think, “Kaitlyn you know your worst fear is hanging from heights in a harness, you cant do this, wow this is harder than I think it will be, oh goodness Jesus I am scared out of my mind.”My mind is going a little crazy at this point.
Then the coolest interns I have ever met that live here in Ecuador, led us in a how to guide in the dos and sons of the high ropes. I think to myself, “I can not be the only one not to do this, right, ok well I guess I have to do this now that I’m here.” So I put on some deep courage I never thought I had and put on that harness and helmet. With no one knowing I was absolutely terrified, they ask us to pick a partner. Because you are never going to go through it alone, your partner is going to be with you every step of the way. So I pick my partner, its Justin my squad leader! So everyones ready and set to go on these high ropes, which are very high indeed. The first couple groups go, and as I’m watching the thought comes in, “I literally cant do this, this is terrifying, then Justin comes over and asks me if I’m ready to go.? I take a deep breath in and out and say “yes I’m ready”, fully knowing I’m not.
So me and Justin climb the ladder and get hooked on. At this point I am literally shaking, my rope is swinging back and forth, my legs could not contain themselves. Justin then asks me, ” are you ready, lets go! He gets on a single piece of rope that is the only thing you’re holding to, He goes for it. He then says to me, ” your turn, you just have to take the first step, let the father lead you, you are attached to a harness, if you fall its ok the father is going to catch you.” I don’t think any other words could of helped me get on that rope. Im now on this rope and we are walking side by side, every step together in sync. This whole time as I’m shaking on the rope, I’m thinking to myself, you are going to fall, Justin keeps saying I’m not going to let you fall, we got this. So through a couple more steps we make it to the end of the first course.
I breath in and out and step on over with Justin for the next one. He steps on and I am so scared, I cant even step on this one, He keeps saying, “ Just take that first step, the worst thing that will happen is that you will fall, take my hand, let me get you to the first rope.” So I step out and every step He takes, He swings his rope back to me, so I can grab it. He never takes a step without thinking of me. So we make it through the second one. Justin reminded me a lot of how our father in heaven , never leaves us, or let’s us fall, He is right there to catch us when we fall.
I started to get the idea, that I can conquer my fear, I mean I already did two ,so we are off to a great start, right? We get on the third one and its a swinging block that you have to jump on as its moving. I make it two the forth one, and everything in my body stops working, I had no more strength left to keep going. So I’m hanging there about 50 feet up in the air, living my biggest fear out in real life. So I give up, I cant make it any longer, I say to Justin as he made it to the other side, “I’m done, I cant go on much longer.” So one of the interns Elliot comes to my rescue, He puts on a harness and moves through the ropes and carries me back to solid ground, Its takes a good five minutes for us to get there, but with all his might, he got me to the other side.
Elliot reminded me so deeply, of the fact that whatever season I can be in, or if I’m stuck, God is right there to rescue me, no matter what it takes. God is always with us, holding our hand through life. Like Justin, He guided me through the ropes and encouraged me that I can do hard things in life. Or like Elliot, God will leave everything, to set his eyes on you and pull you to saftey. No matter where you are in life, the same God that was with me in that harness, is always with you, in every season, ready to catch you as you fall. Just trust in the father and He will do the rest!!
