“I hate the ocean”

Hi everyone! I have been in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa for over a month now—time is flying! Ministry at our after school program has been incredible and I have the chance to give piano lessons to about 8 students each week, a dream come true!! We are preparing for PVT in about two weeks which is our Parent Vision Trip. Parents of racers have the option to come visit us on the field for about a week and get a glimpse of what our lives look like in this season. My dad is coming and I am so excited to see him and show him around the cutest town that has quickly become home for my squad!

One thing that has been a big adjustment for me and a pretty ironic situation is me living in a beach town. If you don’t know, I have never liked the ocean and am pretty afraid of it. The unknown of so much open water and any/every animal that could be swimming around makes me not thrilled about being at the beach or in the ocean. It’s been a funny thing for most of my life and just a pretty simple truth- “Bree doesn’t like the beach. At all.” I’m sure you can imagine my reaction when I found out our route was changed to Jeffrey’s Bay and that our squad would be living a mere 5 minutes from countless beaches. It’s so funny looking back, but over the past month the Lord has taught me lesson after lesson through the ocean and I have grown to love it so deeply!

About two weeks ago I was taking a walk on the beach and talking to the Lord when He gave me the coolest revelation. I was watching the waves roll in over and over and realized how constant they are. All over the world, on every continent and in so many different countries waves are crashing onto the shore right now. Every morning, night and moment in between and it’s something so constant that we don’t even consider the idea of the waves just stopping one day. I realized that the Lord’s voice is so much like the waves. It’s so constant, everywhere all the time, and we can depend on it as if it’s just common sense. It might be quieter or softer sometimes, but it’s always there. And then I looked down at where I was standing. I was watching the waves but I had my toes at the edge of the water and was barley feeling the affects of the waves. Some came in further than others but I still had full control and could simply walk away at any given moment. I began to walk further into the water and realized that we get to do this with the Lord. We get to choose to step further into relationship with Him and when that happens His voice grows louder and louder. It begins to affect us more and we start to lose control, in the best way. We are pushed off balance a bit or taken off course—we might even fall, but it’s into His presence.

I also was looking at the seashells laying in the sand as I was walking. I watched each wave bring in more shells, some broken and some whole and beautiful. The Lord speaks and through hearing His voice we learn new things about Him, ourselves, and others. We get to choose to pick up those things and carry them with us. Some shells I would pick up and carry for a few minutes until I found a better one. Eventually our hands will get full, BUT there is such a sweet solution to that problem—OVERFLOW! We get to learn and take from the Lord and our time with Him, but at some point we must begin to give away the things we are receiving or our hands will be full and our growth impossible.

Praise the Lord that we have a Father who speaks to us constantly and builds us up to look more like Him. Even when it feels like the waves are knocking us down, we are falling deeper into His presence and there isn’t a better place to be! I want to encourage you this week to step deeper into His presence and listen to the things He’s saying. The further out from the shore you are, the quieter the voice of the world becomes and you can simply fall into His presence! You can find full rest and peace when all control is surrendered and it’s just you and Him.

I love you all so much and can’t wait to send out some photos and stories in a few days!!

His love + mine,
bree