It’s amazing how God continues to amaze me at His creation. This past weekend my team and I were able to escape to the coast; my happy place – the beach. I love the sound of the waves crashing on shore, the smell of the salt water and fresh air, the exfoliating sand between my toes and the warmth of the sun fills my soul. Walking along the shore I started reflecting on this past week, the struggles, the joys, the goals and the learning experiences is when I started noticing pebbles along the shore. I am thrilled when I find a cool seashell amongst all the other debris washed up but I never paid much attention to the rocks and pebbles that are sleeked smooth by the erosion of the tide coming in and out in with their unpredictable strength.
What caught my eye is the way these pebbles stood their ground anchored in the sand and how the water had to retreat around their smooth edges back into the flow of the undertow. This shift in flow, a hiccup, created a unique pattern in the sand and a ripple effect as the calm waters gave way being swallowed back up into the ocean.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
I heard God’s soft whisper of how I need to be that pebble. I need to stand my ground, be planted in Him and not swayed by the ways of the world like the tide being lost in the vast body of water. I need to make the shift of the current and upset the natural flow of the world. As I continued to gaze at this pebble and the surrounding ones I also realized this shift created a ripple effect as the water continued to retreat. I am not only supposed to create this shift in the current but I need to create this ripple effect so it continues to create a whole new pattern on the shore. This is what I need to strive for in ministry; equipping others to continue the work started. Providing sustainability in the ministry not just temporary fixes. Me, myself and I cannot change the world but I can be the one to start the ripple.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
Fun Fact: Hot sauce is called chili down here. It makes the daily serving of eggs and beans taste even better. Breakfast, lunch or dinner it adds a bit of variety to the staple…picante!
