It's hard to explain Waikanae Beach on the Kapiti Coast.
As you approach and wander off the trail, the sand is soft and smooth, littered with debri that is carefully and intentionally shaped by the hand of God–that fact is evident.
The water winds in and out of the beach; some places it creeps up onto the sand, other places it recedes, finding comfort in the massive ocean.
There's a line of driftwood that the tide carried over. Beyond that, the water coexists calmly with the sand, allowing for the appearance of walking on water.
The water carves its way carefully over the sand, making a million little sand dunes and bringing tiny sea creatures and happy crab shells to your feet.
The sun reflects off the brightest blue ocean, making everything brighter and more beautiful.
Then you look up.
And there's Kapiti Island.
Claiming its territory, its mountain towers up and spreads along the horizon.
A picture can't do it justice.
You look behind you and there are even more mountains with snow-capped hills and little flats spotted scattered across the landscape.
The forest and shrubbery to your back beckons you to get lost within, to find adventure, to fall in love.
If you choose to wander back, majestic trees wind and twist above you, towering in majestic fortitude.
I feel as though every post so far has just raved about the beauty of this place. I mean, it makes sense–this place takes my breath away daily. Passages of Scripture like Psalm 19:1-4 make immensely more sense here:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge. There is no speech nor spoken word from the stars; their voice is not heard. Yet their voice in evidence goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world.
I love the picture David paints here, giving the sky and the earth a voice. When I was setting out to right this post, I didn't even make this connection. But words is such a huge theme the Lord has placed over my life, especially within the last few weeks.
Proverbs 18:21 says:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it.
Now, there is verse after verse in Proverbs regarding the tongue and all the silly words that spill forth. This specific verse, and the idea of speaking life, has revolutionized my thinking.
Several people have brought to my attention the matter of my words. Once it was a warning so as to be careful with what I say. The majority, however, has been regarding the gift I have been given to speak much in few words.
Even tonight one of the girls spoke out on the wisdom that spills forth from my tongue. Every time I have talked to Joseph, one of the New Zealand staff members, he literally marvels at the things I say.
This has been so suprising to me.
God has always told me, time and time again, to be careful with my words. So when it comes to things concerning His nature and His people, I am always slow to talk. Don't worry–I waste my fair share of words. Far beyond, in fact. But I desire so strongly to speak life.
This is what I challenge you who are walking and praying along side me as I take this journey. Speak life. Use your words to challenge and uplift. Even think on the smallest details of conversation, the mindless things that seem so harmless.
There is no in between. The tongue only has the power of life, or death. I would rather speak life.
koroki ora.
