It is crazy to think that it has been three years since I have been kayaking fairly consistently. I feel like I was just in high school where kayaking was a normal part of a weekend. However, now I find myself the most physically out of shape I have ever been so in turn even more out of paddling shape more than just time would create. Due to these factors, the day my dream of kayaking in Africa comes true was a day where God humbled me.

Haden and I went kayaking for our last hoorah last Friday while on our little “Spring Break Uganda 2012 trip,” and it was a blast. This does not go to say it was not one of my brightest days paddling. The Lord spoke to me the most truth I have ever heard while out on the river, though, which in the end made it the highlight to the day. I have always loved the water since I was little, and it is something that has always fascinated me.

Therefore, the power of water continued to amaze me last Friday as I was struggling to barely role my kayak out of the water while practicing our roles with the instructor. I kept getting more and more frustrated, and then when our instructor said something about how the harder you work the easier it is, my spirit connected to what he said. I understood it immediately. The harder I work initially the less I have to work in the end, but when I just give a little bit of effort instead of all my effort that is when I have to keep on trying and trying. The same thing goes for life as well, and this goes against my natural instinct as I naturally try to get by with as little as possible.

This leads to the second thought I mediated over, and that is the thought about how everything with kayaking goes against my natural instinct. While surfing, I want to lean upstream but that is bad because it will make me flip over. While rolling, I want to bring my head up to get air but that is bad because I can’t come up if I don’t bring my head up last. While paddling through rapids, I want to lean away from the big waves but that is bad because I need to lean into the waves so I will not flip.

Even though I wish I had a great day paddling with lots of awesome rolls, hug waves that I surfed, and combat rolls (a successful role after flipping over in a rapid), it was wonderful to hear the Lord speak to me. It is also a day that is going to be added to my adventure list.