I lift my eyes

I've had the privilege of going to the beach a little more frequently lately. It is such a treat to get away, disconnect from work, eat different foods, and enjoy God's creation. The weather has been cooler in Haiti and the wind blows at the beach-- I've even gotten goose bumps at a few moments. WHAT?!

God has been really kind in this recent season of trying to recover from compassion fatigue (if you want to know about it, check out this amazing blog: http://www.saritahartz.com/what-missionaries-need-to-know-about-compassion-fatigue/).

Tonight I was standing at the rock barrier between the ocean and the beach. I was on the windy side of the beach and this song came to mind: You Make Me Brave by Bethel Music

As Your love, in wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me
For You are for us
You are not against us
Champion of Heaven
You made a way for all to enter in

I love to think of God's love crashing over me like a wave. It reminds me of the verse in Psalm 42:7:

Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

I've always wondered what that means- deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls.

Anyways, I digress.

I started walking along the big rocks on the edge of the beach. I love climbing on rocks on the edge of the water and have since I was a kid. I remember climbing on the rocks with my ridiculously talented cousin when we were kids vacationing in Michigan every summer.
I love the challenge of balancing from rock to rock in bare feet.
Often it's easy to keep my head down and pay attention to what I'm doing. There are lots of little crabs crawling around the rocks and before I know it my mind is flooded with irrational fears of being pinched by a crab or bitten by a centipede. I have to remind myself to get stable and balanced and pick my head up away from the rocks and my feet.

When I pick my head up I can see the vast ocean, the beautiful sunset reflecting across the water, the mountains of the island of La Gonave in the distance. It is breathtaking.

It occurred to me that this is a perfect metaphor for my life in Haiti … and for life in general. It's so easy to keep my head down looking at my feet, frozen in fear, and focused on the what-ifs and the small problems of sharp rocks and insect intruders. But when I can trust myself and God enough to look up and gain perspective, to get my eyes off my toes and the small little things that are around my feet, I can see God. I can see his work. I can see the beauty of it all. I can thank God for the miracle and opportunity of working in Haiti.

God give me eyes to see Your beauty, Your work here, the beauty of these people, to wonder and awe at your splendor, Your creation, Your majesty.


Wahoo Bay Beach, Haiti

View from the Ocean

Haiti has the most beautiful sunsets

I lift my eyes...

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 9, 2016 at 11:22 AM

    Hi Rachel! Great post. I am praying for you and I look forward to seeing you this year. I will not be back until late summer early fall. I hope we can connect before then.
    Kim Bunker MSN FNP-BC NP-C Bethesda Referral and Teaching Hospital www.brth.org

    ReplyDelete

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