Leave & Cleave

Life is funny at times. It can be overwhelmingly complex. Other times, it can be beautifully simple. I was listening to one of my favorite preachers talk about leaving and cleaving today. He was speaking in a greater context but made a point that in life we are constantly leaving one thing, in order to cleave to another. That particular part of his sermon resonated deeply with me. As many of you who follow me regularly know, it is my custom to ascend the climbing wall at The Girls Who Rule the World mentoring camp that my husband and I sponsor every year.

This ritual of conquering the wall and ringing the bell at the very top, is just one of many activities I participate in with the girls to encourage the faith, inner determination, and accomplishment of our attendees. I’m often asked how I’m able to do it. Well, the answer is simply…I leave and cleave. With one hand and foot I maintain the minimal support I need to keep me from falling, I willingly let go with the other hand and foot to reach for something better and higher up. This process is repeated over and over again until I reach the top.
When I heard the preacher’s words this morning, I realized that we can never get to our next place in life, or perhaps more importantly, the next level of blessings God has for us, unless we are filled with enough faith to let go of who, what, or even where, we have held on to for so long. The preacher mentioned that many times, die-hard loyalists fail to “leave and cleave” to their own detriment. It’s so true! How many of us have held on too long to dysfunctional relationships, old ways of thinking, or unproductive habits for the sake of “being true”. I tell you what…it’s time to leave and cleave to something more promising. Lay hold to the people, places, and things that are better for you!
Just as I discovered on the climbing wall, ascension in life happens only when you get comfortable with leaving the familiar and cleaving to the exciting possibilities in front of you.