- Beach Lessons, Blessings, Knowing God's Will, Spiritual Growth, Struggle and Loss, Test, Trial, Waiting
God of the Small Things: A Beach Lesson
Do you often pray for big things in your life? Those long-term struggles or big changes you’ve been hoping for? I’ve seen some incredible answers to these prayers, often after years of waiting. I’m also still praying for things that haven’t changed yet, and while I keep trusting God, the waiting can be tough. But sometimes, a small, simple prayer is answered almost instantly. This happened on the fourth morning of our beach trip. as I was watching the Gulf waters. I hadn’t seen any dolphins and simply said, Lord, send the dolphins. It wasn’t a major request—just something I would enjoy. I was stunned when, within seconds, I saw…
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A Reminder After the Storm
During our beach trip this year, we kept our eye on not one but two hurricanes. One landed in Louisiana (Francine), the other in Tallahassee (Helene), about 3 weeks apart. There is another one brewing that could also land on the Gulf coast, but we will be home by the time it arrives. After the eye of Hurricane Sally went right over us in 2020, we are much more cautious about any category hurricane anywhere close by. Around 36 hours after hurricane Helene made landfall, destroying so much and taking over 225 lives in several states (at the time of writing this), I awoke to the most amazing sunrise we’d…
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Getting Through the Muck
After a month at the beach, you can expect Beach Lessons in my posts! Here’s the first. This year we had a some seaweed just beyond the shore. If it’s out a ways, I don’t mind walking in the shallow water. But walking on and through wet, grassy gunk is not something I enjoy. But, what’s just beyond the seaweed? From the 18th floor balcony of our rental, I get a great look at the clear water beyond the dark mucky stuff. There is a sand bar out beyond as well. It’s shallow enough to stand on and draws many, including me at times, especially when it is clear and…
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When It’s Hard
We’ve just celebrated Thanksgiving and have been challenged to stop our busy lives for a season of remembering all we have to be thankful for. Yes, most of us have also overindulged in amazing food and fellowship as well. Perhaps your perfect family around the Thanksgiving table was less than perfect. Maybe it was even painful. Maybe you were alone How are we thankful when it’s hard? We know the passage: …give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 When we are struggling, fearful, hurting, criticized, or humbled in some way, being thankful is not normally the first thing we think…
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The Vastness of God: Fall Beach Lesson 2021
As I sat on the beach or balcony this beach trip, my eyes continually look at the horizon. As far as I could see was water. And more water! This is one of the repeated reminders I get when we are here: the vastness of the water is like the vastness of God. At this stage of life, the older I get, the more I realize I don’t know…about life, ministry, relationships and so many things, but certainly about the Lord. I know now more than I ever have, yet I understand how very much I still don’t know. That is what keeps me coming back again and again to…
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Beach Lesson #2
As I shared my beach lesson on mentoring with Amanda (please read that post first, Beach Lesson on Mentoring) , she told me she got something totally different from that experience of finding shells. So this is her take on it. Amanda’s thoughts are in italics and my comments follow. 1 Our lives are like shells. How many come to the shore completely shattered. Only a few come whole. Most have broken pieces. Perhaps you are a broken shell yourself. Can you trust God for your healing? Maybe you know broken people, can you be a source of encouragement and healing for them? 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God…
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Beach Lesson on Mentoring
This summer we took our first ever “adult only parents/twin daughters and their hubbys” beach trip. We were celebrating our 50th anniversary and their birthday. We had an amazing week and some great weather. But, not a lot of shells. If you’ve read earlier “beach lessons” blog posts, you may remember my love for shell hunting! One morning our daughter Amanda (who set up the Ninja tent each morning bright and early to get a great spot) was gone about an hour longer than it takes to set up the tent so we began to get a little worried. Then she walked in with a handful of the most beautiful…
