Now You're Just Showing Off!

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: Picture Praise, 12/12/11

I recently had the opportunity to serve with Women of the Harvest holding retreats in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil. We welcomed missionaries from ten countries to a time of refreshment, counseling and pampering. These are the women one reads books or watches movies about, those I admire so greatly. They are a diverse, intelligent and inspiring sisterhood, pouring out their lives to bring the Good News to South America. Their stories were inspiring and heart-breaking in about equal measure.

The retreat speaker, Linda Swanson, taught on the topic of our identity in Christ. Whatever our other roles or titles-wife, mother, teacher, student-or what we are called by ourselves or others, we are first and foremost beloved by and beautiful in Christ - “God’s favorite daughter.”

Our amazing group of volunteers – as diverse and diversely talented as the attendees - spent a few days after the retreats visiting the spectacular series of waterfalls at the borders of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. We stood in the spray and marveled- How Great Thou Art.” We took a boat ride to the foot of the falls and laughed and screamed and worshipped.

And wondered how anyone could look on such majesty and not believe in a Creator. The thunder of the water as it cascaded over and over; the energy of the air, the swallows that soar right through and into the torrent to their nests behind the falls. Then there would be a rainbow in the mist and I’d think, “OK, God, now you’re just showing off!”

I believe God creates beauty for His own pleasure and for ours. He intend for us to understand His nature by observing what He can form on the earth and in our hearts. We were reminded at the falls that He loves us so much that our world is full of joy and pain, laughter and tears and seemingly unlimited wonder.

photographer: Susan De Graaf, USA.