Final Step: A Leap of faith
written by Bryce McLaughlin
I stood at the base of the mountain. Looking up I questioned if I was able to make the climb. In my wonder I felt this great presence behind me. I turned around to find Him smiling down on me. A smile I had seen in many visions before before. He was much larger than me. Massive in stature. His salt and pepper beard was nicely kept and His coarse hair matched the colour of His beard. His eyes sparkled with encouragement and approval to the climb I was about to make. With sense of peace and joy that out poured from Him, I felt the courage and strength to begin my ascent up the side of the rocky mountain.
Every grip I made, every push up with my leg I gave, I moved along the rock face like a spider up a wall. I could feel His greatness behind me. When I felt like I couldn't go any further, I could feel his 'can do attitude' to fill me up some more. It propelled me onward through the hardest moments of my climb and up over the ridge of the jagged rocks.
As I pulled myself around the corner of the cliff side I found my hand landing on to the bark of a tree's root. I peered around the corner to discover a gigantic tree. I had never seen anything like it. It was bigger then any Douglas fir tree I had ever laid my eyes on. It's roots ran deep down the mountain rock and disappeared into the mist below. I could only gather that they eventually made it's way into the earth. It's branches spread out like a giant oak tree and there sat He, the I AM, still smiling down on me. One moment he was behind me encouraging me to keep moving. The next moment he was there ready to receive me in my final steps. I wanted nothing more than to sit with him so fought my way up the side of the tree onto some branches.
In that moment I was watching my tiny self distance. I was reaching out and gripping onto trunk size branch He sat on. He watched me struggle as I wrapped arms around the branch. I finally pulled myself up and sat down beside Him. I recall feeling like a little child, wanting nothing more than to sit beside my Father. The was a point where no one else seemed to exist and nothing else really mattered. All I wanted to do is be with Him and embrace His presence. I didn't get to sit with Him for very long as I felt Him say without speaking a word 'It's time for you to go back down.' Of course I hesitated and didn't want to, but I knew I couldn't stay. I had to go, because my work in the world was not done. It was not complete. This I was aware of.
Even though I tried to make up any excuse to stay, He smiled an pointed where I was to go. I couldn't even convince Him that the distance to the other branch was too far away and the descent back down looked challenging. No not even that broke His smile. He knew differently and all He had to say is 'You can do anything. You always have been able to. Have faith in yourself.'
It's amazing when God our Father, speaks to us. When we listen, believe and trust what he says. What we are able to do. What we are able to handle. What we are able to accomplish. It's quiet amazing.
As I slipped down off the branch and leaped across onto the long root that would lead me down and along the path back to earth, I looked back at Him. He never stopped smiling. Not once. It was that look you would always seek as a child from your parent. A smile of someone being so proud you. Of who you are. It was absolute love and it felt amazing to receive.
In this moment I knew I would be able to do anything I set my mind to. There may be times when I go forth with out the answers, but I will always be able to move with faith and trust that everything I need will always be.
This is where I truly new God was watching out for me and he was proud of me for who I had become. I knew the journey wasn't going to be easy and I would still face many challenges, but I had Him in my corner. The great I AM. Above all else I knew this. Above all else I could keep going no matter what I faced. For he was not only with me. He was in me.