Can I just say that I absolutely LOVE my team?!?!?! Ok, that has nothing to do with what I am going to talk about, but I just had to get that off my chest. We are a team that strives for change, challenge and adventure. After all our ministry for the month of October in Honduras, which was amazing by the way, we decided to head for El Salvador for a long weekend before we meet our whole squad in Nicaragua. We have been able to spend time on the beach, explore, surf and other activities together. I love getting to know my team in all aspects. Through our hardships, laughs, tears, frustrations, silliness, seriousness; in all ways. But little did I know I was going to get to know someone as good as I did.
Experience I'll never forget.
Last night, after our team went out for some pizza dinner we decided to go on a walk along the beach. We made it a team norm that we take team walks after dinner every night. It was such a clear night with a full moon that lit up the sand and water. We were the only ones on the beach. After all jumping around together, climbing rocks and enjoying the moment, we all kind of split ways walking along the beach, standing, sitting, whatever we wanted to do.
I stood in one spot for maybe 20 minutes. I breathed in and out deeply a few times then thats when I heard God speak to me. He said, "Look at me." So I did. I stood there. What did I see? Huge Rocks, waves, the ocean, sand, black, white………..
What does this mean?
I haven't cried in a while. But all of a sudden I was in tears. Bawling like a baby.
I saw the darkness from the neverending ocean in front of me with waves roaring as loud as lions crashing into the rocks. The scary, dark waves came toward me and always looked like they were going to take me down, but as they drew near, coming from infront and behind me, the now turned white wave was the most graceful feeling on my feet.
Right here is where I felt the irrational love of God.
He is a neverending, unconditional love. As there is darkness around me God is fierce and comes like a giant roaring wave crashing into rocks that try to trample over me. They are fast, loud, huge, can take anything down, but as it nears me, the darkness turns to white. It is still fierce as it comes but once it grazes my feet it is the most gentle feeling. No matter what is in front, around, beside me- He fights for me. Love.
As I looked at my feet in tears, I saw the gentle, white waves surrounding around my whole body. Then I looked up to the sky at the most perfect time. Thats when I saw a shooting star! I laughed and cried harder! It was like He was looking down at me smiling and reminding the promise that He was there with me last night. Kind of like Him winking at me or something.
He never leaves me.
I still can't put this encounter into words. It's more than that. The burning in my chest and joy in my heart was piercing. But in a good way.
Basically, God is Huge. He is fierce. Love. Gentle. Caring. A Warrior. Humerous.
Please know this, and don't forget this truth. He wants me to share this with all because it is so real.
Ephesians 3: 18 " And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
