Our family is at the beach for the week—all our kids and all six grandbabies. To say this mom/grandmama is in heaven is an understatement. There’s nothing any better to me than having everyone under one roof.
We’re on the Gulf side of Florida, and the waters are turquoise and clear. My view from under the beach umbrella looks like something from a postcard. The best part of the view, though, is watching all those sweet little ones jumping the waves and building castles in the sand. I love the giggles that drift across the breeze.
Those kids love playing in the water. Everyone, that is, except two-year-old Nolan. On the first day, he played in the sand, but avoided the water. I can’t blame him. Imagine how big the ocean looks to a little guy.
After several hours, I said, “Nolan, do you want to walk down on the sand, and we’ll see if the water can catch our toes?”
He tucked his little hand in mine. We walked far enough from the edge of the water that he wouldn’t be scared, but close enough so that when the waves broke, he’d get to feel a little bit of the ocean on his toes.
He loved that, and we stood there for a little while letting him enjoy it. And then I said, “Do you want to take two steps so we can get a little bit more water on our toes?” He did, and we inched forward.
Several minutes later, he said, “Grandmommy , c’mon, let’s take two more steps.” In just a little while, we were far enough out that the waves were breaking and splashing to his waist. But through it all, he held tightly to my hand.
The next day, I watched him in the water with his daddy, even braver now as Jason held him high into the air each time a big wave hit.
So what made the difference from that first day when he was afraid? He trusted the hand that held him.
Tears misted in my eyes as I watched my little buddy, because it was such a beautiful picture of my relationship with God.
There have been many times when I’ve been afraid as the waves of life crashed into me, seeming to loom high above my head. Or times when I hovered in fear, scared to take those first few steps towards something God had called me to do.
But just like Nolan, all I had to do was to hold onto the hand that would never turn me loose, that would never let anything happen to me that was not His will.
“C’mon, God, let’s take two more steps.”
