This is one of my favorite pictures! I took it during our Lake LBJ Weekend Escape in June. I have several pictures of everyone wiping out and surfing from that weekend. Everything about the experience was perfect, but what I really love about capturing the wipe-out moments are what they reveal: a vulnerability and willingness to wipe out.
The courageous and fun-spirited iGniter featured in this picture surfed for the first time one year before, and this picture showcases one of her attempts in June. After several wipe outs, she got it! She then surfed like a pro all weekend long.
This picture symbolizes living courageously, looking a challenge in the face and accepting that a wipe out could be the result. As adults, we like to control our "wipe out moments" and even avoid them all together -- even though we all grew up with and preached these mottos to our children: "don't give up" and "you'll never know until you try."
The truth is, it feels good and safe to stay in our personal, professional, physical, mental and spiritual 'success zones' because wiping out can and does hurt.
My question for all of us is this: Is staying in our safe/non-wipeout zone living a real life? When only putting ourselves in win/win situations that ensure our success, are we truly living and experiencing life?
In my opinion, it's not living or experiencing life. I don't believe we are called to live a wipeout-free life. We are called to be bold, courageous and to step out in faith, and when we do, sometimes we succeed and sometimes we wipe out -- but that's the fun of living life!
In Matthew 17:7, after Jesus's disciples passed out (after freaking out from what they had seen), Jesus firmly said, "Get up. Don't be afraid." Actually, I think He threw His arms up and proclaimed, "Are you kidding me! Get up!" Ha! (That's my version and why I'm not Jesus. I don't have His patience.)
I challenge each of us to be courageous and willing to pursue challenges, goals, dreams and all of life with a courageous wipe-out mentality. Just as John Wooden said, "It's the courage the counts," and as Jesus said, "Get up. Don't be afraid." Love, Neissa