Summer for our family means at least one trip to the beach. For me, almost everything about the sea is relaxing. The warm sun, soft sand and rhythmic pattern of the waves all combine to slow my hectic life to a more peaceful pace. The only thing I don’t like about the ocean is that stretch of water between the shore and the deep where the waves crest and threaten to overwhelm anyone in their path. I have always been a sit-on-the-shore-and-watch type of beach-goer.
Part of it is the fact that I’m not a strong swimmer, so facing rough waves didn’t seem like a good idea. For years, my family couldn’t coax me past that breakwater and into the ocean beyond. They told me it would be much calmer once I got further out, but I refused to see past the pounding surf.
Beach Quotes to Inspire Your Vacation
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Finally, one day I gathered all my courage and let my husband escort me through the waves and into the pleasant water beyond. There I held on safely to a float and let the gentle up and down motion of the sea cradle me. It was well worth the fear I’d faced to get there, and I regretted not braving the barrage of rough water sooner.
As I bobbed in the waves, it occurred to me that this was a perfect example of how I’d initially dealt with our son being deployed in the military. At first, I’d been so focused on the crashing waves of worry and fear that I hadn’t been able to see past to them. Yet God promised to cradle me in His perfect peace if I’d just look beyond the daily crisis of having a son at war and wade out with Him. Once again, it took me a while to decide to go for it. Sure enough, when I left behind the crashing waves, I found the peace I so desperately needed.
