leaps of faith.

Today, I’m taking a leap of faith.

Yet another leap, my brain helpfully reminds me. And I’m sure it won’t be the last. It’s leap after leap after leap after leap.

Yep. That sounds about right. The past three years of writing and publishing my books, of putting myself out there over and over again, have been full of too many leaps to count. Heart-stopping, stomach-swooping, eyes squeezed tightly shut—endless bounding leaps.

Every time I choose to sit down and write, it’s an act of faith. It’s me, turning to God and asking Him to pour out, to let me borrow some of the words He so freely gives. He gives freely but I wouldn’t say easily, because usually this gift of words requires something on my end. Hence all the leaping. But it’s only in those requirements, in the space between His promises and my realizations that I learn something.

Why is that so hard for me to remember?

Today, I’m writing my first blog post on my new website, something that I’ve wanted to do for a while but have pushed off far too many times because of a few worn-out and familiar excuses: I don’t have time; I’m too busy; I don’t know how. And I saved the best excuse for last: who will even read these little words of mine? Because that’s truly the issue here. Fear.

Sure, I’m short on time—but I can make more. Of course I’m busy—but there is room enough for this. Obviously I don’t know how—but I can learn.

As for who will read these words? That’s not up to me, that’s up to God. All I can do is hold on to my faith and try. All I can do is ask and act and believe. I can do that. With a running start and a pounding heart, I will step off the ledge once again and tumble into a free fall with my arms flailing and my eyes streaming from the force of the wind that threatens to pull me down down down. But I never stay down—that’s the miracle. Every single time I jump, I am held on to. I am lifted. I am taken to a higher place. I am given the gift of momentum and the reward of just a little bit more faith.

I don’t know why you’re here today. Maybe you’ve read my books and you want to read more (if that’s the case, thank you, and I love you). Maybe you’ve found my words on Instagram and they’ve brought you a little encouragement or an added measure of peace (if that’s the case, thank you, and I love you). Maybe you found this website on a random google search and now you’re here wondering who I am and if I’ll ever get to the point (if that’s the case, welcome, and I love you—I hope you decide to stay).

Or maybe you’ve been thinking about taking your own leap of faith and you were led here. Maybe we were meant to leap together. Isn’t that a beautiful thought? So let’s jump. Let’s trust that the outcome will always be in our favor. Let’s believe in a God who not only catches but lifts.

Today, we jump; today, we trust.

And this time, I’m keeping my eyes wide open.