The Center of the Falls

As most of you know I was fortunate and blessed to travel to Canada twice this summer. The first was a planned, intentional trip to Mississauga, Canada to work with Impact Canada’s flagship plant, Churchill Meadows Christian Church in May. We attended and helped with 2 weekend services, delivered door to door thousands (OK maybe hundreds) of flyer's for a community BBQ, visited and experienced a Buddhist temple, a Hindu temple and a mosque. We also got to do a couple of “touristy” things like going to the top of the CN Tower and visit Niagara Falls.
Niagara Falls was a “bucket list” item for me. I was so excited to get out of the car and run to see it! (Yes, the team kept looking at me strangely) They were more than I imagined, God’s handiwork could not be questioned standing in front of this marvel! As I peered over the railing, a small boat was heading to the middle of the Horseshoe Falls. For those who have not been there, the Horseshoe is named appropriately. The falls on the Canadian side are shaped like a horseshoe. You can walk along one side of it, but the center and other side are not accessible by land. This small boat, the Maid of the Mist, was headed into the center of the horseshoe. It sat there fighting the raging waters swirling in the center, the massive mist that covered the view of the falls from time to time with its power, battling to stay in the center. I looked at our team and said “let’s go!” Well, we didn’t make it that day on the boat but that was OK, God was using us all in incredible ways, and I did get to see the falls.
Then in August, through countless blessings and generosity of loved ones, Robert and I went to Canada to work with Churchill Meadows. They had been looking for a magician for their summer Quest camp for kids, and I mentioned my husband does that. We spent 5 unforgettable days in Canada, sharing at Churchill Meadows and having some true quality time alone together we have not had before. Robert had been to Canada before, but not to Niagara Falls.Before we went, I asked if he would be interested in going on the Maid of the Mist the day we planned on seeing Niagara Falls. He had a very enthusiastic, YES!
Just like me, he was excited, overjoyed and in awe of the sight God placed before us. We enjoyed the view, and then headed to the dock of the Maid of the Mist. We could hardly contain ourselves as we slipped on our blue rain coats and waited to board. We made our way to the very front, top deck of the boat, on the railing not wanting to miss anything. The boat went to the American falls first and stopped for a few minutes as we were sprayed with water and loving the view so close to the waterfall. The boat slowly turned and headed toward the Horseshoe Falls. We raised the hood on our blue rain coat and held on as the plastic coats whipped in the wind. The closer we got to the center, the current was rougher, the wind stronger, the water poured on us, not mist, full on water pouring so hard I had to fight to keep my eyes open. But I fought; I did not want to miss a thing. The beauty was incredible and indescribable, to experience it all around you, everywhere you looked. We were surrounded by God's power and beauty.

Have you ever been in the center of God’s will? Are we living in the calm of our lives, watching from the sidelines saying wow, this is great. I am here looking in and I am safe right where I am. I have a great view from here God; I don’t need to move any closer. I don’t need to go on that Mission trip, I can pray from here. I don’t need to share with my non-Christian friends; they already know where I stand. When I first felt a tug to step out and truly give everything up for Him, I fought it. Guess what, when I started to give into the idea, moving into His will and not mine own, I entered a storm. It wasn’t a calm step; here I am Lord now it’s easy from here. It is tough, it is difficult, it is challenging and taxing and I felt like giving up. I questioned whether I really wanted to do this? Like the small boat fighting the currents and wind in the center of the falls, I feel like that boat some days. Struggling for the center, fighting against the waves; but I am actually fighting myself, my desires, my selfishness. My desire is to be in the center of God’s will for me, wherever that may be. It may be rough, it may be difficult, dangerous, completely not what I had planned, but I want to be in the center!