I don’t normally seek out movies like this—if you’re afraid of heights, you’ll understand why. And yes, there are spoilers here, but I’d rather spoil the movie and help someone stop spoiling lives and live better. And this movie isn’t just about fear, but about loss, despair and suicide. And I realized this movie probably hits home to more people than we realize and I so I felt it was important to share today. If you’re struggling with any of these issues, please don’t do so alone. That kind of darkness is difficult to endure in the daylight, but even more so at night. And just in case you are ready to fall, call 988, or go to 988lifeline.org. You are not alone!
Towers are amazing structures. While most of them today are used to improve cell phone service, and electricity, towers of old were used to watch for approaching enemies. Not just to know how far away they were, but to give the townspeople time to prepare to fight before their arrival. Spiritually speaking, the Holy Ghost and our Church leaders, our parents, and True Friends are our Strong Towers. They warn us, protect us, help us prepare, train and encourage us to stay true in the fight. The devil seeks to tear down such towers and to distract the watchmen upon them.
You may love your friends dearly and have the best times with them. However, if they are leading you away from the Lord and leading you into places that are unsafe for your mind, heart and body, then it’s time to reevaluate your friendships. You must not allow them to compromise your present, or your future. Remember that sometimes being a good friend isn’t just going along with the crowd, or what’s popular, but taking a stand to stick up for your friends and their lives.
Plenty of people have proven they can climb anything on their own. Even when they’ve had someone with them, it doesn’t guarantee success of reaching the top, or safety along the way up. I’d still take the odds of having someone to climb with me, to hold the rope, to encourage me and to share in the victory at the top. But I wouldn’t want to put anyone (including myself) in risky situations. So, I need to be sure that whatever mountain I choose to climb that it is the right one!
Why is climbing up something so much more difficult than climbing down? Is it just gravity? Is it a lack of mobility, or visibility compared to climbing up? Are there significant differences in which muscles are used, or how you use them? I think gravity is equally grueling for both upwards and downwards. It will take and accept you whether you fall while climbing up, or climbing down. Ropes are easier to descend than ascend. What scenarios require climbing down?
I’ve seen too many movies about climbing, where they make it safely to the top and where they fall to their death. So, rock climbing high/scary/risky terrain is out of the question. And yet I’m not sure if I had to choose if I’d rather go skydiving (even bungee jumping) instead. Though some people justify such “risks” as not less risky than driving a car on the freeway, or living in a hurricane zone. Though, I think I’ll take my chances on the ground, and climb spiritual heights instead.
God can and absolutely wants to and will help you through your crisis. He will help you put the Christ in your crisis (crucible)! The Messiah (message) in your mess. But He cannot force you to allow Him to help you heal. He needs you to choose to let Him and to choose to keep climbing even after you fall. Christ will help you become stronger, wiser because He still needs you at the top of that mountain. Please don’t shut the Lord out and shut down. He will comfort you, always.
God knows you’re suffering. He’s not asking you to let Him magically take all the pain away. He’s asking you to trust Him and to not give up on Him, yourself, or life. The world needs you! You may not think/believe so, but I know so. So keep fighting!
When we lose the ones we love (temporarily) we have to move on for their sake and for ours. Yes, grieve and miss them, but don’t miss out on the life you still have in front of you to live again! It’s not mocking their death, or betraying them. Living is a way to honor them and their life.
When you’re about to do something that the future you would consider foolish and terrible, and someone calls you or knocks on your door, it’s not a coincidence, it’s the Lord telling you to hold on, that help is available and on the way. You may hate Him for interfering, but what you think is interfering is really what actual love looks like. Someone not letting you wallow in misery and sorrow and who keeps trying to talk to you, may be annoying, but they’re showing real true love!
Okay, you lost your companion. Whether they’re in a casket or a container, you can’t be in there with them, so please stop trying to live your life like you are. You are still alive! That’s not a slight to their memory. And you’re not honoring their memory by isolating yourself from living life—a life they would gladly live if they could. If you truly want to honor them, continue to honor yourself. Continue to find new ways to live and love, not to spite them, but celebrate them!
Towers that reach a minimum height of 200ft. are required to have light on them so that aircraft can recognize and avoid them. This also applies to any obstacle (no matter the height) that may interfere with the path and safety of any aircraft. You may think that it would be great if the Lord put such lights on tempting things that are designed to decoy and destroy our souls. He doesn’t have to because the devil already does. You’ve seen his fluorescent signs marking the danger within a product or location. These signs/symbols say the name of a famous beer brand, or simply use three letters to display, convey the carnal concoctions within, BAR, or XXX. But the world rationalizes that such products or places are legally compliant, and therefore acceptable, as long as they use the proper warning labels/signs, age-restrictions, laws to make sure no one can ENTER and partake (yet). NO TRESPASSING! And yet, is a warning enough to keep people safe? Or is the devil just covering his bases?
It’s sad that so many climbers, mostly young ones, have died while climbing and doing so for social media likes. Yes, they are daring and sharing what they love to do, but for some, the message they are receiving (and sending) is that the more risky (risqué), the more pay and the more followers and fame. And those who succeed (and survive) such dangerous scenarios send the message and invitation for others to try and match it, or beat it. So, what then is the definition of an “unnecessary risk”?
There was a time when places of potential ill repute had to be built on the outskirts of town and find a way to attract the people to come to him. And before the internet, there were only a very few channels that carried pornography. So, there was a motivation for people to move closer to, or make the trip to such places. Of course, bars were legal within the city-limits as long as they promised to abide by the rules. But this was all inefficient for the devil’s work. With today’s technology the devil is digitizing indecency in every way possible, as efficiently and conveniently as possible, to make sure that if people can’t come to him, then he will come to them. Now, ruining one’s life is just a click away. But here’s the great things…saving your life can be only a click away, too! The devil doesn’t own the internet. Sure, he monopolizes it with immorality and not just to look at, but order it straight to your door, but the Lord’s presence online is growing and those who know where to look and choose to look, will always find more light than darkness. Don’t fear technology, use it wisely.
You may not think that you need God now in your life. Everything is going great, right? God is only there when things go wrong, but ironically, things go wrong and we think it’s because God doesn’t care, or He’s punishing us so we don’t go to Him anyway. However, there will come a time when you realize that there really is a God, that you really are His child and that He really loves you and can help you. And that when you turn to Him, you will realize with love that He has been waiting to help you!
There are always vultures circling your mind, heart and home waiting for any opportunity to vanquish your virtue and turn your Christianity into carrion. They have few natural enemies because they seem so powerful and vengeful, but God’s golden eagles, even His owls (wisdom) can take them down. Nevertheless, you must be on guard because these vile vultures will not hesitate to attack you when you're down and try to keep you from repenting and finding help.
The Lord knows it’s easy to get scared, even paralyzed by part of life, especially when you’ve failed and fallen before. But He also knows that He created you to be stronger and smarter than you think you are! He also knows that you can do all things through Him, if you will trust Him. It doesn’t mean you should attempt/do all things, but it means that the things He created, called you to do and to become, you can do it, no matter the odds or the past. Trust Him to be with you!
How do you climb the steps, ladders and mountains of life? One “step” at a time! And when you get scared of the heights, or need to rest, then take a break. As for following Jesus, it’s not always all walking, or climbing. There are times to rest, recharge and to look around and celebrate how far you’ve come/climbed. Remember, we are supposed to have joy, too! This is why it is imperative we follow Jesus so we always know that we’re climbing the right steps, ladders, mountains.
Temptations are like vibrations. If your life’s structures (mind, heart) are not secure. If you don’t check for loose bolts, rusted connections, and tighten/replace them, then those vile vibrations will shake everything loose. When you think your strong tower will protect you and withstand the wicked winds, it will fail and you will fall. But how do you know where to check for damage or wear and tear that needs reinforcing or replacement? Again, this is why you climb with Jesus. Sure, there will be times when He encourages you to “catch up” but there will be plenty of times when He slows His pace to give you peace and encouragement to keep going and to not give up. Remember, following Jesus isn’t about logistics, it’s about your eternal evolution and elevation!
How many times in our lives have we told Jesus that we can’t follow Him anymore? How many times have we turned back because the way was too difficult? And yet, how many times has the Lord encouraged, comfort us to keep going, to keep looking up to Him, to take one more step? You would be surprised how often, that one more step is all it takes to get past your past and to reach the future that Father has been preparing you for your entire life? Step!
What do we do when we are required to do something risky? We cannot always be completely safe in life, though we don’t have to help the odds by taking unnecessary risks, right?! When we have to act, we must carry a prayer in our hearts. We must concentrate on the task, not the risk. This can be done through visualization, meditation and any kind of inspiration, including music, and any uplifting audio. Professional athletes use it all the time, right? Don’t forget to pray!
Actually, in most cases, I’d rather let fear win than I would let gravity and the ground win!
Temptation is like climbing a rusty ladder. The devil will remove one rung and one small, seemingly insignificant bolt at a time; when you’re not looking, or least expect it. You may think you’re safe and that the consequences are nominal because the feeling of his façade of freedom is phenomenal, but eventually you will realize your demise, that you are not safe, as the ladder, and your life, come falling down around you. And the higher up you are, the farther you fall, the harder you hit, the more hurt you get. And yet even still, the Lord is there to catch you, or to pick you back you back and heal you in ways you never thought was possible. He will love you back to life with a love you were sure you would never feel again. He will remind you who and Whose you are and heal your soul.
Yes, this is just a movie, but I know there are people in real life who lose several loved ones and wonder how they will get through it. The only way I know they could, if they will trust and believe, is to follow Jesus. They have to live as to honor the lives of their loved ones! They cannot give up, no matter the circumstances!
Here’s a crazy question; do we have to do something crazy for it to be cathartic enough to heal our scared, paralyzed, broken hearts, lives? Do we have to risk death, to learn how to live again? Do we have to partake of things that hurt us to remind us we’re alive? Can the Spirit of God act as the only catalyst we need to catapult us over the chasms of fear, despair better than adrenalin? I think we turn to the world and trust in it more than Jesus because that’s what we see others do.
No matter your heights or depths, you will always be able to get a signal to and from God. He knows the towers of temptation you stuck on. He knows the depths of sorrow you’re drowning in. His Light and Love are not dependent on your location, but the direction of your heart. No matter where you are, or what you’re going through, you can always call out to Him for help. He is listening, He sees you and He will find a way to help you. Stay faithful and be believing.
Sometimes the Lord will allow us to stay stuck on our towers. Yes, to teach a lesson but also to prove His power to rescue.
How sure are you that Jesus can and will come to rescue you? Are you at least 10% sure? I’m 100% sure that He wants you believe in Him way more than just 10%! I’m One-Million-Percent positive that He wants you to believe in and rely on Him more than anything, anyone else!
Just because life is short, doesn’t mean you have to do crazy things to make you feel alive, or that to feel alive you have to do crazy things. Sure, they may be the fastest way in some cases, but there are many ways to feel truly alive, without risking death in the process. It’s just that too often we’re not patient enough to seek out those things, or even believe they still exist in such a cruel and crazy world. No matter how long your life is, if you don’t live smart, at least live safe.
There’s nothing worse than screaming for help and thinking no one can hear you. Nothing worse than being lost and no one even knows where to start looking, or even that you’ve missing. We’ve got to stop watching each other (social media) and watch out for each other more often.
There will always be someone willing, able and wanting to not only knock your down, but kick you while you’re down. And not only that, but fight you from getting back up! This is how the adversary and his minions work. Nevertheless, God’s arm is stronger. Take it and don’t let go.
O how many “mistakes”, “accidents”, “deaths” has alcohol contributed to? And the devil laughs. And yet people still tempt their fate with liquid death thinking that they will be more careful than their friends, that’s it’s only one sip, one drink, one shot, one night, one celebration. They justify it with all kinds of reasons and excuses, and yet that’s where the rationalizing begins. Next thing they know it’s one more sip, drink won’t hurt. As their ability to stop weakens with every drop.
It’s a beautiful, miraculous thing when God sends someone into our lives who has the strength, willingness and patience to pull us up after we’ve fallen so far. Our minds and hearts tell us that we’ve fallen too far for anyone to help us. The Lord says differently. The Lord loves differently.