Petrified... Or Enjoying the Ride?

I was terrified. I had not been on a horse since the overnight summer camp I attended in elementary school. Back then, all the horses were bound together by a single rope held by a patient, elder leader. This time, I was in Puerto Rico and the "leader" consisted of some young men and children - yes, children - who were speaking only in Spanish as they galloped by. There was no rope tying the horses together and the horse I was on seemed like it had his own agenda, including walking away from the pack at times and breaking out into sudden runs. I had no idea what I was doing, where we were going, or even how long the excursion was supposed to last. My mind began racing through all the horrible possibilities that could occur at the base of this mountainous rainforest, over 1500 miles away from my home and kids.  I kept trying to find my husband to get a wave of assurance, a smile of confidence; but to this day, I still do not know where he and his horse were during most of the ride.

I admit, I worry a lot, and being in a situation controlled by an animal and tour guides who kept forgetting I did not know their language had my stomach twisting in knots. However, at some point in the midst of my fear, I began taking my eyes off of my gory imagination and started looking at the majestic scene around me. We were at the base of the El Yunque rainforest. How often would I have an opportunity like this? I realized I had a choice to make. I could stay afraid, and have this once-in-a-lifetime experience be nothing more than a negative memory of intense worry and fear, or I could exhale and enjoy the beautiful creation around me, trusting that all would turn out well.

Fear is designed to keep us from seeing the perfection of God around us. Indeed, once I set my focus on the rolling countryside, the awe-inspiring mountains, and the creek that bubbled near our rest stop under a covered bridge, a quiet confidence began to fill me, a knowing that the Master who planted each tree in the rainforest towering nearby was capable of keeping my behind safely planted in the saddle beneath me. Once I took my focus off of my fears, I was able to enjoy the ride.

Is there something going on in your life that has you afraid? Is there a situation that has your eyes locked on every possible thing that could go wrong, keeping your freedom to feel happiness bound up in a ball of ragged nerves? Life will always present times when we have to navigate bumpy roads that lead to uncertain destinations; when we have to walk, ride, or run in ways we'd never fully learned; when the reins we think we're holding don't always give us the control we think we need. As you're learning to keep your balance and make sense of the directions you're hearing, don't forget to exhale and enjoy the journey and the view around you. The path may be hard, it can be scary, but you might just see a work of God that you would have never seen had you stayed focused on your fears.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber.  

(Psalms 121:1-3 NIV)

Travel is therapy to me. Look for more posts where I share moments from trips that offer healing, hope, growth, and victories. As you live your own adventures, be present, fearless, and free!