I began a small group led by Laurel Senick in May 2011, in which enticed me: reading God's word, meditating on it and surfing.
Surfing to me is a lot like life, our relationships and our relationship with God. I had never tried surfing until May 2010; a significant growing point in my life. I had started taking care of my body properly and eating correctly. I had never really taken priority in taking care of my body and figure. However, something traumatic had happened and
I took my frustrations out on my running shoes.. and boom my whole life changed.
I am from Wilmington, NC- the home of Wrightsville Beach so surfing has always been easily accessible to me. However,
I had just never taken the plunge to try it due to being insecure of my body.
Well with my newfound confidence, I tried surfing for the first time – and I loved it! I was able to get up on the first wave
I tried riding and it was a pretty amazing feeling! I remember my instructor, Tom Moorefield, said, "Be careful, it can be
addictive." Yea, yea, yea.. ok.
SO fast forward to February 12 2012, and I found myself on yet another board in La Libertad, in Sunzal Beach, El Salvador.
Yet, this beach had consistent waves and was located at a point break**
As I was surfing, I was thrown off my surfboard and as we were about to get taken
under the white water, I said a quick prayer, "God please protect me from anything that may harm me."After twenty seconds or I so I resurfaced and have never been so thankful to take in a breath of fresh air.
This incidence got me to thinking…
Surfing may quite possibly one of the most humbling experiences, EVER. There are boogers hanging out of your nose, you may gag
when you spit out the salt water you just swallowed. You let the more experienced surfers go for the better waves and knowing which wave is beyond your capability or not. Humbling is getting knocked in the face/ head by your board, snapping you back to reality.
And lastly, coming to the realization that your body is not in as quite of good shape as you thought it was. There is often an audience
awaiting your arrival back on the beach- laughing due to your lack of grace or grimacing because of the beat down your body
has just experienced in the water.
The most humbling experience though, is sheer fact that the ocean is far more powerful than you and that in itself is thrilling,
yet absolutely TERRIFYING
The ocean is a place of many secrets, a lot like society- a place where things can be thrown in and never to be found AGAIN-
a lot like our soul; deep secrets of the soul.
Sometimes while surfing, you may be too scared to pop up on the board so you choose to lie* flat on your belly feeling
like a coward. And often times, you look at what looks like might be the next "big break;" one begins paddling and hoping
that your intuition was right—isn’t that like life? Hoping, that this girl may be "the one," so you risk everything
in hopes* of this being "it." And sometimes well, you were dead on, and other times, well, looks can be deceiving.
But you know what, either which way, you tried- you may have succeeded, you may have "failed"
but you put your wet suit on, toughened up, strapped your board on, in hopes* of the perfect wave,
stroad confidently into the waves and "boom" you went when you were called.
Isn't that what Christ asks of us- when He calls us- we make the conscious choice to answer- or to not; to
lie on our belly and not get up. And when we choose to not get up – we are saying He is unworthy of our time, our money
and/or our love. That we are not trusting Him with everything we have, and that He is not good enough.
I challenge you to ask yourself, has God been calling you to get out into the water or are you still on the shore wishing you
were out here in the ocean, embracing life and all of its "waves."
Wake up, face that fear that has been haunting you for so long- Christ will meet you there.
Psalm 89:21-26
21 I will steady him with my hand;
with my powerful arm I will make him strong.
22 His enemies will not defeat him,
nor will the wicked overpower him.
23 I will beat down his adversaries before him
and destroy those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
and by my authority will grow in power.
25 I will extend his rule over the sea,
his dominion over the rivers.
26 And he will call out to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.
