Carmen and I spend the better part of yesterday, July 4th, on the beach. It seemed almost perfect. Nice breeze, 84 degrees, and we only passed two other people the whole day. We were on the north end of Honey Moon Island. If this is living, then life is a beach!
Life is a Beach with Water, Sunshine, and Even Rain
Two things Carmen and I do at Honey Moon Island State Park. One is to take a power walk. It’s 2 1/2 miles to the end and quite an inspiring view. Two, we like to find our favorite shells – Olives, Augers, Lightning Welks, large Konchs (pronounced konk), and Sand Dollars among others.
But our favorite thing is to lounge in our hammacks or beach chairs right on the water. Something about that blue space…the ocean, sunshine, and even the rain. Life is a beach.
Study by Michigan State University
According to a study by MSU, “Increased views of blue space is significantly associated with lower levels of psychological distress,” said Pearson, assistant professor of health geography and a member of MSU’s Water Science Network. “However, we did not find that with green space.” There are lots of benefits to list regarding blue space for another time and post.
The beach and sunshine go hand-in-hand as well. And sunshine is healthy for you too! According to an article by Noma Nazish in Forbes, sunshine elevates your mood, improves your sleep, promotes bone growth, strengthens the immune system, and lowers your blood pressure.
Rainy Beach Days
Who wants to be on the beach in the rain? No one! Right? Wrong! Scott and Carmen do! We love going to the beach in the rain. Well, maybe not lightning and thunder. But in the rain there is rarely anyone else there. And there are a ton of other healthy reasons to walk in the rain, especially on the beach. So life really is a beach!
Okay, so this all doesn’t seem so spiritual. I thought these posts were supposed to be about our everyday-walking-around-kind-of-life with Jesus? It is! What better place to walk with Jesus than on a beach. Well, anywhere for that matter. And that is my point here today.
Life is a beach anywhere, when you are walking with Jesus. All those health benefits that come with blue space, sunshine and walking/being in the rain? You got it, where Jesus is there are all those benefits and more.
Psalm 139:9-10 NIV
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Job 11:17a NIV
Life will be brighter than noonday,
Deuteronomy 32:2 NIV
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
Well, after looking at all of this maybe life is NOT a beach. But life with Jesus is… like a beach, and more! There are all kinds of healthy reasons to be walking with Jesus.
Challenge for the Week:
Life with Jesus is like a walk on the beach in the sunshine or the rain. Make your walk a daily activity with Jesus. Do not make it just a thing with Him at church one or two days a week. Or just a prayer before a meal. The benefits come from including Him in your everyday-walking-around-kind-of-life. So be it!
