As some of you know my husband Ken had early onset osteoarthritis. Thanks to great doctors and new advances in joint replacement he had 2 hip replacements at an early age. At our last checkup Ken asked a question. He had been invited to go sky diving to celebrate a friend’s birthday. He asked if that would be ok to do? Dr. Manner replied with “what would anybody want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane for, no”! Why do I sometimes feel like that is what people think we are doing with our lives now? Let’s back up a “few” years.

Ken went into the computer industry straight out of tech school. He worked in the industry for several years and then decided that he really wasn’t meant to be a computer tech for the rest of his life. He started testing for the fire service and got hired on his second try. He was “late to the game” as far as age goes but didn’t really care. He became a firefighter and loved it. He loved the service part of it and helping others. He had the heart and personality to do a great job in the field and patients loved him! What he didn’t know then was God was preparing his heart for something bigger!

Ken became a Christian a year after he got his job at the fire department. Again “late to the game”! We met the same summer and the rest is history! Ken immediately felt called to minister to others, specifically high school students. This began a life of being involved at different levels with teens. Summers were spent at camp, Sunday nights were spent in a bible study in our home, and weekdays off were spent coaching or at the high school. Life was never dull!

As the years went by he felt called to full time ministry but the timing never seemed right. Life sometimes has a way of getting away from you. You have kids, you buy a house, a death in the family happens, etc. Pretty soon you are looking at your life and thinking that if you are going to make this jump now is the time.

And that is where the perfectly good airplane comes in. Do you really want to jump out of it? Why would you want to give up every young boy’s dream of firefighting for? The money isn’t great but it isn’t bad. The hours and days are the greatest! It isn’t a bad gig! And generally people (citizens) love you!

Over the course of several months God started to change both of our hearts. We thought and looked at every option. Maybe this was the time to go on a “grand adventure”? Maybe this was the time for me to step up and take a full time job somewhere and Ken stay home and volunteer full time. We talked and investigated different options.

And then those little thoughts of doubts would creep in. What if this isn’t really God’s plan for our lives? What if he is meant to stay at the fire department until the very end? Do we really want to change our lifestyles this drastically? And what would your friends and family say?

Lyrics from a song, Brave by Nicole Nordeman, come to mind. It was written in 2005 when we were going through enormous transition in our family. But maybe it was meant for now?

The gate is wide
The road is paved in moderation
The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in
Welcome to the middle ground
You’re safe and sound and
Until now, it’s where I’ve been

‘Cause it’s been fear that ties me down to everything
But it’s been love, your love, that cuts the strings
So long status quo
I think I just let go
You make me want to be brave
The way it always was
Is no longer good enough
You make me want to be brave

And then an offer came in that made us stop and take a look. Ken was offered a full time job with Auburn Young Life. We had never thought about staying in Auburn. Always in our thoughts we had seen ourselves packing up the house and moving somewhere. But Ken has always had a heart and call for the teens in Auburn and this felt right.

So we put on the parachute. Are we nuts? Maybe! Are we scared? Absolutely! Are we crazy? Maybe? Ken began the process of transitioning out of the Fire Department and hopefully by next January we can take the jump out of the airplane and start a new adventure in life.

But hasn’t that really been how we have lived our whole lives?

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Johua 1:9