A kid down the block, Bobby, showed me his new Van Halen album.  The album was 1984. Being a pre-teen, and being trained to think all music not by Petra or a woman named Amy or Sandi was straight from Beelzebub, the cover was quite disturbing.  A baby with wings smoking a cig.  Yikes.

Bobby asked, “You like Van Halen?”  I didn’t own any of their vinyl, I didn’t own any music at the time not deemed “christian”, and once paid a dollar to take home a cassette of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” just to look at it and return it to the owner the next day during recess.  So no, at the time I didn’t “like” Van Halen so I answered honestly.  I said, “Yup, love ’em,” and went on my way.  Soon after I saw a video for their song, “Jump”.  You know the one.  David Lee Roth defies the law of …I don’t know….but some sort of law of physics with his high leg kicks.

Fast forward 25 years.  The song was in my head the day we needed to somehow pay for health insurance with possible maternity.  Roth keeps telling me, “Ah, might as well jump.”  I’m going to sound really whiny here…..what if I don’t wanna?

God continually leads all of us to take leaps that are completely contradictory to what well meaning people would choose.  “Get a good job with benefits for once.  You’re moving backwards!”

The battle in my brain between temporal desires and eternal opportunity is constant. The foil of my brain is taut and ready to burst with too many questions for my Savior.  I am the human Jiffy Pop popper.  But when we get to the end of our rope our Lord always gives encouragement.  Every time.  Without fail.  Isn’t He patient?

Yesterday we met with our insurance agent, who is also a caring friend.  He informed us that a bill for several hundred would be due within ten days if we wanted to pursue health insurance with maternity for the just in case baby scenario.  We informed him that we didn’t have the money but to sign us up because God was leading us to do it.  I told him point blank, “Jim Bob (name changed to protect the innocent), God is going to provide it.  Sign us up.”

I said it without bravado.  My voice probably quivered.  I said it because I didn’t know what else to say.  We had prayed about it.  I had peace, my gut had peace.  So we acted. Simple as that.

Today we got home and found two checks in the mail from people who were oblivious to our circumstance.  The money will pay for the bill due in ten days, plus five months worth of health insurance.  Shaking my head in disbelief seems a bit small.  God is our rock.

Tonight we were at a Bible study where three different languages and four cultures were represented.  We had no idea what two of the attendees were praying for during our prayer time.  Couldn’t comprehend a word yet we understood everything that was said.

Crying out to the Lord in any language is understood.  Three of our international brothers and sisters have families in other countries in varying degrees of real danger and we’re worried about cash.

I’m rambling.  We want to encourage you to take the leap.  Whatever it is.

I know some would say we serve a God who is only concerned with us having a smile on our face, but sometimes you gotta roll through some difficulty to experience the peace.  You don’t get there without moving.

This culture, our “Christian” culture included, teaches we are to go after the warm blanket of comfort and security, and if we have anything left over (time, money, etc.) simply slide some God’s way. But God asks us to be the warmth.  We are His vessels. Whatever way He chooses.  We were never meant to simply pursue and live in a bubble of temporal security.  We were created for so much more.  Eternal things.

I don’t know how this life is supposed to work.  I just know the alternative is to attempt to make the best of it on my own by making “logical” and “safe” choices in order to help my temporal self feel secure.  It never seems to work.  My gut never feels right. This is a time in our life where we have the least amount of money coming in and the greatest amount of peace.

Sooo….go ahead and jump?  Just be careful with those high leg kicks.