Last weekend I went to Lake Tahoe with some good friends and you know what I got? A big, fat early Valentine’s Day card from God. It came in the form of pouring rain, magnificent boulders, a river of water streaming over our rocky hiking path, a gushing waterfall, a shimmering and misty lake, and gorgeous snow-capped mountains. He took my breath away, and I felt his love as tangibly as I ever have.
Just a few days before leaving, I had been reading a book where the author talked about beauty. She describes the beauty in a canoeing trip, the beauty in nature, and the beauty God surrounds her with to show His love to her. She told the story of how her husband once went out to spend some time on a beach alone. Right then and there on the California coast, in the wrong season and closer than was normal, he saw a whale! He was overcome with appreciation for this unexpected gift that God gave him, and felt that God was showing his love by allowing him to enjoy the whale.
So what did she do? She asked God to show her a whale. Yes. To shower her with love by showing her a whale.
…Really? I thought to myself, God’s going to love you by showing you a whale?
But I read on. The author went on to share how she goes to the beach, hoping for her own whale sighting. When it doesn’t happen, she’s accepts it and heads in another direction, only to come across a brilliant starfish. She’s smitten with it, and continues only to realize that the beach is covered with beautiful starfish. She’s overwhelmed by God’s love for her and the beauty he allows her to experience.
Hey, so can I just ask for some beauty and get some?? I mean, I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so maybe “experiencing beauty” is up to me… but now I really wanted some. I felt my insides ache to experience God’s beauty in nature, so when my friend Dan asked if I wanted to join on a hike up in Tahoe, I was in, and uncharacteristically responded, “I want to see beauty.”
Later, I actually waffled about going– the forecast called for 100% rain, and for some reason, a hike in the pouring rain didn’t sound very comfortable to me. Which is silly, now that I think of it, because most of my life, I would have loved nothing better than to take a walk in the pouring rain.
I’m glad I ended up doing it, because I felt like God brought me out there and gave me a big fat squeeze: JOELLEN! I LOVE YOU!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU COULD KNOW!! HERE’S YOUR WHALE! HERE ARE YOUR STARFISH!! DELIGHT IN BEAUTY.
I did, friends, I did. I drank it in and let it fill me to my chilled fingertips and toes.
It came in the form of pouring rain and trickling streams.
I saw it in the snow-capped mountains and evergreens.
I felt it in the magnificent boulders and patches of snow.
I breathed it in with the misty lake, serene and still.
I heard it in the roaring waterfall, wild and powerful.
I soaked it all in on that mountaintop, with His arms wrapped around me as he repeated, “I love you!!”
It was breathtaking and majestic. We walked back in high spirits with snow falling around us like a perfect winter wonderland.
Jesus loves me, this I know.
Maybe you are battered and worn and tired and yearn to experience some beauty. It doesn’t hurt to ask. You may find it in the sleeping face of your child, or in the tired lines across your spouse’s forehead. Maybe it’s in the comfort of pulling the blankets around you, or in the sky as the sun disappears at dusk each evening.
Even though I’m back home, I continue to see beauty everywhere around me. The sky has never looked so gorgeous, nor the grass so green, and my daughter’s laughter tickles me from the inside out.
I hope you will ask for beauty, and I hope you see it.
16 responses to “A Love Letter”
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What a beautiful post!! I feel His love when I gaze up at the moon and stars, and through the unconditional love of my dogs. You know, I once was crying out to God because I was feeling so distant from Him. My love language is physical touch, and I couldn’t help feeling that God is just too far away and too intangible to meet that need in my life. We have to interact with Him in the spiritual realm, not the physical. And then I realized that I was wrong. I realized that when I feel the warmth of the sunshine on my face, it is His caress. When I feel the strong wind flow over me, it is God’s embrace. When my doggie kisses me on the cheek, it is from Him. He can meet even my need for physical touch. What an awesome, loving God we serve!!
Thank you, Sarah! TBH I was a little nervous about posting it since it veers away from my normal topics… but I read somewhere that once you’ve established your niche, you’re allowed to go off the road here and there :]. I love the ways you find to experience God’s love through physical touch. That is beautiful =D. Thank you for sharing!
Aw, I love these pictures and I know just the feeling you describe. There are days I feel overwhelmed with how gorgeous this place I live is, and how extraordinarily lucky I am to be IN it.
Yes! I imagine you get to go be in nature allll the time!! I remember reading a post of yours that made me just itch to get out and be in nature. I’m happy for you :D.
Mmmmmmm… (Happy m-sighing) Thanks for the wonderful reminder of God’s love all around us!
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Aww I loved your post Jo! Seriously made me jealous. I crave soooo bad to do that sort of thing since I too feel God’s love so tangibly in nature. My health doesn’t allow those glorious explorations in the mountains anymore so finding other ways has been tricky. since reading your blog tonight, it’s reminded me how muchI need to do what you say. I’ll definitely try to find it in other things…like you so beautifully put…maybe in your baby sleeping or in the tired lines across your spouses forehead. You uplift my life from such inspiring posts Joellen! Thank you!
Oohh I can only imagine the inner desire you must have to get out. I know how you love being active!! I’m so glad these words were an uplifting reminder for you! <3!