Jump! - Dewey Wilbanks

       One of the biggest points and possibly the main goal of the pilgrimage we've taken is to find ways to identity God in the world. Today we went white water rafting down the Cetina river Croatia, and because, for the most part we at the complete mercy of the Rapids and the moving waters, it taught me to see God in the nature of the river. While we paddled and paddled we tried to take control of our raft, and to our credit we somewhat did do a good job of avoiding rocks and the banks of the river, ultimately we were at the control of the rapids. It might seem like a stretch or a lousy cliché but in a way it was like how in life and in faith we try to control our lives and what happens to us but in reality we really are the product of God.

       After we had made it through the majority of the Rapids we stopped at a cliff to jump off into the water. Almost everyone went up to the rock, although some people were obviously more comfortable with the height than others. Going back to the idea of seeing God in the world we live in I started to see him when some people, who were less comfortably with the oncoming jump, went up to towering peak of the cliff. When the person in front of me got to the top and looked down at the crystal clear water they began to realize how far down it truly was, then in an instant one of our pilgrimage guides, Ken, started chanting to him/her that they could do it. Once he started, the entire group of  people at the bottom, even the river guides who had had little to no interaction with the fear stricken person at the top of the cliff, and others like myself who were so worried about themselves and if they could take the jump they hadn't even begun to notice the trouble others were having, started to join in and encourage them to conquer their fear and take the literal leap of faith. In that moment I think God was present, because it's so easy for people to get caught up in their own lives, that we don't stop to look at others and their problems. In that moment all of the people in the water, in the banks, or on the tip themselves stopped what they were doing and combined to help this person conquer their fear and jump. They finally did jump and once they did Ken let out a whopping yell of endearment and that person was glad they did it. Sometimes when I'm in a place of fear of stress one of the worst feelings is that feeling that I am alone in my struggle, that it's me against the world, but that moment is representative that we are never alone. Whether it's Ken urging you in to take a jump or it's the Lord himself who is truly always with you, that moment really reminded me that I am never alone.