Breakfast on the Beach: Digesting Truth

“I found your words and ate them.  Your word was joy to me and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name oh God of hosts.”   Jeremiah 15:16

 

My day of departure from this adventure I have been referring to as Breakfast on the Beach and it is fitting that the sun has gone into hiding.  I’m standing on the beach just as I have every day this week…waves still come crashing in and foam still laps the shore, birds continue to screech & dive for their morning meal, the ocean persists in its roar, the sand remains cool & damp between my toes & beneath my feet, shells & seaweed continue to litter the terrain, tides ebb & flow just as they have everyday.  And though it cannot be seen, somewhere beyond the present clouds the sun is still shining.   The scene has not changed, only the lighting is different.  God steps center stage and speaks the same line He has uttered for centuries, “Come and have breakfast with me.”  {John 21:12}

 

This week I came to Jesus with my questions and my concerns.  I came in bewilderment and confusion over circumstances in my life.  I came wounded from the battle.  I came with my longings, the desires of my heart even as I was questioning my right to have them.  I came hungry and thirsty.  I came because the Sovereign God of the Universe whispered an appeal to me to “come and have breakfast”.  This God who created all things in heaven and on earth wanted to spend time with me…it is both unfathomable and divinely affirming. This “time” was more than chronos, a ticking of the clock as one minute follows the next…this was kairos, time that is charged with opportunity & significance. 

 

God met me overtaken with hunger & thirst.  As we broke bread together He showed me that questions and doubts are not the same, that there will be things He allows in His wisdom that He could prevent in His power, and that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.  He reminded me that surrender is not a one time action but a daily submission of my will to His Sovereignty, picking up my cross & following hard after Him. He comforted me that nothing catches Him by surprise & nothing will happen to me or in me without first passing through Him.  He assured me that wisdom is mine for the grasping.  He encouraged me that He is the God of second chances…and third, and forth, and fifth…the God who gives beauty for ashes {Isaiah 61:3} and He who restores the years that the locusts have eaten {Joel 2:25}.  He cautioned me to hold fast to right priorities and loosely to treasures that will fade.  He gifted me with a vision of healing and the promise of hope and a future serving Him with those I love.  And as He heard my cries that I am undeserving of such a feast,  He revealed to me that Christ’s cradle was a trough, a symbol from day one that Jesus had come into the world to nourish even the most unclean creatures.   

 

God’s call to Breakfast on the Beach is an invitation to fellowship that is not altered by circumstances or the passing of time nor is it affected by my unworthiness.  In His mercy and goodness Christ offers Himself a daily banquet for my soul where I may be filled to overflowing.  He, the Bread of Life, bids me come and dine. 

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they SHALL be filled.”  Matthew 5:6 

Breakfast on the Beach: Table for Two

I got offered a boat ride…

Day 8, Isle of Palms, SC

 

I stood on the shore at this Isle of Palms today with hands raised to heaven, a symbol of my desperation for Christ to come & fill me up.  And I lowered my hands, palms down in confession and recognition that I have nothing to contribute to this equation.  It is in these quiet moments that I have worshipped Him with abandon and the Spirit of the Living God has fallen on me.   

 

Though most of my time on the beach has been alone with the Lord, each time I come God grants me daily divine appointments with others in need of prayer & encouragement.  I offered to take photos of people walking along the beach and as we engaged in conversation, I shared with them that I am here to seek the Lord and pray.  And every time I’ve asked if I may pray for them, total strangers poured out unimaginable personal struggles and tragedies before allowing me to lay a hand on their shoulder or place my hand in theirs and bow our heads together.  What a precious gift!  My burdens were lifted, my cares forgotten as I stood petitioning the heart of God on their behalf.

 

These divine encounters where I was able to pray for others make it all the more precious that today the Father sent two sweet Christian ladies to pray for me.  I attended worship this morning at a dynamic, spirit-filled church in Mt. Pleasant, SC…no small coincidence that two sermons preached by two different pastors in the morning services were both on enjoying life and living to the fullest.  Following the second service, worshipers were invited to come forward for prayer and I felt prompted to do so.  I hadn’t planned on sharing much about my present physical condition, just an ambiguous request for strength in my body.  But Maura & Mimi wanted to know specific needs to approach the throne of God with.  I muttered something about two masses in my ovary and the tests that await me when I return home in a few days.  As both women began to pray, the pain that I had felt for days began to subside.  Maura prayed for wisdom for the physicians and for a good report.  And then it was as if a light came on in Mimi’s heart.  She began to share that God had just given her a vision about my reproductive organs…that “even though you will not bear children any longer through this body, God wants you to know that you will bear much fruit in Him.  This present condition is an attack from the enemy to distract you from sowing in the Kingdom but it will fail.  God is in control and He is going to get the glory in this…you are going to reproduce much in the family of God.”  Maura began to pray again in agreement, confirming the vision… “even if you have to go through surgery or chemo or other treatment, this is not the end for you…God is going to use this situation in your body to bring glory to Himself…you are going to continue to bear much fruit for the Kingdom”.  We prayed and I wept as I sensed the power of the Holy Spirit coursing through my body.  It was so unexpected.  All week I have set aside the pain and concerns over my medical condition in favor of hearing from the Lord regarding the deeper needs of my soul.  How precious that on this last full day here, the Lord let me know He has not forgotten the burden that first accompanied me to Breakfast on the Beach. 

 

Isle of Palms & 51^st became my place of commitment to cease striving…not just about the health issue but other things as well, most notably the longings of my heart to find the man of God that I can share my life with and serve in the Kingdom beside.  I have long ago come to embrace Christ as my husband and I know that I am complete in Him.  Still He knows the ache in my heart to share all this love with a man who is truly following the way of the Cross.  There have been opportunities for me to marry but each time I walked away because they were not God’s man for me.  Today I reaffirmed aloud, “I will wait, I will wait…for YOUR man God…I will wait” and once again I declared my trust in Him to order my life according to His purposes. 

 

Walking back up the beach I noticed several almost identical shells of various sizes.  As I picked up one after another, I discovered that they fit one inside the next as if they had been crafted to go together.  I pictured God holding my future mate, holding me, holding our children.  One shell after another slid into place as the Lord seemed to be acknowledging my longings and confirming in my heart that one day He will make it all fit together…

 

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere…the Lord is a battlement and a shield; grace and honor are his to give.  The Lord will hold back no good thing from those who walk uprightly.  Oh Lord of hosts, happy is the man who trusts in thee.” Psalm 84:10-12

Breakfast on the Beach: Hungering & Thirsting After Righteousness

early mornin’ run

Folly Beach

Breakfast on the Beach, Day 7 Folly Beach, SC

 

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.”  Matthew 5:6  What’s interesting about this verse is the original Greek translates “for they alone shall be filled”…

 

Breakfast on the Beach commenced early today…I wanted to embrace the sunrise over the sand.  It’s quieter here and though I’m not a runner I felt freedom to play along the shore, racing to beat incoming waves to a predicted spot on the beach.  The sand is so wet & hard-packed my bare feet left no prints.  It’s almost as if I flew above the firmament.  My time alone this week has been so permeated with the presence of the Lord I felt my burdens lifted and my heart is no longer heavy…the absence my footprints in the sand is a picture of my inner calmness as I imagine the Lord carrying me & we are floating together. 

 

A few hours ago a woman passed me as I was strolling and praying on the water’s edge.  I noticed she was carrying a bag and I watched in curiosity as she repeatedly bent down to pick things up.  At first I thought she was collecting shells and then I heard her mutter to herself something about winning the lottery of sand dollars.  Sand Dollars…hmmm, hadn’t even occurred to me.  Sadly, in an instant my prayers were cut short as my own personal quest for sand dollars overtook me.  Greed ensnared me as I felt compelled to gather in “my share” of the bounty.  It didn’t take long to realize that chasing after them was more than frustrating.  For starters, there were plenty of seashells but sand dollars were much more elusive.  My eyes ceased to focus on the splendor of the sun reflecting on endless sea, my ears no longer marveled at the roar of the mighty ocean, the cool breeze blowing across my face was forgotten.  I was on a mission—to collect as many sand dollars as I could possibly gather. 

 

Surely God would understand.  There’s always time to pray & I can do that anywhere, right?  But rarely does an opportunity like this come along.  I had to make the most of seeking my fortune while I could.  I scoured the beach for the treasure I sought and soon found my first sand dollar.  Delighted at my discovery, a large black one, I scooped it up and smiled at my good fortune.  “Nice one,” I congratulated myself.  Yet no sooner had the words crossed my lips than the treasure crumbled in my hand.  “Wow, fragile little things,” I thought to myself.  “I’ll have to be more careful with the next one.”  Another 5 minutes or so elapsed before I discovered the second one, carefully picked it up & laid it gingerly in a napkin I’d brought along with breakfast.  I must have devoted 20 minutes searching for my sand dollar lottery before I realized how crumbly they are when they dry off.  I managed to find 5 or 6 in all but the outcome was the same…not one of them remained intact.  They cracked & crumbled like week old crackers and all that remained were flakes & grains of sand & pieces of dollars that scarcely hinted of their former design.  Disillusioned, I headed back up the beach where I had earlier abandoned my breakfast & my Bible.  Embarrassed by the distraction, I apologized to my Lord who was waiting patiently to resume our breakfast on the beach.

 

Gently the Lord reminded me how foolish it is to go chasing after earthly treasure.  It’s not wrong to want nice things.  God does not begrudge our possessions.  On the contrary, I believe He delights in blessing us.  Still, we are to “hold loosely” to the things of this world lest they crumble like sand dollars to be carried away on the wind.  “ Take heed and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consists not of the abundance of things he possess.”   Luke 12:15 

 

We are free to accumulate wealth but at what cost?  “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”  Mark 8:36    

 

God calls me to a different kind of riches, “Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupts…for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Matthew 6:20

 

 The woman I spotted earlier just passed me again, her bag bulging with the bounty of beach combing…I wondered as she carelessly dropped another sand dollar into her collection bag what will be her reaction when she arrives at her destination to find a bag full of worthless fragments?  No small irony that this is called Folly Beach.

 

“Lord, give me neither poverty or wealth.  Provide me only with the food I need…”   Proverbs 30:8 

 

Thank you Lord for meeting me once again for breakfast on the beach.  And thank you for reminding me that as I hunger & thirst after righteousness, you are the Bread of Life that nourishes my soul until I am filled.

Breakfast on the Beach: A Smorgasbord of Culture & Beauty

Washington Park & St Michaels Church

Latin…”as long as I breathe, I hope”

THE Street

Charleston Speedway

City of Charleston

Washington’s pew

Who lives here?

Day 6, Sullivan Island & Charleston, SC

As my time here on the east coast and this adventure I’ve been referring to as Breakfast on the Beach is coming to an end my prayer is that these meetings with Jesus will extend far beyond my return to the “real world”.  A friend recently wrote to me, “Quiet time is quiet time.  Retreat to…be alone with the Lord is something far different.”  In the hurriedness of life it is often difficult to squeeze in time alone with the Lord…I’ve written about this before, recently even.  Minimalist quiet times are often rushed through and full-fledged retreat is considered a luxury.  And yet Jesus set the example, often withdrawing to be alone with the Father.  As my friend shared, “Jesus never once forgot that His only source of life was in the still quiet places with His Father, and not even His closest friends or family could go there with Him.”  

 

Everyday I have been here the “outer man” has been listening to the ocean as the “inner man” attended to God’s voice.  And faithfully, everyday He has poured into me from His word.  Though I had looked forward to this trip to prepare my heart for uncertainties that await me back home, He has been using this opportunity to focus more on my spiritual well being than physical healing.  It has been an affirming time of respite and renewal, basking in the Son.   

 

Standing on a small sandy area of Sullivan Island early this morning I watched mesmerized as dolphins played and danced through waves, daring to come close to the shore.  They seemed to know that they had an audience and they were happy to entertain.  Observing them was a delight and a reminder that the Creator has quite a sense of playfulness and an appreciation for fun.  It’s been an intense week and I was elated in that moment that God was blessing me with levity. 

 

I took the remainder of this day to explore Charleston.  It was a joy to my senses to meander in and out of art galleries and markets and meeting houses, to wade barefoot in fountains and to stroll through parks and East Battery.   The people were remarkably friendly compared to so many other places I have visited on the east coast, eager to chat & to offer advice on sites not-to-be-missed.  The food & flavors were savory, the sunshine even more delicious.  I felt the Southern Belle in me begin to emerge as I no longer fought the hint of a drawl I learned to conceal so many years ago.  I’m reveling in the sights & sounds & smells of Charleston and not unlike my moments alone on the beach, I am feeling particularly close to the Lord in this place. 

 

Interesting that this is called the “Holy City”…

Breakfast on the Beach: Tasting Wisdom

Bridge to St. Simon Island

My whopper beach

My beach covered at high tide

My windy deck

Freckles are Beautiful!

 Breakfast on the Beach Day 5, St. Simon Island, GA

 

As the tide is rolling in it covers the narrow 6 ft wide strip of sand that earlier passed for beach in front of my cottage.  Mostly it is rocks and a short wooden staircase leading down to the ocean’s edge.  The water is fairly calm as oceans go.  Smaller waves lazily find their way to the rocky shore.  My deck faces out over the water and gentle sounds around me begin to hypnotize me. 

 

Questions arise in my curious mind… “Father, Creator, what was on your mind as you formed the sea?  Was it your breath that blew across a sheet of liquid glass to form the first waves?  How did you decide upon this particular sound?  Did you find as much joy in the resonance as I am experiencing in this moment?”

 

Peaceful.  Steady.  The waves keep coming.  There’s no pounding for now—just a soft rhythmic bliss repeating its song over and over again.  

 

I come before the Lord today seeking wisdom, knowing that the Word of God says wisdom was established before anything else…Wisdom says, “The Lord created me the beginning of his works. Before all else that he made, long ago…long before the earth itself.  When there was no ocean, I was born.”  Proverbs 8:22

 

God before you saw your reflection in the mirror of still waters, before you breathed life into the ocean, before the first rustle of waves, Wisdom was fashioned at your side each moment dancing and you, oh Lord delighted in it.  You have whispered in Wisdom, “Those who love me I love, those who search for me find me.”  Proverbs 8:17 

 

I am searching, I am asking that I may not only find wisdom but love wisdom.  I have come to point of jagged rocks on the shoreline of my life that refuses me passage through self-reliance.  Lord use this experience to guide me safely over the narrow bridge into the vastness of your presence where I may delight in Wisdom.

 

“For whosoever finds wisdom, finds life and favor of the Lord.”  Proverbs 8:35