The 'Jersey Shore'

Prior to my conversion in college the way I most clearly heard God speak to me was to listen to how he revealed himself through his creation. This is called 'general revelation.' They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God, (Romans 1:19-20). I grew up on the 'Jersey shore' and our house was less than a mile from the Atlantic ocean. In the denomination I was raised we weren't encouraged to read the Bible devotionally but its themes and words were made familiar to me. And we were encouraged to pray. Whenever, I was nervous or felt a need to pray I wanted to go down to the beach. Some of the most profound times in my youth were spent walking or running along the beach. It was clearly the way I experienced God most intimately. Through the beauty and vastness of the ocean I experienced both Gods immanence and his transcendence. He felt near and he felt big. It helped me soften to Him. I couldn't recount the amount of times I spent near the ocean being 'touched' by God. In fact, I have always said my one prayer about wherever I settled long range was that, "I just want it to be a port city." Oh well, despite the absence of a large body of water Birmingham has some other things to offer. I remember coming home for summer break after my first year of college. The first thing I did when I got home after visiting with my family was grab my 'Walkman' (it was even a Sony) and head to the beach for an evening stroll. Once I got there and began to walk I started to weep profusely. I couldn't stop. I didn't even know at the time why I was overcome with emotion. Sixteen years later as part of a doctoral class I had to write a paper on how nature how has enhanced my spirituality. It was then that I began to reflect on my connection to the Ocean. It was then that I realized my tears sixteen years earlier where gratefulness. I came to a full understanding of Christian conversion and developed a real relationship with Jesus my freshman year in college. I came to KNOW Him. Thus, my tears at the end of my freshman year as I walked along the Ocean where tears of gratefulness that God has used his creation to speak and comfort me all the years I didn't really know him personally. I awakened to how God had pursued me and cared for me till I knew him personally. They were tears of gratitude for God's kindness in planting me less than a mile from the Jersey Shore. When I think of the things that have helped me to grow quietness and faith and rest I immediately think of the Ocean. Manasquan Beach along the Jersey shore for me is Sacred space.