A second chance

I originally wrote this almost a week ago but problems with my computer and mobiles have stopped me putting it up
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While I was at High school I went on trip with my friends, where we did loads of outward bounds type of stuff.

One of the things was rock climbing and abseiling.

I did the rock climbing - was hard, but i did it. but I couldn't face the abseiling, I was too scared.

I've really regretted that decision. It's been one of those things i would have gone back and changed.

But today, as part of Springfest - which is a week of activities we put on for Crieff's young people - we took them rock climbing and abseiling.

I had to just help out for most of the time, and it was fun watching the guys climb up (the girls were in general quicker and got higher).

It was raining and people got cold and wet... which meant that some of the girls went back to the bus to get warm... which left me a chance to go climbing.So much fun... i need to get some strength back though.

and then i had the chance to abseil.

I went to the top of the cliff - there was only chance for me to do it once, and i looked down. and got scared.

The temptation was there to walk down and to encourage 2 of our young people who too were scared.

but no way.

This was a chance to do something i should have done a long time ago.

So i did.

and loved it.

was so gutted i only got one go.

but, if you have not done something you should have because of fear. face it. please.

(if its something you haven't done, and you shouldn't do, then please don't!)

make a list of some of the stuff fear has robbed you of, and then do those things. how ever hard it is.

Then, in this evening we had karaoke night.

I'm get so scared of singing in front of people - singing is something i want to be able to do well - and i know i can't.

so many times fear has stopped me doing karaoke.

so... i took my own advice... and jumped in.

and sang... (even did some dancing) and got laughed at,

and then to prove to myself i could do it more times than once, sang 5/6 songs, mainly with other people, but did it.

It feels good.

Another thing this week has been total honesty. Letting someone ask what ever question they wanted to, and making sure i gave full and honest answers - even when fear told me i would be rejected.

In the bible it talks about perfect love driving out fear -

I've lived with different kinds of fear all through my life - and i know i have other fears,

but as I'm learning more about God's love for me- and having my security in that, not what other people think, i think i'm being less bound.

For me its taken a lot of prayer and a lot of time - and it will continue to, but hey, tonight i feel great that i've done a couple of things fear has stopped me doing before.