I've written blogs before about surfing. And most of my family and friends have heard me talk about how much I love it and how I learned on YouTube and that Bethany Hamilton is my hero. But like one of my dear friends just told me how awesome it is that God even answers our prayers we never even prayed, that happened on my 300 th day on the World Race.
My last day.
About 7 years ago, my grandmother passed away while I was on vacation with my family in Florida. We decided on that day to go to the beach and that's when I learned to surf. It ended up being a beautiful and meaningful afternoon for me.
The beginning of the month in South Africa, we were in Durbin, a great city for surfing. I planned a trip to go out and surf in the Indian Ocean. But when we arrived on the beach, it was almost like Jesus had said, "Peace, be still." The ocean was as calm as a puddle. Then later that day we left for our location, Port St. Johns, also known as the deadliest shark attack beach in the world. No one goes in the water. And if you do, you're shark bait. I struggled to get the idea of surfing out of my mind. I had never been so distracted all year by my thoughts. But every time we walked along the coast of the Indian Ocean, it was a daily reminder that I couldn't surf. I know. It was pretty much selfish. But this was the battle I was fighting in my mind.
My flight home for my grandfather's funeral was out of Durbin. I began to ponder if it would be possible to surf the morning before I flew out. That morning, we woke up to our first cold temperatures, cloudy skies and storms of that month. It's always best to go out early in the morning to catch the waves, but we had to wait for various reasons in the hostel we had stayed at the night before. My heart sank at each moment. I know this will sound silly and trivial, but I heard God speak to me.
"Wait."
At 10 we left to see the coast. As we approached the surf shop it began to rain. Perfect. Then inside, the employee asked us to wait 20 minutes. Wait more. Of course. So we went for breakfast.
As we walked back 30 minutes later, the clouds broke open just as we saw the ocean and the sun came through. The rain stopped.
I surfed in the Indian Ocean.
Sometimes things seem "meant to be". That's how God put my month together. There were small things that seemed designed to get me home. The perfect 5 postcards I found the night before I left in my backpack to send to the same 5 people I did every month this year. The way I chose to not do the drama for VBS we were preparing even though I actually wanted to and always say yes to everything. They way I had said the day before that I'd fly home tomorrow if I could because I was ready and excited to minister at home. Before I left, I always said, "I wish it was only a ten month trip." I arrived home July 8 and return to work September 8. I was missing debrief for the year, but for the introvert, this wasn't a bad way to go out. And then the Lord even gives us more things that don't really seem that important, like surfing.
Wait….
Why does He even bother? Why would He give me something I don't even need? But He chose to save the best for last. As I looked out over the ocean, I saw the storms all over in the distance as I surfed in the best waves I had ever seen and in the water that was surprisingly warm on my very last day on the World Race.
Where is God saying wait to you? He saved the best for last for me. Maybe He's saving the best for you too.
In loving memory of Bill McHutchion 7-5-14
God saved the best for last, grandpa, because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8 And we are confident and
satisfied to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord.
