A short, mildly curvy road winds toward an opening in the trees. The grass framing the road sinks lower until the earth turns to a dark, rusty sand easing toward slate-grey water. There are no waves; there is no tide along the compact beach. Stacked just above the shore are dense colors, changing with each breath of wind spiraling around a cluster of three wide oak trees to the north. The sky is big, deep, and complicated. It changes each morning, sometimes replacing cirrus clouds for fiery orange strokes as the sun sneaks above the horizon. The lakeside air tastes bland and natural, filling my lungs with a simplicity I won’t find once I start the appointments and tasks of the day. The view East: a sunrise over a small manmade lake and a whisper of hope for a new day.
Whatever is lovely…
This is the place I go when I need a moment to remember my reason why. It is a place where God’s beauty is obvious and mysterious at the same time. My favorite color is the heavy sapphire blue that lines the horizon just before a sunrise starts. While I know it will almost always start out this way, I never know what God has in store next. Some days remain cloudy and grayscale while others host an array of colors and patterns that inspire me for days. The loveliest thing about a sunrise is that it never fades—it only crescendos into the bright, warm glow of day.
I believe our lives can play out in a similar fashion. We start out so simplistic then God pulls us to realize our most vibrant and inspirational selves. Like a sunrise, His love for us never fades. While we can’t predict what will happen next, or when our sunrise will melt into daylight, taking a moment to remember the beauty of God’s creation—and His work in us—beckons hope, welcomes love, and creates joy. When we choose to experience His excellence, and let it soak into our bones, it changes everything.
Beth Armstrong, Director of Adult Ministries
