Yesterday we went to Seaworld and had a great time!
We got to feed stingrays, watch dolphins flip in the air, and hear sea lions calling out to each other (they’re noisy!). We saw rescued manatees and sea turtles. There were beautiful birds, graceful sharks, and even some alligators. The grounds were beautiful and the temperature was just right.
The best part of all were the roller coasters!
We rode the Manta, where you spend the whole ride flying face first through the air, and the Kraken, with its dizzying spins and loops. Both rides were amazing!
My favorite, though, was the Mako. At 200 feet high and reaching speeds of 73 mph, it is the tallest, fastest, roller coaster in the area. At the top of the hills you are momentarily weightless, floating above your seat. Then you go hurtling down, only to be thrown into a series of twisting turns and loops. I could have ridden it all day!
Highs and Lows
Life can be like a roller coaster at times, with lots of highs and lows. One moment we can be riding on the heights, feeling like we can almost touch the heavens, but the next we are plunged into the depths of despair and hopelessness by circumstances beyond our control.
The good news is our God never leaves us. Psalm 139:8 says about our Heavenly Father, “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there.” It doesn’t matter where I am, whether safe at home or wandering in a foreign land, because “even there [His] hand will guide me, and [His] strength will support me.” (v. 10).
I don’t know where you find yourself this morning; whether at the top of the ride, enjoying the view, or plunging down a steep slope, screaming with fear, feeling like the bottom has fallen out of your hopes and dreams. However, I do know this – wherever you are, God is near!
Be Strong and Courageous
So be “strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV. No matter what highs or lows you’re experiencing, call on Him today and He will lift you up and carry you safely home. You can count on it!