I stood at the ocean and I felt what I do every time, at every ocean—Awe.

With my toes curled in the sand on the shore I felt as I always do at first. Small. I looked at the sand. So white.

The Lord reminded me of the verse—More than the grains of sand, so My thoughts are of you.

“No way, Lord.”

We continued the ocean lesson.

Look closely. What do you see?

There is life in the ocean, life I cannot see. There is power, deep power. The ocean is different every time I walk up to it. Every morning, it is different. The ocean is more than I can imagine. It goes on beyond what I can see. It refreshes me. It inspires me. It causes me to dream again. It calls to me….

“You are Lord. You are.” I whispered, simply amazed by Him.

I went back out at dusk and a storm was brewing out on the horizon. You couldn’t see the clouds but you could see it on the water. It was rough, wild and restless. I stepped in the warm evening water and immediately could feel the pull; the current was strong and relentless.

This is how I am Jana. I come to you. Over and over. I call to you to come in. Put one little toe in and I pull you in. I take you deeper. Then bring you back to shore. But not without changing you, tumbling you around, making you a little scared and then popping you back up to the surface just in time. Even when you play at the shore, it just makes you hungry for more.

I looked out at the expanse of the ocean. The dawning awareness that this magnificent creation is but a thimble full compared to my God.

“What is it like out there Lord? What is it like farther out there?”

My eye strained to see every crest, looking for a dolphin. But as I peered out looking for one thing, a stingray flew happily out of the water, arching in time for a moment before it plunged back into its own world.

“Lord I strain to see one thing, and You freely give another,” I whispered.

There is life out there. Abundant life.

Excerpt from Unhindered, Chapter 45

Let’s Get Real Here:

Do you believe God has more for you? What are you longing for? Straining for? What is He showing you?