Read Raising A Soul Surfer Online
Authors: Cheri Hamilton,Rick Bundschuh
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by
the word of their testimony; they did not
love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
REVELATION
12:11,
NIV
The never-ending search
for high-quality waves consumes a large amount of time and energy for avid surfers. A surfer trains to stay in shape so that one day, when that perfect swell hits, he or she will be ready to ride!
Waves generated by faraway storms can come in clean and easy to ride. A surfer can catch plenty of these and paddle back out to the lineup for more. More powerful storms can bring in bigger and better surf that becomes one of the most memorable experiences of a lifetime.
When I was in my prime of surfing, I would go out for six hours a day and not get tired. I was in shape and had strong arms from paddling into waves every day. I could make critical late takeoffs on big waves because of years of experience. But wipeouts could occur unexpectedly. One moment I was enjoying a great wave, then suddenly I was being held underwater and tossed and tumbled about, scrambling for a breath of air.
Life can be like that. One moment you are at the top of your game and the next second you are fighting for your life.
Like storms and wipeouts, adversity comes in big waves and small. Learning to take each wave at a time will exercise your
inner being to strengthen and develop your resolve to survive—both spiritually and physically.
Recently, our life experiences culminated in the making of a truly amazing movie
Soul Surfer
. We went to the L.A. premiere and the party of a lifetime! We pulled up in limousines and entered through security as we viewed the words “Soul Surfer” written with lights on ponds, surfboards and other decor. Excellent food bars were spread out under the night sky, with waiters taking care of the guests’ every need. A big inside room was blasting techno dance music, with a packed floor of people. Bethany and her friends danced until 2:00
A.M
. After 30 years of working banquets, Tom and I have seen many elaborate parties, but this one was the best. We had VIP treatment to the max, and the only regret was not being able to invite every friend we’ve ever had.
We can, though, invite every person possible to an even better banquet. Jesus invites all people—great and small, rich and poor—to His upcoming Great Banquet in heaven, in His heavenly mansion where He has prepared a place for those who believe in Him. We who have trusted Him as Lord and Savior will all dine together at the greatest love feast ever—the wedding feast of the Lamb, when Jesus marries His Bride, His believers. This will be the greatest celebration ever!
This scene is described in Isaiah 25:6-9: “On this mountain the L
ORD
Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign L
ORD
will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The L
ORD
has spoken.”
In the meantime, until that great day in heaven, the waves of possibility are lining up on the horizon for all of us. God is
moving in our world and in our lives. We need to be ready for whatever life brings. God will send opportunities our way. And when we see them forming into waves of His purpose, we need to paddle into them and take off and ride!
There is a saying in Hawaii: “Never turn your back on the ocean.” When waiting for a wave, surfers never sit staring at the beach; their eyes are on the horizon, watching for the imperceptible shift in the water that signals an incoming set. The same is true in our relationship with God. As we peer into the future, our hope is in spending eternity with Him.
Deep Like Me
Rick Bundschuh
ISBN 978.08307.46880
ISBN 08307.46889
When people dive into the deep end of a life with Jesus, they realize before long that following in the footsteps of the Man Who Walked on Water is much more complex and challenging than just reading the Bible and minding their
P
s and
Q
s. It is a deep-sea adventure filled with wonder and difficulty, with learning and unlearning. Many soon feel like they’re in over their heads (so to speak). In
Deep Like Me
, pastor Rick Bundschuh shares what he has discovered about the immersive life of faith in Jesus and invites you to wrestle, grieve, re-evaluate, redirect, focus, contemplate, be still and get real about living the deep life of a disciple. Whether you feel like you’re swimming your way to a gold medal or barely keeping your head above the waves, Rick’s stories of spiritual exploration are a call to leave the shallows and head for deeper water—awash in the Spirit and buoyed by grace.
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