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Have you ever thought about how grace and the ocean have a lot of similarities? Check out this post which was originally written following the Liberate Conferences 4 years ago.  I am sharing it again today because I have just been to the Here We Still Stand Conference in beautiful San Diego and definitely made a few trips to the beach while I was there. Be reminded of what Christ has DONE for you. Grace is like an ocean because: It is deep .  When we think we have understood its depths, there is always more and more. It is far reaching .  No matter what you have done in your past, God's grace can reach you. It is free . Isn't it amazing that you can go to the beach for free?  No admission fee. It draws you in .  Just like the undercurrent in the ocean, God draws us to Himself. It is rest . Listening to the waves is relaxing and peaceful. Living by grace is rest and freedom. It is unpredictable . You cannot predict th...

I just returned from beautiful San Diego for the Here We Still Stand conference.  It was a great 4 days of good news.  As I was at the beach looking at the ocean with my new friends, Blake and Evan, I mentioned a post I had written several years ago on the similarities about the ocean and grace.  So, I decided to repost it this morning.  I wrote this 3 years ago following the Liberate conference.  Be reminded of what Christ has DONE for you.   Grace is like an ocean because: It is deep .  When we think we have understood its depths, there is more. It is far reaching .  No matter what you have done in your past, God's grace can reach you. It is free . Isn't it amazing that you can go the beach for free?  No admission fee. It draws you in .  Just like the undercurrent in the ocean, God draws us. It is rest . Listening to the waves is relaxing and peaceful. It is unpredictable . You cannot predict the pattern of w...

Part of my sabbatical includes rest. So, 10 days ago I spent 2 days at Galveston Beach. No writing. No reading. No ministry visits.  No thinking about church.  Just sitting, listening to waves, napping on the beach, playing in the water.  It was wonderful! Here are a few pictures to remind me of the time:

As you read this, I am in flight to Ft. Lauderdale, FL for the Liberate conference.  Last year, I went alone and this year I am bringing 6 people with me.  I will be sharing notes from the speakers on this site throughout the week.  Return Thursday-Sunday for new posts.  We are also including a little rest and relaxation today and then on Monday.

The following Scripture does not talk about water, oceans, or the deep.  However, the image that comes to mind for me is that of an ocean.  Just when we think we have reached the bottom, there is more grace.  Be reminded of the abundance of grace available to us. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:16)

As I prepare to head to the ocean for Liberate 2015, I thought it would be fun to share pictures from the ocean with verses from Scripture that relate to them. I don't know how many posts this will be, but here is the first one. so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 ESV)

Below you find a post that I shared about a year ago.  It was written after returning from Liberate 2014 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  I leave for Liberate 2015 in just 27 days.  I cannot wait to hear good news on the theme, "It is finished." Another bonus is the time to spend at the beach and ocean. The picture below was taken last year.  Enjoy my thoughts on grace and the ocean again:   Grace is like an ocean because: It is deep .  When we think we have understood its depths, there is more. It is far reaching .  No matter what you have done in your past, God's grace can reach you. It is free . Isn't it amazing that you can go the beach for free?  No admission fee. It draws you in .  Just like the undercurrent in the ocean, God draws us. It is rest . Listening to the waves is relaxing and peaceful. It is unpredictable . You cannot predict the pattern of waves. You cannot predict how grace will affect a person. ...

 We want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This was taken during our family vacation this past summer and was the kids first time at the ocean. Here is one of Bethany and I at ICRS 2014 in Atlanta, GA this summer. Blessings to you and your family on this Christmas day.

We made it to the ocean. It was a joy to see all 4 kids so excited. They quickly unloaded car & jumped in swimming suits & hit the beach.  Now we are at pool despite being a little tired & a little red.

I am on family vacation July 28th-August 2nd so will not be posting regular content. However, check back for pictures of Sea World San Antonio and the oceans of North Padre Island. 

I just returned from Liberate 2014 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Below is a picture I took. It was a great conference and you can read my notes from many of the speakers on earlier posts.  Today, I wanted to share some thoughts I had while sitting on the beach one morning about the similarities between grace and the ocean.   Grace is like an ocean because: It is deep .  When we think we have understood its depths, there is more. It is far reaching .  No matter what you have done in your past, God's grace can reach you. It is free . Isn't it amazing that you can go the beach for free?  No admission fee. It draws you in .  Just like the undercurrent in the ocean, God draws us. It is rest . Listening to the waves is relaxing and peaceful. It is unpredictable . You cannot predict the pattern of waves. You cannot predict how grace will affect a person. It is bitter .  We avoid drinking it.  To those who want to live b...