“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12 NIV

One of my favorite places is the beach. I love to stand on the sand with the expanse of the ocean in front of me, miles of blue over my head and a long stretch of sand as far as my eyes can see to either side of me. Can you see it? Ahhhh!

I knew I loved the beach, but it was a time of extreme difficulty that helped me understand why. Pressures overwhelmed me as a loved one struggled through an unrelenting period of inner darkness. Powerless to change anything, I did my best not to succumb to the tentacles of darkness reaching for me as well. I stumbled through each day, grateful to reach the pillow having survived another one, unsure of how many more I would have to face before we could see light again. And every day there was a growing longing for the beach and a settled awareness that we couldn't make the trip at this time.

Finally, I asked God, "What is this? Why am I longing for the beach?" And here is what He whispered back: "You feel safe on the beach." And I understood. The beach reminds me that my Father is big, unlimited, and I am safe within His hands. What I was longing for was that feeling of safety, not really the beach itself. Understanding that helped me to reach out to God for safety in that time of darkness, but I remember it every time God's unlimited bigness surrounds me on any beach. I feel safe on the beach.

Why does the limitlessness of God remind me that I am safe? Because, whether I like it or not, I am very aware of my own limits. And you are, too. Being reminded that God is big and limitless helps us to turn to Him when we feel weak and limited knowing that when we abandon ourselves to His love and care He can wrap us in His arms of safety.

Let your own limits lead you to lean on His limitlessness.

Key thought: When I feel weak and limited, I will remember that God is big and limitless.

A Scripture to consider: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12 NIV

A YES challenge: Where do you feel safe? What might you be looking to for safety instead of God?

Prayer: God, I need You to wrap me in your limitless bigness right now. You know the situations that are overwhelming me. So often, I look for circumstances to make me feel safe on the outside instead of looking to You to make me feel safe on the inside. I say YES to my limits. I can't change what is happening right now, so I am asking You to change me in the middle of it. Amen.

September 12, 2026

This is Not Forever

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT

As I tearfully opened the sodden boxes of our stored belongings, wondering what was ruined, a verse came to mind,

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

We were temporarily living with my parents, and our stuff was stored in Tom’s parents' garage. They had a plumbing issue in their bathroom above the garage, causing a leak that soaked several of our boxes and other items, including our mattress. We weren’t sure what was salvageable.

That period of time was already difficult. We were waiting for a job to open up and unsure how long that would take, how long we would be living with my parents, how long our stuff would be stored. Both sets of parents had been patient, loving, and gracious. There was no one to blame for the water damage. Sometimes things just happen.

But when that verse popped into my brain, it completely changed my perspective on going through the damage. The tears didn’t stop. There was some mourning and disappointment. But at the same time, there was hope. This was temporary. These things were just things. What really mattered was how I responded. I could choose an eternal perspective. I could choose to treasure Christ more than an earthly possession.

As it turned out, very few of our things were unsalvageable, and insurance more than covered anything that was lost. But the eternal perspective I gained is a treasure that I still carry. That simple shift helped me through the three and a half years of living in the in-between.