Riding the Rapids

Some of you probably read that title and thought, "HA! Not Vicki." Well, you are exactly right. Not this girl! It makes me weak-kneed just to think about it. I do, however, see some parallels of the sport  to my life ... and maybe yours as well.


The adventures of my life change on a daily basis. Sometimes they are quite mundane and a little bit boring. Like a lazy day floating in a pool soaking up the sun. Sometimes they are demanding and require a lot of my time. Sometimes they are great adventures on the road escaping the day-to-day world. And sometimes I feel like I've been caught in the whirlpool in the Inga Rapids on the Congo River. (Look it up. There's a super cool photo of a guy in a green kayak caught in a whirlpool. THAT'S how I feel sometimes.)

I have learned that rapids are graded by classification from I to VI. To put it simply, they occur in the shallower flow of the river and need those big rocks to help them form. Those of us who live in east Tennessee might remember watching the Olympic course be constructed on the Ocoee River. They brought in and built huge boulders to make that section of the river just what it needed to be. Some names of rapids people actually enjoy riding are: Terminator, Godzilla, Stairway to Heaven, Gates of Inferno, and even God's House - which is where I would be if I tried it! There is a section of Class V whitewater in Chile 14 miles long that is referred to as "long, wild, and inescapable rapids." 

Does your life ever feel like that? Like you are rushing 20 mph down a roaring river with rocks and tree trunks jutting out at you as you hold on to a single paddle in an inflatable boat, trying to navigate your way around the danger? People actually call this fun!

There's a bit of an adventurer in each of us. Life is the grand adventure. It gets scary sometimes, and it may feel out of control a lot of times. Whatever life throws at us, we can be like the trained, learned, and skillfully prepared people who can and do launch a vessel into, and love the ride down, the river.

We can train and prepare ourselves for the adventures of life. First, we need proper attire. The Bible tells us to put on the WHOLE armor of God. You wouldn't get up on Monday morning and only put your shoes on before heading out the door, would you? We must dress properly. Do you realize that each piece of the armor God gives us equips us to move forward?  It's not intended for us to retreat. We are meant to face life and live it! 

Second, we must have proper knowledge. If, and that's a BIG I F, I were to lose my mind and decide to go rafting, I would certainly seek out a company and a guide who know all there is to know about the subject. I would want someone who had studied the river, who had experienced the river. I would want someone who loved what they were doing and had done it multiples of times. I promise you I would never get in a raft with a first-time tour guide! Our knowledge comes from reading God's Word and listening as he speaks to us through it. We can't let the dust settle on it. We must read it daily and learn all we can.

The third thing we must have is proper equipment. God gives us that with our armor. He gives us the sword that will split to the marrow and find the truth. He gives us a helmet to protect us from blows meant to cause us to doubt and question. He gives us a shield to protect us from the fiery darts the enemy hurls at us. Which brings us to prayer.

We stand on the banks of the rivers and cheer on the rafters. We encourage them to keep going. As we pray, we encourage each other. I have personally experienced the power of prayer. There have been times when I thought I couldn't, but because people were praying for me, I could - and did. I have seen the power of prayer so many times. From safety to provision, God has answered.

At the end of the day, when the sun is setting and the river ride is over, there is an exhilaration of accomplishment and achievement that comes to the rafter. There are also sore muscles, sunburn, scrapes, and bruises. I know because I am not totally without experience. In my younger years, when I was less afraid of the results of injury, I tubed and rafted the Hiwassee...several times even! I am very proud of a scar on my leg from one of the adventures. Yeah, it's a low-level rapid, but it was a big deal for me. And because I had those experiences I can understand the feelings of accomplishment and achievement.  I also understand the exhaustion and hunger it produces as well.

The point to all this is, life is an adventure! We never know, from day to day, what lies in store. Even our best laid plans can be changed or even canceled in the blink of an eye. As my friend says, "It's all good." It IS all good when God is in control and you are following him. No matter how turbulent the waters, He will carry you through. Lean on him. He's a great adventure guide!

A few thoughts from my journal...

Toward the end of 2017 I decided I needed a new devotion book. I wanted something that had a verse and a paragraph of encouragement to start my day. Something not too entailed because I spend a lot of time studying anyway and I simply didn't need to add to that. I did however, need something to boost my personal devotion and prayer time. So I went to the store.


I stood in front of the shelf and read over the various titles. True, you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I did. I found a pretty little book. It had everything I was looking for (more than I imagined!) so I picked it up and headed for the checkout counter.


When January 1 rolled around, I was diligent to pick up my new little book and read the verse and thought for the day. As the days passed, I realized this was more than a casual purchase. I believe God had them make the cover pretty so I would pick it up! He had spoken through these writers and had them pen words He would use to penetrate my heart daily. I stand amazed in His presence as He uses the words these ladies wrote and applies them to my life. Sometimes the application is one of encouragement. Sometimes it is a direct piercing hit to reveal something I need to correct. Sometimes it soothes like the healing balm of Gilead.


I've been copying short portions in my journal along with the scriptures God gives me, and I am loving going back and seeing how God is working. On a particular day back in February, I wrote down several passages. Then I wrote this:


As I was praying this morning, the Lord impressed this truth upon my heart: Tend to yourself. Gently and lovingly. Like you would tend the most fragile plant in the garden. Tools must be sharp. The ground fertile and soft. Water, fresh. Continually drink up the water. You must in order to grow stronger roots. From those deep, strong roots will grow strong stems and leaves, pushing their way upward toward the sun.


You see, life gets busy. Crazy busy at this house! We have obligations and demands placed upon us from many sides. We go, go, go. We hurry to get to the next thing. We fall in bed late at night, sometimes having eaten dinner way later than anyone ever should. Then we get up early to make the appointments that must be kept. To do the chores that are required. To get to the places that need us there. And we ignore our own needs.


A couple of days later I wrote this:


I feel like the old toy train we had way back when. We would rev up the speed, and without fail it would derail. Then we had to take time to set each car upright, getting the wheels set on the track, connecting them together, before we could enjoy the fun again. Until we turned up the speed and watched it crash yet again.


I share my journal with you to encourage you. We all live crazy busy lives. Take some time to stop and let God pour over you. Soak up the living water. Listen to His truth. Allow Him to set you back upright on the path He has called you to follow.