Could I pull it off with a secret fear of heights?

A public embarrassment to turn around and go the same way I had arrived—down the ladder and past the people waiting in line.

And I just knew as pool-siders gawked behind sunglasses, What a scaredy-cat! would also cross their minds.

My twin sister and I hung out at the local pool several days a week every summer. This adventure happened in sixth or seventh grade.

Yes, younger kids jump off high dives. You see, I mustered up enough courage to make jumps, oodles of them, off the low dive. Because it was low.

Yet, even for this high-dive feat, I wasn’t planning a crowd-pleasing, eyebrow-raising dive or backwards flip. Never a good diver, I kind of fell into the water from the sidelines, my arms in position to lead the way.

My dives lacked perfect form and a straight body—bent legs always gave me away. Not olympic material (judges score cards read 3.0), you probably wonder why all the fretting, sweating, and heart skipping to jump? That’s all…jump.

Still, friends coaxed us, the Clarkston twins, into executing this jump. Since we needed to protect our good name as part of the hip crowd, we accepted the challenge.

Executing the Jump

But at the bottom of the high-dive ladder, a going first tug-of-war ensued. “You go first.” “No, you go first.” Then, I reluctantly agreed to jump first.

As I walked the board, I encouraged myself with a pep talk. For goodness sake, Karen, get a grip on yourself. Just jump off the end of this long board into nice, soft, sparkling water. You can do this. Stay straight and vertical. Oh, and guard against busting the water on entry, busts hurt like crazy! No pressure.

This high-diving-board story ends with a sigh and an inward celebration to remain impressively cool. Horray, I did it!

Again, and again. My sister and I jumped multiple times.

Although I set the example by jumping first, I always preferred the low dive. I’m a low-dive-and-low-altitude kind of girl.

Jumping First

I know another who went first. Again, and again. The One we never need to implore to go first. No begging, “Please, with sugar on top and whipped topping and a cherry? Pretty, please?” No, none of that.

This is where going first originated. “We love because he first loved us” (I John 4:19, ESV).

God not only stepped into a position of first, but Jesus also positioned Himself in a posture for firsts.

Jesus went first. In love. And in forgiveness. In death. And in life.

Jumping Posture

With Christ as our example, we position our life to love as He loved us. We posture our heart to forgive as He forgave us. Like Jesus died, unselfishly bearing a cross, we die to self—our way, idols, and desires of the flesh—as we bear a cross daily.

With Christ as our example, we position our life to love as He loved us. We posture our heart to forgive as He forgave us. #spiritual #posture @FridayKaren
Click To Tweet

As Jesus lived, we live sold-out for our heavenly Father, accomplishing His plan on earth and in our life.

As Jesus lived, we live sold-out for our heavenly Father, accomplishing His plan on earth and in our life. #SOLDOUT #GodsWill @FridayKaren
Click To Tweet

Jumping for a Big Splash

So let’s jump in with both feet. Jump in from the sidelines. Or, jump from the low or high dive. Ease in from the pool-side ladder. Or, come slip-sliding down the slide.

But, by all means, get in the water. Live life to the fullest. Make a big splash in a large way for the One who went first. Jesus.

Which “going first” posture is most difficult for you?

LINKUP PARTY opens Wednesdays at 6 am!

Christian Bloggers, come share your Blog with our audience below:

1. Add your Link.

2. Visit the blogger before or after and encourage them with a comment.

3. Share on social media. Click below to share on Twitter that you are joining us! We would love to have you follow the ministry on Twitter and Facebook as well: Soaring with Him FB Page

Linkup is Open! This week, my friend @FridayKaren teach us how to get in the water. Live life to the fullest. And make a big splash in a large way for the One who went first - Jesus. Share your blog.
Click To Tweet

The post A Spiritual Lesson from the High Dive {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Gone is the hustle-and-bustle of the Christmas season, and as we lounge together as a family in our pajamas on Christmas day, the reality that another year end is one week away always invites me to take inventory.

As I was looking for definitions of the word inventory, the intrinsic meaning of the word in latin inventarium jumped from the page:

Late Middle English: from medieval Latin inventorium, alteration of late Latin inventarium, literally ‘a list of what is found.’

My husband worked as an inventory manager for Coca-Cola for many years, where his plant was recognized as #1 in inventory accuracy in the country for several years in a row. I remember our long conversations, where he explained the importance of accuracy in inventory in every process of manufacturing. From the raw goods that enter the factory to counting the losses on the assembly line, to the finished products as they leave the factory and reach the warehouse.

In each process, my husband and his team were committed to knowing exactly how much product they had. The process is mathematical, and therefore good inventory accurately reports only the facts.

It is with this process in mind that I tend to approach the end of each year.

I look at the goals that I had set out to accomplish in January, pick up the clipboard and start going through the list.

Invariably, what starts as a positive task quickly becomes an exercise in self-judgment.

Why?

Because – confession time – I recognize that:

• I don’t offer myself much grace when I fail.
• When I look honestly at my goals for the year, I must admit that not all the bullet points in the list were God-given.

Some may have been great, well-meaning ideas. But they were mine. Not God’s.

Ouch.

As it goes, my tendency is to look at my accomplishments for the year that is ending with cynical eyes – ready to judge my lack of commitment to some of the goals I had set out. The result is a New Year’s Eve often filled with a sense of defeat… and a deep urge to set out goals, once again.

Good motives… wrong process… even worse approach.

My tendency is to look at my accomplishments for the year that is ending with cynical eyes, ready to judge my lack of commitment to some of the goals I had set out. Good motives… wrong process… even worse approach.
Click To Tweet

As I looked for a passage to illustrate my point, the Lord led me to Acts 20:1-24.

Paul had been traveling through Macedonia and Greece, accompanied by several leaders of the church. He then sailed to Troas, where he raised Eutychus from the dead. He continued to cities in present-day Greece: Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos and finally arrived in Miletus (Greece), where he sent for the Elders of the Ephesian church. When the elders arrived, Paul reminded them of how he had been fulfilling God’s commands to him as an apostle of Christ: to preach the gospel with boldness, wherever the Lord sent him. And then he says:

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Acts 20:18-24 (emphasis mine)

As I read this account, a confirmation on something God has been showing me about my work for the Kingdom flashed through my mind.

Paul did not have a New Year’s resolution list.

I cannot imagine him going through a list of how many books he should write, and how many times he would speak that year.

Paul didn’t waste time thinking about how popular his ministry was… or if there would be provision for him when he reached items 4 and 5 in his New Year’s list.

Nope.

Paul’s words as he “inventoried” his journey to the elders, centered in only two objectives:

• Act as the Spirit compelled.
• Complete the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace for as long as the Lord allowed.

My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24 #2020Vision
Click To Tweet

Paul’s single-mindedness and method to accomplish his goals called me to reevaluate the way I approach my inventory of 2019.

And… It put a smile on my face.

Because the truth is – I have accomplished the two tasks that God had put in my heart to accomplish this year for Soaring with Him:

• The first online Bible Study for the ministry platform is ready and I am working with our web designer to have it launched in the beginning of March – CHECK.
• She Soars Conference happened in April, and it was a wonderful day of teaching and worship that blessed 130 women and glorified the Lord – CHECK.

The other bullet points on my list were add-ons. My ideas, not His. And so, some of them did not get done.

And it’s ok.

Yes, my friend. God’s objectives for us every day are much simpler than we often set them up to be! God’s objective is never to overwhelm us with endless tasks, which are often centered in making US successful in the world’s eyes.

His path is clear and uncomplicated.

His instructions are few… and often one at a time.

And the proofs that we are walking on His path, not ours, are the (often miraculous) open doors, the people He sends to help us, and the provision that we need to accomplish the tasks He assigns.

The proofs that we are walking on His path, not ours, are the (often miraculous) open doors, the people He sends to help us, and the provision that we need to accomplish the tasks He assigns. #2020Vision
Click To Tweet

With this new approach in mind, I want to take this blog post to share with you God’s 2020 plan for Soaring with Him Ministries, and invite you to partner with us by volunteering, praying and giving:

Our one goal:

To bring glory to God by challenging women to build a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our tasks for 2020:

• Launch the online Bible Study for my book Twelve Inches – coming up in March.
• Host the fourth annual She Soars Conference in the Fall.
• Write the second online Bible Study – Pressing On – A Study of the book of Ezra.

That’s it. The goal is clear, the tasks are not many, but they are God-given. And I would love for you to join us in the mission Yahweh has given us.

It’s a 2020 Vision. Clear Vision. Will you join us?

Will you consider giving to our Non-profit? If you give before midnight December 31st, your gift is still tax-deductible for 2019. Your gifts will help us give free Bible Studies and scholarships for our women’s conference. Click below to be directed to our Donations Page:

The post 2019 Inventory / 2020 Vision appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.