This year, I asked God what He wnted to teach me since each trip to the beach there is at least one spiritual lesson I come home with. This has been a somewhat difficult (actually very difficult) season beginning in the spring with the separation of our daughter and son-in-law. It wasn’t a pretty separation and was the beginning of a journey the included the suicide of her husband. This is not a place we ever anticipated being for sure. But it was where God had us and even though we didn’t like it, I asked Him to not let me miss any lessons He was teaching me about Himself through it all. By the time we arrived at the beach, we’d already experienced His hand in taking care of multiple issues our daughter was facing. He had also begun blessing my husband and me personally in very unexpected ways. During our week at the beach, He continued to just rain down blessing after blessing upon us. It was overwhelming when I began to journal all He was doing. It was as though He said, “Just let me bless you this week. Just let me show you how much I love you and don’t question it. Just thank me.” So I stopped questioning what He was doing, how I’d not deserved all He was giving me, and I began to just love Him back and say “thank you.” Now I don’t know why He chooses to do this sometimes in the midst of a difficult situation (and we certainly aren’t “done” with it), but I truly am learning to just accept that sometimes that’s how He works. And I am learning to be “quiet” enough not to miss even the small blessings amid the big ones. I wonder if I hadn’t had time to get quiet before the Lord, that I might have missed what He was up to? What if I’d not slowed down enough to really look for His hand, His lessons, His Word? How about you? When do you stop long enough to really ask God what lessons He is wanting you to learn? If you do not find a place to “come away” with Him, once a year, once a month, or for a few minutes each day, you will burn out and not serve most effectively as a leader. And you will miss precious lessons He so desires for you to learn. You might even miss recognizing those unexpected blessings He is showering on you as you hustle and bustle about your life. Ask God to show you where He wants to meet with you to give you life lessons that will equip you to reach and disciple others for Him. 
If you’ve read many of my blog posts, especially the more personal and inspirational ones, you’ve seen my love for the beach. It is a place where, as a leader I can really get away from the ministry responsibilities, chill out, and see the hand of God as I enjoy the peace and beauty of the Gulf Coast tides and white sands.
