Why the Name?

Beyond the Shore. 

Why such a name for my blog?

As I prepare to leave for Kailua Kona in ten days, I'm taking time to look back on all that God's done in my life to prepare my heart for this next step. He is so good! I shared this through my Facebook account last year. 

And this answers the question of why the name "Beyond the Shore."

"June 10, 2014

Just a little picture the Lord gave me:

I was standing at the edge of a sandy beach. The waves of the ocean were lapping up onto the shore, wetting just my toes. And Jesus was there in the water in front of me with His hand extended to me. He was asking me to follow Him. I took His hand and allowed Him to lead me into the water with Him. 

Trusting Him and ever holding His hand, I followed Him deeper and deeper into the water, farther and farther away from the shore. And the water got higher and higher as we walked. And then I stopped. I stopped, knowing that if I allowed Him to lead me any farther, I faced the risk of drowning. The water was so high now. I hesitated following Him farther into the deeper water, farther out into the ocean. 

I was faced with a decision. I could turn around then and return to the shore where it was safe. Or I could take His hand where He extended it to me again and take my faith to a new place as I trusted Him not to let me drown. 

This is where I've been the past few days. Hesitating there in the water between the shore and the deeper, vast ocean of the unknown. Hesitating in that place of decision where I must make a choice. To turn around and go back or to take my faith and my trust to a whole new level it's never been, unknowing of what I might face ahead as a result. 

This morning, I'm not hesitating anymore. I've made my decision. I've chosen. I'm taking His hand again, drawing a deep breath and finding my strength and my courage, and allowing Him to lead me deeper and deeper. I don't know what's up ahead, what I'm going to encounter farther into the ocean waters away from the shore. But I'm taking my faith and my trust in Him to a new level and believing that whatever is ahead, He won't let me drown. 

Maybe this was just for me or maybe it was for someone else as well. But if this resonates and you find yourself hesitating in the water, please realize that you can't stay there forever. A choice needs to be made. Whether to turn around or to go farther into the ocean waters with Him. If you choose the latter, remember that His hand will always be there to hold onto. You won't be going alone. 

So I ask you. Which direction are you going to move in?"

And I decided that day, a year and a half ago, that I was going to take His hand and walk by faith and trust into the unknown deeper waters... beyond the shore. And that decision has brought me here where I am today, about to embark on one of the greatest steps of faith I've known yet.