Leap and Let Go ......Again and Again

Leap and Let Go

“Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 (Message Bible)

The day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin

Several years ago, I was about to do something on my bucket list.

When I was done, I would be able to put a check next to … skydiving.

I purposely did not tell some of my friends because it was not what they expected, they would think I was crazy and they would try to talk me out of it. (I will get to that later)

We boarded the small plane and we ascended 5,000. 10,000 to over 15,000 feet in the air.

My instructor said, “Sheila, before we leap, you have to be still for a few seconds.”

Now I want you to create a visual image for you.

It is the moment right before the leap. Even though I am still seated in the plane, my feet are literally hanging out in the air. Half of me is on the plane and the other half is off.

I know it was a few seconds, but it felt like forever. My body was in this unnatural holding pattern. I was frozen between the comfort of the known confines of the small plane and the other half was in the unknown and limitless sky.  It was if my body was SCREAMING, “Sheila Patrice Spencer (Yes, my body called me by my whole name) I was not created to be suspended between this known and unknown – either get back on the plane or leap forward and let go – but either way you have to make a decision!”

When I couldn’t take it anymore, my instructor said, “Sheila, are you ready?”

In that moment,

I wasn’t ready.

I was completely terrified,

yet my response was

“Let’s do this!”

And I leaped.

Initially, I was holding on to the parachute straps so tightly, I could feel my instructor tell me, “Sheila, let go and open up your arms. You need to completely surrender in order to enjoy the whole experience.”

When I let go and surrendered and it was AMAZING.

As I soared through the limitless sky, I realized that I would have missed all of this beauty and wonder if I did not take the leap. I was able to view the world through a different perspective and point of view. All of this was waiting for me on the other side of my leap.

It was amazing.

When I landed on the ground, I realized I could have stayed on the plane and arrived at the same place. However, I would have missed the joy of the journey of the leap. How many times have I walked through life frozen in comfort of the known and fighting against the outside unknown that lies beyond the comfort zone. Years later, filled with life experiences and a pandemic, I still reflect on the lessons that my skydiving experience still teaches me.

1. Letting go takes courage, yet that does not mean you don’t do it afraid. It takes courage to let go and surrender. Whether it is a new assignment, relationship or opportunity, it is normal to be scared. Courage does not mean having no fear, courage calls us to do it in spite of it. A friend shared that if your dream does not scare you a little bit, maybe it is not big enough. Remember it takes courage to let go of the familiar and embrace the new. One of the examples of letting go that has happened during this season what has been called “The Great Resignation” – (Term coined by Anthony Klotz) where massive numbers of Americans resigned from their jobs. During the pandemic with waits, lockdowns and life changing experiences, people really had the time and the motivation to sit back and say, Do I like the trajectory of my life? Am I pursuing a life that brings me well-being? These decisions took courage, and some did it afraid, but it was worth it.

2. Letting go releases you from expectations. I tend to be a planner. We plan our lives and schedule when we plan to reach certain milestones. There are our pre-set expected dates when we will graduate, start our careers, begin our families, purchase our cars, buy our homes and retire. But what happens when you do not accomplish the milestone by your expected date? We are imprisoned by our own expectations, remaining paralyzed because it did not go as we expected. This past season has been an example of life not going as we expected and learning to surrender to a different plan. Letting go means surrendering. It reminds us that the life we scheduled is not always the life that God has planned for us. We must be willing to let go of the life we planned to have the life that is waiting for us. Letting go frees you from being stuck when life does not go as expected. Letting go liberates us from the expectations of others and our own expectations of ourselves. Letting go in this season of quarantine allowed me to develop relationships with friends that I never anticipated. I read a devotional entry that asked what would happen if we made exceptions that exceeded our expectations?

3. Letting go opens up new possibilities – When I leaped, I opened myself up to a breathtaking experience that was waiting for me. Letting go opens you up to new perspectives and expands your life. I was able to see what was waiting on the other side of the leap. It reminds me that possibilities are waiting on the other side of the leap. Write the book, start the business, create the art, shoot your shot, upload the profile, submit the application, start the conversation. There are people who are waiting on the other side of your leap, waiting to be blessed by your Yes, needing to read your book, hear your words, enter into your conversation.

It may be a vision that you don’t share with others because it is not what they expect, they will think you are crazy and they would try to talk you out of it. This reminds us that we aren’t called to share our vision with everyone.

I am writing these words, but this is a sermon that Sheila is preaching to Sheila at this moment. Feel free to fill in your name.

Sheila Patrice Spencer,

Letting go takes courage, but it does not mean you do not do it afraid.

Take the leap and let go again.

Sheila Patrice Spencer,

Letting go releases you from expectations.

“The moment that you are speaking to others but realize that you are preaching this to yourself.” January 9, 2022

Take the leap and let go again.

Sheila Patrice Spencer,

Letting go opens up new possibilities.

Take the leap and let go again.

There is another lesson from my leap.

Before I took the leap, my instructor told me, “Sheila, remember I am attached to you. When you jump out of the plane, I am with you because we are connected. Even if you don’t hear me, remember that I am with you throughout the whole experience.”

When we let go and surrender, God is with us.

Even when I am not ready

Even when I am completely terrified

Even when it’s not perfect

And when you take the leap it is AMAZING!

Leaping and Letting Go ….. Again and Again

Sheila Patrice Spencer

Love ....

Love

“When I was a child, it was clear to me that life was not worth living if we did not know love.”

bell hooks

bell hooks love trilogy

Love has been on my mind a lot more lately. The passing of bell hooks last week made me realize how much her writings were woven into the tapestry of my life. She was a poet, scholar, activist, womanist, professor, bearer of wisdom and spoke truth to power. I also call her a loveologist because her words, wisdom and writing helped and continues to shape my perception of love.

Sometimes when I don’t have the words, I am grateful for the words that my heart feels but can’t articulate. Today I share with the wisdom and words of bell hooks. One of the primary lessons is that love is intentional. Our love is lived out through our actions. It is based on how we love ourselves, each other and our community.

bell hooks reminds us that love means intentional investment of time and committment. It is an intentional choice. I am rereading her treasures as we go into the remainder of the year. Each time I read I am reminded about the power of genuine love.

One of my favorite passages from scripture that embodies bell hooks’ notion that is love is an action, never simply a feeling is 1 Corinthians 13. Let these words wash over you. The passage reminds me that what we do is the best indicator of what we beleive. As we go into this holiday season, never pass up an opportunity to show love. Love means being aware of the fact that this season does not hold the same meaning for everyone. Be sensitive to each other and know that we hold so much during this season.

If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without learning them and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn’t love others, I would only be making noise.  

If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would it do?

Even if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth nothing at all without love. 

If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever.

Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud,  never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy.

It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.  It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.  If you love someone, you will be loyal no matter what the cost.

You will always believe and always expect the best of them, and always stand your ground in defending them.  All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever.

There are three things that remain—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-8, 13

Love,

Rev. Sheila P. Spencer

I encourage you to listen to the wisdom of bell hooks in her own voice. Let’s love on each other.