dolphin day...and more!

After the week I have had, I decided I needed to get away and get some alone time with God. My favorite place to go is Coronado beach and today turned out to be a beautiful day!

The sun was shinning, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and I got to just lay there. I had hours to just be there, nothing specific I wanted to accomplish but to relax and reconnect with my Savior. After a few moments, I decided to pull out my new book and keep reading. Such a great book so far, very convicting, but really helped me refocus on what my job is here on Earth and what I need to leave in my God's hand. Here are my highlights:

"Three Deadly D's of Destruction" by Joanna Weaver
- Distraction
- Discouragement
- Doubt
"Throughout time, Satan has resorted to these tactics to bring down God's best and brightest. The underlying strategy is fairly simple: Get people's eyes off God and on their circumstances. Make them believe that their 'happiness' lies in the 'happenings' that surround them. Or send them good news-about somebody else. When they're thoroughly discouraged, tell them God doesn't care. Then sit back and let doubt do its work." -p. 17

"3 things we can learn from Martha and her encounter with Christ" -p. 27
-we can bring out needs to Jesus anytime and anywhere. Ask and it will be given to you. -Matthew 7:7 Martha took full advantage of his availability, even in the midst of her busyness and party preparations.
-Jesus really cares about what concerns us. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7 He spoke to her with infinite gentleness and tenderness, recognizing the pain behind her whining words.
-Jesus loves us enough to confront us when our attitude is wrong. Those whom I love, I rebuke and disciple. -Revelation 3:19 He intuitively understood Martha's pain, but that didn't stop him from telling her what she needed to hear.

I concluding my devotional time by reading a few verses from the Bible. Yesterday, I was encouraged to read Matthew 28:18-20 so today I opened to it and was reminded of God faithfulness. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

By 11:30 I was hungry and decided to walk down the street and pick up a sandwich. Thanks to a giftcard from my amazing mother and a coupon from the newspaper for a buy 1-6" sandwich get one for free, she bought me lunch and dinner! Thanks Mom!

 As I was eating lunch, looking out into the beautiful Pacific Ocean... I spotted a pod of dolphins! I counted approximately 6 and they swam together parallel to the coastline and put on quite a show for all of us watching. Here's the only good picture I got...and proof I really did see them!

It turned out to be such an amazing day! Just listening the the crashing of the waves reminded me that God never stops, He never sleeps, and He never is not listening to me. He's willing to show up, like the dolphins, if I would just look for Him. I know these next few weeks will be hard, both emotional and physical, but He's with me and will continue to bless me more than I will ever be able to fully understand, just because He loves me.