Experiencing God.

We're going through a cold spell, so we were some of the only ones out on the peninsula today. We spent a couple hours at a park and then the boys wanted to go to the beach. I obliged, of course... it's my sanctuary here in Erie. 

I was overwhelmed with how beautiful the lake was today. The sun was shining down just perfectly, making it sparkle like millions of tiny diamonds. The waves were large and loud...just the way I prefer them. Aside from the crashing waves and the beautiful giggles of my little boys, there was silence. Perfect peace. 

Overcome with appreciation for God's creation, I sang out, "oh Lord our Lord how majestic is Your name in all the Earth!" I sang it as loud and as boisterous as I could. No one was around to hear, and the water all around me made for pretty incredible acoustics. 

Nearing the end of the song, as the boys searched for beach glass beside me, a massive eagle came soaring over us. The boys stopped playing and I stopped singing. We just stared upward, watching until we couldn't see it any longer. 

That may sound cool and all, but to me it was incredibly meaningful. The verse I have claimed since day 1 here in Erie and on our year long adventure into the unknown has been, Isaiah 40:31. "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

I've gone back to this verse more times than you could ever know, and today, I know that the majestic eagle soaring over the beautiful waves was just for me. Immanuel - God with us.