Day 7: The Beach Devotion Trip Back to Villa Esperanza

March 6th Thursday

7:00 Breakfast
7:45 Devotional on Beach (Amanda Psalm 97)
9:00 On the road back to Villa Esperanza
12:30 Lunch
5:00 dinner

Day seven was a day of rest; after so many days of rushing wind, it seemed more like a day to catch our breath and reconnect with God in a deep almost unspoken way. Amanda led a devotional on the beach, the only day that matched the expectated coastal view of Costa Rica. Looking out at the waves She read about God's power, beauty and majesty, as seen in the created nature.

Psalm 104

14 He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate—
bringing forth food from the earth:
15 wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face
shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.
16 The trees of the Lord
are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine
trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

I realized that on this leg of the trip, I hadn't packed enough shirts, and so I had to borrow one from Scott, one that he had already worn. I realized when I got back in Indy, this was a championship track shirt, and thought what a great guy he was to let me wear something that must have been a keepsake.

After the devotional I remember running like John Eldridge described in EPIC, Free, full and as part of a fellowship...the others probably thought I had lost it. Didn't matter, the next half hour was just a private time with God, it seemed like he was reminding me I was like the coney in the crag, My identity is hidden in Him.

DJ and I played coconut football, and latter on the trip back to Villa Esperanza, I think everyone was relaxed, and we got to know each other at a level of friendship and trust that only shared battle can bring. Some didn't wait to take a nap!

Back at the Villa, DJ asked if I wanted to play chess. I was deliriously tiered, and he beat me in about 6 moves. We twisted Scott's arm to play a game, and that led to a Titanic battle that DJ almost won. A couple of the nicest smart guys you'll ever meet. DJ still owes me a rematch!