A Week, Six Friends, and the Sea…
There is something about the ocean that feels like a whispered invitation from God — the waves reminding me of His faithfulness, the endless horizon reminding me of His greatness, and the salty breeze carrying away the things my heart was never meant to hold.
Once a year, six dear friends and I pack our bags and make our way to the coast for a week of “Be still and know that I am God” time together.
Even the long drive there becomes part of the blessing. The miles pass by with sweet fellowship, laughter, stories, and the kind of conversations that fill your soul before you even arrive.
When we finally reach our little beach house, we unpack our belongings, settle in, and share our first meal together. But the next morning begins a rhythm we have come to treasure.
After breakfast, each of us quietly slips away to our own little corner with the Lord.
For this one precious week, we intentionally step away from the hurry of life. Electronics are turned off. The distractions are set aside. What remains is simple and sacred:
A Bible.
A journal.
A pen.
A heart ready to listen.
And worship music filling the quiet spaces.
Our conversations around the table are different during this week. They are vertical conversations — conversations that point our hearts upward toward the One who created us.
We share what God is showing us, where He is leading us in prayer, the Scriptures He is using to speak into our hearts, and the moments when we have felt His presence near.
I listen.
I learn.
I grow.
What a gift it is to walk alongside sisters in Christ who desire more of Him.
After meals, we clean up the kitchen together, and then, once again, each of us wanders away for more time alone with our Great I AM.
There may be evening bonfires on the beach, cozy movie nights curled up on oversized couches with bowls of popcorn, and long walks along the shore as the sun disappears into the horizon painting the sky with colors only God could create.
These moments are priceless.
To find friendships with women who understand the beauty of slowing down, seeking God, and making space to hear His voice is one of the greatest gifts.
I usually arrive at the coast tired — worn thin by the busyness and demands of everyday life. But somewhere between the sound of the waves, the quiet mornings, the laughter around the table, and the stillness with my Savior, my soul begins to breathe again.
I leave refreshed.
This picture was taken from the top of the bluff overlooking the ocean where we rent our little beach house along the Oregon coast.
Every year, I stand there and feel the same gratitude:
Thank You, Lord, for these women.
Thank You for this place.
Thank You for reminding me that in the quiet, You are always near.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
— Psalm 46:10