Extreme Tree-Hugging
by Carolyn Hulliberger
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
by Carolyn Hulliberger
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
The most adventurous thing I have ever done is zip-lining in the Alaskan rain forest. The day of the escapade, we met our group at the base of the mountain and got our safety gear…harness, gloves, helmet. We then rode up the mountainside on ATV’s to our practice location. It was there that we were taught the proper hold, how to keep our feet up and abdominal muscles tucked for maximum speed, and how to “self-rescue” in the case of an emergency.
At the first platform, our guide…a self-proclaimed “adrenaline junkie”…described our upcoming trek over the trees. It would consist of 6000 feet of cable, 8 rope rides, and 3 suspended aerial bridges. We would be well over 100 feet from the forest floor. The longest line was nearly 900 feet long…or 3 football fields! Our group of eight was literally hugging the tree, sizing each other up to see which brave soul would go first. When my turn came, I sucked in a deep breath, closed by eyes, and jumped off the platform. The ultimate test of my faith in the rope, my harness and my instruction came at that moment.
A funny thing happened during the course of our afternoon. With each landing, our group members stood further from the tree and moved out to the edges of the platforms. We started keeping our eyes open and observing the gorgeous scenery and wildlife from this unusual perspective. And instead of prayers for safety as we stepped off, there was a contest for the best “battle cry.”
There will be times when we are called to step off of our “platform.” But God doesn’t expect us to do this completely unequipped. He has provided His Word…the Bible…as our instruction manual. And our own personal trail guide is the Holy Spirit. God’s desire is for us to have an adventure of His planning. And we just might get a breathtaking view along the way!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Is God nudging you off of a platform? Will you respond by hugging the tree or jumping off in faith?
FURTHER READING:
Hebrews 11:6
Along with caring for her husband, two children and the dog, Carolyn is an Office Representative for State Farm Insurance, serves as a small group leader for Wednesday p.m. Bible study, and is the treasurer for Women’s Ministries.
