Climbing through the web....

"I can't do it Mommy! I am so scared I am going to fall!" Austanne said as she was trying to climb what felt like a huge spider web of ropes! "Yes you can baby... keep trying! Keep it up!"..... but she kept climbing back down. At first she would only try to climb up about 3 feet off the ground, then she would go maybe 4 or 5 feet.... she tried, and tried but repeatedly retreated back to the safety of the ground. Discouraged she was losing her motivation and her desire to achieve this daunting goal!
     Racing by were Tabitha, David... and even James was attempting to get to the top. This just ate at Austanne like nothing else! How could everyone else get to the top but her? She REALLY wanted to go down that slide! She cried..... and cried..... and cried. I stood beneath her and said "Come on! You can do it!" as I encouraged her! I told her I would be under her in case she fell. Still she was scared. Finally she had made it to the very top of the ropes - and as she had just ONE rope left to go over, she said it was too scary and had to stop.
     "No! You are going to do this! You are going to get to the top! You are not a quitter... keep trying! If you were a quitter you would have stopped by now! I will not let you quit! You can do it! Come on!" I told her. She held on for dear life as I held onto her arms and pulled her my way as she screamed "NO! NO! I can't do it! No! I am scared! NO mommy!".... back and forth we went in the battle as I pried her fingers free, while balancing myself between the ropes..... and finally she realized "Hey! I can do this!" She reached up, grabbed onto the rope above her head... and there at the slide, the whole time cheering her on, was her sister. Tabitha reached over, held out her arm and helped to bring Austanne to the slide where she was on a more solid surface. In sheer joy Austanne and Tabitha slid down the slide.
     It really struck me how important it is not to quit, not to give up and listen to what you think is going to happen but listen to what you know is going to happen! Was I going to let her go and fall to her doom? Had Tabitha fallen down? Had David? Had even tiny James fell? No. I was right there by her side and as her mother, I would NEVER let anything happen to her if I could help it!
     Same goes with God! Don't give up just because it seems too hard. Don't settle for less than what you are worth. Don't give in to the devil when he whispers in your ear "your not good enough.... you don't deserve to be loved by anyone".... or when he tells you "You should just quit now... all you are is a failure, an embarrassment.... everyone is so ashamed of you!"..... Don't listen to him when he whispers to you or even shouts at you "You are worthless! Useless! Why were you ever created!?" Because God has a plan for you... He loves you.... He cares for you and He NEVER gives up on you! See, you are His child..... His greatest joy! And just as I stood below and beside my daughter as she climbed today.... He is standing right there with us... if we fall down He will lift us up.... if we mess up, He is there to encourage us that He loves us and is so thankful for us! Don't give in to the liar but listen to the One who loves you and created you!

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2 Timothy 1:7

New Living Translation 

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

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