Today's devotional (Jesus Calling) said:

"I want you to be all mine.  I am weaning you from other dependencies.  Your security rests in Me alone-not in other people, not in circumstances.  Depending only on Me may feel like walking on a tightrope, but there is a safety net underneath: the everlasting arms.  So don't be afraid of falling.  Instead look ahead to Me..."

How come this is not comforting? I don't like falling, it hurts!  About a year ago I went with my daughter to an ice skating party.  Now I LOVE to ice skate...or I used to when I was in grade school.  My mom would take my sister and me to the local Ice Arena and we spent hours there.  I WAS Dorothy Hamill, haircut and all!  We lived in North Dakota for awhile after that and I found even greater  joy skating outdoors on a local pond.  Flash forward to last year.  It had been awhile since I had laced up a pair of skates, so I took it slow, but I was sure I'd impress my daughter and her friends.  In reality I looked ridiculous clinging to the side wall with toddlers passing me.  And then I fell.  Ouch.  I do not remember it hurting when I fell way back in the day, but it sure hurt now!  I was more determined than ever not to fall for fear of breaking my hip.  Where is this going?  Glad you asked.  I don't like to fall.

Today's devotional said, "Depending on Me may feel like walking on a tightrope...", it may.  In reality that is the only place I find true security, in dependence on Christ alone.  Oh, I have tried to be independent, working in my own strength.  And I've tried to depend on circumstances and other people.  God is showing me how to let go of those "other dependencies".  Yes, I will fall and it may hurt, it may.  Or just maybe as I fall into those everlasting arms, I'll find true rest.

So now, I will choose to not be afraid of falling, and I will look ahead
(even if it's through tears) to Jesus as I depend on Him alone.  

As I started to blog tonight, the song "Mountain of God" by Third Day was playing.  Here are some of the lyrics:

Even though the journey's long and I know the road is hard

Well, the One who's gone before me He will help me carry on

After all that I've been through, now I realize the truth

That I must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God

And speaking of irony (well I guess just Becca and I were speaking of irony...), "In Christ Alone" is playing now...