Our family had the opportunity to go to the beach with my parents. So many feelings, thoughts, and experiences came from that trip as the smell of the salty air enveloped us in this new environment…
Exuberant JOY filled our hearts and bodies as we felt the sand on our toes as we ran into the cool water for the first time.
The roar of the wind and waves crashing on the shore almost drowned out all the thoughts and worries from home.
The powerful water, crushing large things into tiny things while supporting the life of an abundant amount of creatures at the same time left me in awe.
The majestic nature of the water drew me in and demonstrated the bigness of our mighty God.
The creativity of God was on full display in the numerous creatures that make their home on the beach, some wanting to be seen in all their glory while others wiggled their way back into the wet sand for safety and comfort.
The water brought discoveries of shells and creatures with each new arrival of a wave, changing the texture of the land as it entered the territory of our feet, reminding me of how nothing stays the same forever except Jesus' love!
The bright orange fiery ball that peeked its way out of a cloud on a sunrise walk with my husband reminded me of the hope of Jesus’ return and the beautiful consistency in which our earth works.
I could never get bored here!
But I could get tired of the sand that gets everywhere!
One afternoon on the beach I saw a lone surfer in a bright orange wetsuit on the waves. Later on, from a distance I saw her again as she walked past my kids digging in the sand. She smiled and waved at them. Later, as I was walking along, finding seashells, I saw her yet again, this time sitting on the sand, legs outstretched, just within the water’s reach. I felt drawn to talk to her. I don’t know if it was her bright wetsuit set against the gray of the day or if it was her friendly personality, or if it was the way she just seemed joyfully different than others around her. As she sat she seemed open to what life had for her. "Here I am" her whole body seemed to say. It was a short, surface-level conversation. We found out we were both believers and I invited her to crash the date night my husband and I were going to go on later that night. What a not-normal thing for me to do! And not a normal thing for a stranger to accept! But I know now that it was all the Holy Spirit’s leading!
She (Jen) and her roommate (April) met us that night and told us about the movements they had both started. We felt like we had met our "people" because of how they were desperately running after God in their lives! Jen's dad committed suicide when she was younger and through the terribly difficult journey in and through that trauma which never really ends, God has helped her come to a place where she has a passion for helping others through their own traumatic times. She wrote a book about her journey, has interviewed others so people can know they are not alone in the ability to overcome, and even coaches those in need of healing from trauma! How she has continually said, "Yes" to God was inspiring! Her roommate, April, was just as inspiring with a mission to help highly paid sex workers realize they could make just as much money in a more wholesome way with God by their side. I could have listened to their stories all night!
Hearing about their amazing stories and missions reminded me that I want my kids to understand that everyone is hurting in some way and that our healing God can be found in and outside a church building. Jesus came to heal the broken and hurting, even the people who couldn't or wouldn't go into a "church" environment. It's all of our jobs to copy what Jesus did to the best of our ability and to partner with God in helping people in the way that God made us, using the unique passions and stories He's given us. I want my kids to know they can call on the Holy Spirit's help in this matter. Jen and April reminded me that there are people doing God's work everywhere, not only in a church building.
Jen did something that I want to teach my kids how to do too, which is incorporating God into everything. One example of how she did this was when she told us that she recently started surfing. Before she didn't even like the beach! Surfing helped her feel how much God loved her. She felt safe on the water because she was always attached to the board. She could always hang on to the board if she fell off. Much like God who she can always hang onto if she falls. That's something I want to help my kids understand, that God is always with them.
What I want my kids to learn about Jesus through this whole experience is that everyone has a story, is loved by Him, is worth talking to, going deeper with, and learning from. I would love for my kids to practice, just like I am learning how to do, how to listen carefully for who the Holy Spirit may want them to talk to. You never know what the Holy Spirit is going to show you if you say yes and look out towards others rather than always focusing inward.
God gave me the gift of seeing Him in the waves and in strangers around me. I’m so thankful I opened my eyes.