On Belay?

This picture is of Gideon reaching the top of a climb at Rocksport (our local climbing gym). What is it that gives him the confidence to climb 30 feet off the ground? See that rope that he is tied to? Guess what is on the other end. His belayer is on the other end, holding the rope, keeping him safe.

Belay is a climbing term that means basically "I am holding the rope and I am ready to catch you if you fall". So before a climber leaves to ground he begins a dialouge with his belayer that goes like this.

Climber: "on belay?" (the climber is asking the belayer if they have everything ready to safely hold the rope in the case of a fall)

Belayer: "belay on!" (the belayer is responding that they have evrything ready to catch the climber if they fall)

Climber: "ready to climb." (the climber is saying I trust you to catch me if I fall)

Belayer: "climb on!" (the belayer is ensuring the climber that they will catch them if they fall)

So as we begin this new season of ministry with Solid Rock Climbers for Christ it is my goal to recruit 200 spiritual belayers for our ministry. Before we head out on this new ministry "climb" we want to know that we have many spiritual belayers holding the other end of our rope through prayer. Will you be one of our spiritual belayers?

We are excited and ready to climb. So do you have us "on belay"?

Deep Valleys

Our family is currently walking through one of the deepest, darkest valleys that I have ever experienced. It involves a child who is choosing rebellion over obedience. It is very painful to see her shake her fist in the face of God (and of her parents) and say " I am going to do what I want to do regardless of what you say!". Now that the shoe is on the other foot I am realising just how much pain we caused our parents during our season of rebellion. Also I am realising how my heavenly Father must feel when I choose to do my own thing when I know what He wants me to do.