"It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum beause he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

C. S. Lewis

Three of my four children lived in California last year. Consequently, I traveled there as often as I could because I wanted to be with them. Every time I visit, we always go to the beach, to walk along the ocean, and to breathe in the beauty and fresh salt air. When I look out over the water, I see endless sea as far as my eye can see. God's love is even bigger than the vast ocean that seems to go on and on. God gives us pictures in nature to depict what He is in reality. His artwork in nature reflects a picture of His reality.

Today, I know that many of you are caught in circumstances that steal from your heart, that fill you with sadness. Yet, right now, He is wanting you to approach Him, to be in His presence, to look at Him and allow His grace to soften your heart so that you can experience His deep and vast love. There is nothing big enough in your life or heart to keep you from His endless love.

We are often caught up in our pettiness, our self-centered selves and by our own limitations, prevent ourselves from experiencing all that He has for us. But He is able to love us beyond what we can imagine--His love is endless, beyond our measure. But we must open our hearts to Him and ask for Him to allow us to experience, to taste the height and depth of His love.

We must give up our insecurities. We must give up trying to control our lives. We must ask for His endless love to flow over us. Look at the ocean on my banner--see how vast and deep and high His love is for us today--for you today!

He is above all problems, all conflicts, all our inadequacies. He is an ocean of love waiting to pour out His goodness on us.

It is my personal prayer that you will find rest in His love today! And share His love with those who are in your life.

Angela just returned from a week at the ocean with her family and shares a beautiful post with us about her own understanding of this.

Learning about the ocean from books and videos is one thing, but nothing compares to actually going to the ocean and experiencing it. I was thinking about that truth this past week as I visited the Atlantic Ocean with my family and friends. Learning about the ocean from books, pictures and even videos, is not the same as actually being at the ocean and swimming in the water, running on the beach and hearing the sounds of the waves rushing to shore.

I believe some of us tend to approach God like that, lots of facts, data…..but no experience. We might have a lot of head knowledge about God. We can quote Bible verses and know most of the famous Bible stories, but head knowledge does not necessary turn into heart knowledge. This week in chapter two we talk about ways we can get to know God better. One important point to keep in mind this week as we read chapter 2 and dig into this week’s verses is that God desires for us to know Him. He has gone to great lengths for us to know Him in a personal way, through a relationship with Him. God has blessed us with His Word and when we are reading it, His words come alive and can speak straight into our hearts. God is good and He gives us opportunities to know Him through times of stillness and prayer as well as through His creation.

One thing is for sure; God loves each of us dearly and desires to have a personal relationship with us.

I’m so excited for you sweet friends as you begin to dig into the scriptures and see for yourself how God desires for us to know Him.

This week, make an action plan of how you are going to incorporate the different ways mentioned in chapter 2 into your life. Make a plan of when and where you are going to spend time in God’s Word. Practice spending some time this week just being still as you pray…..work on listening as much as talking when you are praying. And don’t forget it’s summertime, make sure and get out into nature!