Don't Look Down
The above picture was taken at the Currituck Lighthouse which is located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. My family and I vacationed there this Summer. There's a landing spot after each flight of steps you go up. About half way to the top, I stopped and took a picture looking straight up to the remaining steps. This lighthouse is 162 feet high, and has 220 steps. There's nothing more telling about how out of shape you are than when you are climbing to the top of a lighthouse. I was out of breath and my legs felt like jelly a quarter of the way up! Oh, and did I mention I am PETRIFIED of heights?? Yup, I am. Completely petrified. Why then, you ask, would I climb to the top of a lighthouse? Because while I am terrified of heights, I refuse to allow that fear to have its way in my life. So when my husband and kids say let's go up, I say yes, even though I go slow, take pit stops along the way (hence the picture above) and hold onto the railing for dear life. There was one thing swirling through my mind the entire way up...well two actually. First, am I going to make it to the top? And two...DON'T LOOK DOWN!
See, if you are like me and you are scared of heights, you know the worst thing you can do is look down. Looking down reminds you of how high you are, and can immediately cause panic, which is never a good thing when you are half way up a 162 foot high lighthouse. Looking down causes you to lose focus of the step in front of you. Looking down causes you to lose sight of the goal ahead of you, which is to make it to the top.
We recently had a fundraiser to raise money to open a restoration home in Berks County for survivors coming out of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. It was an incredible night for all of us on the FREE team, as it truly exceeded all of our expectations. But the next morning when I woke up, I started to feel panic. What next? What does this next phase look like? How will it be accomplished? What should I do first? All of these thoughts hit my mind like a ton of bricks. Then the Lord reminded me...don't look down. He didn't scream it. It didn't sound like it sounded in my head as I was anxiously making my way up those lighthouse steps. It was quiet and peaceful. Don't look down, Andrea.
I had a vision of Him holding my hand, and taking one step up with me. Just one step. That's it. He said, just take one step up. I thought of rock climbing up a mountain, and with each step planted into the mountain crevice, rocks and dirt crumble out and fall into what seems like a never ending drop. It wouldn't do that person scaling the side of a rock encased mountain any good by constantly looking down, by constantly looking at the debris dropping underneath them. They must focus on what's in front of them. They can't worry about what's below. They have to focus on that next step in front of them.
Don't look down. How easily we start to look down and become fearful. We lose sight of Jesus who is right in front of us, and He is saying, don't look down, look right at Me. And in that moment we remember the King of the universe has us. He is with us. We don't even have to look up. He is as close to us as our breath.
If you are struggling today, if you are afraid or anxious about something going on in your life, if you are wondering how you are going to pull through, don't look down. Just look straight at Jesus. He's right there. You don't have to look far. He is right in front of you. He is holding your hand and He is saying, don't look down, just stay focused on Me. Just take one step up with Me. He wants you to know He is with you.
See, if you are like me and you are scared of heights, you know the worst thing you can do is look down. Looking down reminds you of how high you are, and can immediately cause panic, which is never a good thing when you are half way up a 162 foot high lighthouse. Looking down causes you to lose focus of the step in front of you. Looking down causes you to lose sight of the goal ahead of you, which is to make it to the top.
We recently had a fundraiser to raise money to open a restoration home in Berks County for survivors coming out of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. It was an incredible night for all of us on the FREE team, as it truly exceeded all of our expectations. But the next morning when I woke up, I started to feel panic. What next? What does this next phase look like? How will it be accomplished? What should I do first? All of these thoughts hit my mind like a ton of bricks. Then the Lord reminded me...don't look down. He didn't scream it. It didn't sound like it sounded in my head as I was anxiously making my way up those lighthouse steps. It was quiet and peaceful. Don't look down, Andrea.
I had a vision of Him holding my hand, and taking one step up with me. Just one step. That's it. He said, just take one step up. I thought of rock climbing up a mountain, and with each step planted into the mountain crevice, rocks and dirt crumble out and fall into what seems like a never ending drop. It wouldn't do that person scaling the side of a rock encased mountain any good by constantly looking down, by constantly looking at the debris dropping underneath them. They must focus on what's in front of them. They can't worry about what's below. They have to focus on that next step in front of them.
Don't look down. How easily we start to look down and become fearful. We lose sight of Jesus who is right in front of us, and He is saying, don't look down, look right at Me. And in that moment we remember the King of the universe has us. He is with us. We don't even have to look up. He is as close to us as our breath.
If you are struggling today, if you are afraid or anxious about something going on in your life, if you are wondering how you are going to pull through, don't look down. Just look straight at Jesus. He's right there. You don't have to look far. He is right in front of you. He is holding your hand and He is saying, don't look down, just stay focused on Me. Just take one step up with Me. He wants you to know He is with you.
In case you are wondering, I made it to the top of the lighthouse. My kids made me walk the full circle around the top, and I did, even though my back was plastered to the wall of the lighthouse the entire time. I looked straight ahead. I didn't look down. I even managed a panoramic picture. :)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Really good ...
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