From the time I was a child, God has always been real to me.  Whether sitting in a church, or along a  riverbank listening to the rippling stream, I have felt His presence and been touched by His awesome power. 

We all have special places we like to go, those wonderful places where we can find peace and rejuvenation of body and spirit.  For me, that special place is the ocean, because in it, I can see all the facets of God's love.

My favorite vacation spot is a beach park in South Carolina and I always look forward to the quiet time of just being there and relaxing in God's presence.  Several years ago I went through a really difficult time in my life.  I prayed for peace, but peace couldn't be found.  I felt if I could only go to the ocean, I would be able to look out upon the waves and find the calm I was searching for but it was in the middle of winter and it wasn't feasible to go.  I went to bed that night remembering the times I have spent there, and as I slept peacefully through the night my mind took me back to this special spot of relaxation. 

In my mind I remembered driving into the park, weaving my way through roads lined with pine trees and palm, admiring the campsites covered with pine straw.  When I finally arrived at the campsite, the first thing I did was take my shoes off and walk the pine straw path to the beach.  The straw beneath my feet felt prickly, and hurt, but the closer I got to the shore, my feet began to feel sand beneath them and the hurt was replaced with softness.  I remember thinking how our problems are like that pine straw.  They can hurt and feel prickly to our hearts, but if we trust in God and believe in Him, He can soften the pain of them and they become as sand beneath our feet.

Before I knew it, I was on the shore, watching the tides roll in, with the Lighthouse in the distance, and God was speaking to my heart.  I was reminded that God is the Lighthouse and when things are the darkest in my life, if I keep my eyes on Him, He will keep me in His watchful care, and safely lead me home.  As I watched the tides go in and out, I knew that even when the waves are crashing all around me and the storms of life seem like they will never end, God is there in the midst of them and He will never give me more than I can handle.  And when the waves calmed, and the tide went out, it reminded me that God says "Peace be still".  He assures us that if we trust in Him, and listen for His guidance, He will speak to our hearts in the still, small voice that is His alone, and He will calm our soul. 

I awoke with the peace I had been searching for, and God began to speak to my heart.  The thoughts came so quickly that I had to write them down, for fear that I would forget them.  What followed was the words and music for my song, "Pine Straw Path of Life".  Copyright 2006.   Lyrics and a music CD of this song are included in my autobiography, "Sweet Song", and is available on this site under "Products and Ordering Information".