“Life is like a roller coaster.  You can either scream every time there is a bump, or you can throw your hands up and enjoy the ride.”

Ben Busko

God often brings focus to my training and development through recalling experiences from my past.  Like sitting down in a private theatre with some fresh popcorn, a root beer, and your best friend.  God loves to play back memories and experiences to spurn deeper exploration about His heart of love towards me.

Recently, Papa took me back through a number of Disney experiences starting in my youth and spanning my life.  Culminating with a dad-and-daughters road trip to Disneyland in 2015. 

I used to LOVE the Alice Teacup ride.  It didn’t matter how long the line was. The wait board could indicate hours and I wouldn’t care.  The Teacup ride was always worth the wait.  I longed to grab that wheel and attempt to turn my dad (or later my kids) green in the face, while laughing and being immersed in complete joy.  I even contemplated life as a Navy pilot because clearly, my stomach was made of iron!

As these early memories played out, I began to chuckle, until Papa changed out the movie reel. He pulled me ahead to when my oldest was twelve.  On our first day, we eventually made it to the Teacup ride, and my world turned upside down.  Literally.  I suddenly found myself unable to handle the ride and I became the “green dad”.  My girls loved it, and were kind enough to stop spinning the wheel so I didn’t loose my lunch.  Then Papa took me to my last dad-and-daughters trip to Disneyland in 2015.  I watched from the side lines while both daughters rode the Teacup ride without me.  As I began to realize some “teachable moment” was fast approaching, I got quiet. 

Then Papa turned off the movie projector, and transformed the room.  I found myself sitting in the Teacup ride with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  As the ride spun up, I began to feel a little green in my spirit.  Yet Jesus and the Holy Spirit were laughing and having a great time.  I was getting verbally annoyed with them both, when Papa froze the scene and asked me:

“What changed?”

I recognized two things immediately at the same time He revealed them.  First, this wasn’t about me and the Teacup ride in the natural.  This was God using the ride as a metaphor for my life.  Second, I realized what had changed was me.

I won’t go into all the details that Papa and I then spent unpacking, but will leave you with this word He challenged me with:

“I want to make your life a glorious adventure, but you must stop striving for a lifestyle that feels safe.  You long for the adventure that a life abandoned to Me can be, while clinging to old ways because change frightens you.  I want you to break free and discover the adventures I have planned for you, and they come with permission to have fun – not later, but now.”

Papa

Warrior Commission Member,
Kern Pegg

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