Surfing Lessons In Rodanthe...

This week Nate and I have been in Rodanthe, North Carolina, finishing up our 3 weeks of vacation. It has been so nice to be away from our crazy busy life and just rest. We are staying at a campground right on the beach and have been spoiled because of that. We have spent our days laying in the sun, riding our beach cruisers, cooking some sweet breakfasts, ghost crabbing at night, eating ice cream, gazing at stars, and of course surfing.

I had heard that the Outer Banks services some of the best surfing on the East Coast (not that I am a pro or anything), so I was excited to see what it was like. For some reason, the first day we were here, all I heard about was the vast amount of sharks. It's funny, because 2 weeks before I was telling my brother in law how I am more afraid of being in deep water than I am of sharks. This week the tides turned, and I developed quickly this immense fear of the sharks in the Outer Banks. I had read articles, seen pictures of the sharks that were caught off the pier right by near we were swimming, and had even heard there had been a recent shark attack just a week or two ago. Needless to say, my fear level soured, and I was nervous.

Nate on the other hand grabbed his board and jumped into the ocean. I don't know why, but fear had a major grip on me that day. I waited over an hour before I finally mustered up the courage to get in, and when I did get in, I was so scared, I was practically...ok I was...crying! I don't know what got into me.

Fear has a funny way of gripping our lives. It stops us from some incredible experiences. I did surf that day, but to be honest, I was so fearful, it took away from some of the beauty of the experience. When I got back to our cabin that night, I read this Psalm 46. Here is what it says:

1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.[c]

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The next day, I took that passage to heart as I headed out to the water with my board. God is our refuge...he is our strength, he is with us, he is our fortress. I kept thinking that the same God that created those crazy waves, those crazy sharks, created this crazy girl! He knows me, he is my strength, he is my fortress, my protector, and I have NOTHING to fear.

It doesn't matter if it's surfing the waters of the Outer Banks, doing something that God is calling you to do that freaks you out, or taking some crazy leap of faith. The truth of the matter is, God is our refuge and our strength and we have nothing to fear.

That next day I got into the water and I'm not going to lie, I did look around quite often. But it was different this time. I just kept repeating in my head, God is my refuge...my fortress...my strength. I will not fear. I caught some pretty awesome waves and have actually gotten up a ton which has been a blast. If I gave into my fear, I would be missing out on some incredible rides. My hope is that I would remember that not just in my little surfing world, but in all aspects of my journey, because I don't want to miss out on the ride of my life.