Today has been a wonderful day. Despite the fact that we had to work on one of my favorite holidays (because it’s about America, naturally), we got to sleep in and had a nice dinner together at Carrabbas. I can’t tell you how great it felt to get a shower, put on something besides nike running shorts, and feel clean for a few hours.

Tonight was the assignment of prayer partners. Honestly, it felt a whole lot like big/little reveal. I’m so excited about my prayer partner…I can already tell God hand picked us for each other. At her encouragement, I took myself down to the beach for a little alone time with Father.

I’ve always said that being on the beach is a very spiritual experience for me. I’m not particularly fond of nature, but the beauty and vastness of the shore somehow makes God feel very near. Standing on the edge of the water always reminds me of the song “My Redeemer Lives”, in which Nicole C. Mullen asks “Who told the ocean you can only come this far?” Standing with my toes in the edge of the water, I can almost hear God telling the ocean when to stop, and somehow I just know he can see me. Its humbling to think the King of the universe, the God who breathed the ocean into existence and placed each star in the sky could not only know where I was standing, but would care about the longings of my heart.

I can’t get over how beautiful the beach is a sunset. But as I was worshiping on the beach tonight, it was almost as if God whispered “If you think this is pretty, just wait until you come home to me. You won’t believe what I have waiting for you.” When I think about it, I just can’t stop smiling. I want so badly to crawl into my Father’s arms in my eternal home. I guess I’m a little homesick tonight.

This is my home for the next two months. I stole this picture from another staff member because I keep forgetting to take my own. Breathtaking, isn’t it?