While I haven’t met a vacation spot I didn’t love, I truly love the beach! The sounds of the crashing waves, the smell of the salty air, dolphins jumping topside, soft sugary sand between your toes…yummy to all the senses! Our family vacations have always centered around beach destinations and just to be fair, we mix in the mountains because we love them too, but the ocean has always had our heart.
My husband was SCUBA certified in 1994 soon after we married. He’s a thrill seeker and since I was just fine snorkeling above him. I couldn’t imagine all that could go wrong breathing 100’ below the surface, so I remained a snorkeler…until 2003, when he begged me to try this underwater world. It was our 10 year wedding anniversary and my Dad generously gifted us his week in Kauai. So, I did it! Now, I would be able to experience what my new hubby said was a grand adventure beneath the surface.
It was nerve racking, scary and yet painfully beautiful. With pinkies locked together, we set off to explore the deep blue. I was too nervous to be relaxed and really enjoy it. The equipment was heavy and awkward. Then, there were all the risks of SCUBA. Children as young as 10 years old can get certified so it’s a pretty safe sport however, you do need to be aware of your depth and air supplies as you enjoy this new world, otherwise, yes, you can hurt yourself.
Our next SCUBA vacation in Cozumel was a much better experience. While I was nervous, I was more familiar with the gear and the water was amazing! (We still locked pinkies!) Before I knew it, we were swimming along at 100’ taking inane expected the awkwardness. Cozumel’s waters are full of lush colorful reef domes. Colorful fish of every size and shape darted around us in curiosity to this human fish in their space, lobsters and eels peeking out of their holes, turtles gliding by and barracudas sizing us up with their little teeth striking out of their jetted jaws. The sharks? Sleeping peacefully on the ocean floor. This underwater world was quiet, colorful, vast and graceful. You are weightless even though the moment you break the surface to return to land, the weight is almost more than you can handle.
Despite the dangers, awkward equipment, the personal cost to dive into the beautiful blues, we have the privilege to see, hear, touch and be a part of an amazing under water world that you simply cannot comprehend from the shores. It takes gearing up and going under in the cool crisp waters for yourself to know the ocean crackles, to be amused by the glittering and twerking of fish, to feel like you’re looking for lost Nemo as you spot Dory just off the reef. There is nothing like it!
The same is true as we gear up to dive into the magnificent life of faith God has planned for us. Standing on the shore doesn’t allow you to see this other world. You must get into the waters to see, feel and hear what is below the surface. No one can do it for you. Getting into the waters by faith allows you to see what was once unseen and unfathomable. Faith opens our eyes to a whole other world of risk, adventure, beauty, peace, sights and sounds. At first it will be awkward and nerve-racking yet thrilling. It’s new. But God, He has created this amazing life of mind-blowing adventures. Even when it’s scary, awkward…He extends His pinky to you to lock on to. He leads us beside the still waters. He equips us with all we need for a faith filled life. The more you step into the Water of deep faith, the more familiar it will be and your appreciation, trust and eyes be exposed to vast levels you could otherwise never had experienced and enjoyed. There is nothing else like it!! Dive deep!!!
"But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus."
Matthew 14:27-29NIV
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