Wave diving

I love standing on the shore of the ocean and letting the waves crash at my feet.

But sometimes you actually have to venture past the shoreline and into those waves.

I was in Florida this week, and the weather was pretty close to perfect (minus the humidity). The water was absolutely beautiful, but there were definitely points where I thought it was way too cold, and I actually preferred just standing on the beach and looking out at the amazing world God created. But, let's be honest, you can't go all the way to the beach and not get in the water. So, of course, I had to suck it up and endure what I thought were cold temps so I could go hang with the fam in the waves.

My mom invented somewhat of a little game that she called "wave diving," where she dove into the waves that came toward us. (These "waves" were actually more like little bumps in the water, but to each his own.) Even though I didn't find as much of a thrill as she did in this, it was fun to see my mom so excited about these tiny waves.

Like I said, the waves I enjoy the most are the ones that crash into the shore. There is something about standing there that is so peaceful—the waves can't actually hurt you, and they feel so good as they soak your feet while you take in the wonder of the creation all around you.

Go beyond the shoreline.

But you can't be perpetual a shore-stander.

Life is full of waves and bumps that come our way, and they aren't always going to crash serenely at our feet. There are going to be times where we have to take them head-on and take part in our own form of wave diving. It's not always going to be pleasant—sometimes the water is going to be cold, it might get up your nose, it's going to leave sand and salt in your hair, and it might even cause part or all of your swimsuit to come off.

And it doesn't end there.

One thing about waves is that they don't exactly travel alone. They just keep coming, and we just have to keep diving into them and trusting that the One who created the majesty that is the ocean and all of its mysteries will carry us through even these most trying times.

Because, eventually, we will be back on the shore with the waves crashing at our feet.

The shoreline is nice, but it's also safe. While the ocean is fun, it's not always the most pleasant experience to venture out into it, especially if you are walking slowly. Sometimes you just have to try to start running out into the water as the waves try to tackle you, and the temperatures try to sway you back to the shore. There are lessons in each wave, and they are all worth learning.

There are definitely certain areas of my life where I really don't like being taken out of my comfort zones. It's hard to be challenged and to take on the unexpected when we aren't feeling safe. It's in these moments where I have to remind myself even more that everything is truly out of my hands, and I shouldn't try to hold on to what I can't. He's the One in control, and I need to be more than OK with that. I need enter the cold water and dive into the waves that try to rise above my head.

And, even though it won't be easy, I need to leave the shoreline every once in a while.