by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, Ephesians 3:20

Sometimes (more often than not) I get caught up in the process of life. I’m an analytical sort of person, and I’m definitely a planner. With every project I tackle, I make plans, trying to anticipate any possible potholes and pitfalls. I build timelines and set expectations.

I’m also a recovering perfectionist.

For years I didn’t realize I was a perfectionist, but I definitely am. My perfectionism shows itself in strange ways. In the past it has kept me from trying anything I thought I couldn’t succeed at. For me, failure wasn’t an option. That translated into a hurdle that kept me from pursuing my dreams.

Truthfully, that issue does continue to crop up from time to time. (I can anticipate the snickers this confession engenders in my family and close friends as they read this.)

In the past I’ve gone to great lengths to build in safeguards that keep failure at bay when I tackle a difficult project. I always thought of these things as packing a parachute. They’d be a built-in safety net that would keep me from crashing and burning if I hadn’t covered all the possibilities.

Then one day I felt a metaphoric tap on the shoulder from the Holy Spirit. He asked me a question I’ve never forgotten.

Are you skydiving or flying?

You see God is in the business of helping us to fly. He’s not interested in skydiving, and He has no need of parachutes. Sure there are things we need to do to get ready to fly, but packing a parachute isn’t one of them. God wants us to fly free, chasing the dreams He’s set into our hearts. His plan doesn’t include the encumbrances of safety nets and parachute. When He’s in control, they’re just extra baggage that can hold us tethered to the ground.

So whatever dream you’re chasing, leave the parachute home and get ready to fly.

Edie Melson—author, blogger, speaker—has written numerous books, including her most recent fiction – Alone, and nonfiction – While My Child is Away. She’s also the military family blogger at Guideposts.org. Her popular blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month and has just been named as one of the 2017 Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers. She’s the director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and the Vice President of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, as well as the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine.