Hello, hope-filled friends! I love sharing hope with you, but honestly, it has been a challenge as of late. Selling my mom’s house and preparing my home so she can move in with us has been a lot. Not bad, but just super busy. So, for the next few weeks, I’m going to share some older words of encouragement I wrote for other blogs in the past. I believe you’ll enjoy them. Let me know what you think, as always, in the comments…

Braving the Deep

The waves crashed onto the beach at Destin, splashing my feet and legs as I perched in my low chair at the edge of the water. I’d placed the chair where I could get wet, but still be on land. A bout with bronchitis had left me weak, but this mini-vacation would be restful and restorative for my health.

My friends, Steve and Kathy, waved to me from the chest-deep place where they swam. My husband trudged to shore, fighting the breaking waves.

He motioned. “Kathy wants you to join us. Come on.”

“No. I’m fine. I don’t want to fight the waves.”

“It’s not that bad. Really.”

I shook my head. I was tired of fighting the waves of life: sickness, stress, and work. Being knocked down by ocean waves didn’t sound inviting.

“Okay.” His disappointment was evident as he pushed his way out to the deep again.

I sat for several minutes before guilt took over. “I should go in, I guess. They all want me out there.”

I folded my chair and set it under the umbrella before struggling into the breaking waves, which threatened to upend me. I grumbled as I made my way to where they swam. Right before reaching them, the wave action changed. The water smoothed to gentle furrows, rolling high at times, but manageable. The water released coolness, and its clearness almost revealed the sandy bottom.

“This is nice.” I swam toward my husband.

“I told you.” He floated with a flowing wave.

Real life collided with my spiritual life. God calls me often to join Him in the deep, but I resist, seeing only the waves breaking heavily against the shore. He knows if I’d push past the initial whitecaps, calmness and joy await me. I need to trust God.

I enjoyed a refreshing swim before battling back through the breakers to shore. I smiled and breathed a prayer. “I’m sorry, God. Help me to trust You more.”

My view of the ocean and God had shifted from one venture into the deep.

“When He had stopped speaking, He [Jesus] said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’” Luke 5:4 NKJV

Are you ready?

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