Nicole’s e-Pistle

February 19, 2025

Hello, friends!

My computer’s desktop is set up to reflect the daily pictures put out by Bing. They are a daily mix of beautiful landscapes, intricate architecture, and natural wonders. As I opened my computer on Tuesday morning, I saw an aerial view of deep turquoise and Caribbean blue, surrounded by a near-perfect circle of exposed coral reef. I opened Bing and took the daily quiz, learning that the image was of the Great Blue Hole – a prehistoric sink hole more than 60 miles off the coast of Belize. It is a well-known destination for experienced scuba divers, as the floor extends more than 400 feet below sea level. There are caverns beneath the surface that speak to the earthquake that likely caused the sinkhole hundreds of thousands of years ago, with stalactites that hang at angles instead of perpendicular. Despite the destruction and the rising sea levels that have filled in the hole, the site is a breathtaking scene that attracts adventurers and explorers from around the globe.

Having grown up in Florida, where sinkholes are a common occurrence, “adventure” is not the first word that comes to my mind. I remember the fear not too many years ago when a sink hole in Lakeland, Florida, not more than a couple of miles from our house, emptied Scott Lake. The entire lake drained into the sinkhole like bubbles down a drain after bath time. I have seen potholes open in the middle of roads, consuming the sediment and asphalt instantly. I know that a sinkhole underneath a person’s home typically makes the house unsafe, causing the family to have to relocate.

There are times when life can feel like the very ground beneath our feet is giving way. It is scary… unsettling. We look for strongholds to keep us steady. Unfortunately, when we feel ourselves beginning to fall, we tend to grab onto the closest handhold, whether or not it is deeply rooted enough to support our own weight. Then, as we scramble to regain our footing, the very lifelines we cling to can prove faulty as they give way as easily as the sand below us. Ironically, the One who promises to lift us up invites us to do the unthinkable… let go.

If you are in a place right now where life is good, and finding joy comes naturally, I am so glad! Be sure to thank God for all his many blessings and find ways to share your joy with others. However, if you are in a season where it feels as though the ground is unstable and threatens to give way at any moment, take heart. Whatever stronghold you have been clinging to – whether doctors’ reports, the news, social media, conversations with those who agree with you (or those who don’t), books that allow you to become lost in their pages, binge-watching your favorite show, or simply disengaging from daily life – let go. At first, it may feel as though you are falling, but once you break through the surface of the things that promise security, yet fail to deliver, you will find true hope and peace in the quiet of the Spirit.

Let yourself sink slowly into the depths of your Father’s love for you. Breathe slowly and deeply as you descend. Open your eyes to notice the shades of light that surround you. Explore the hidden caverns of mercy that are tucked into the shadows. Glide along the coral reefs of hope and observe how life can thrive against all odds. Allow yourself to be enveloped by your Creator, who is older than the rocks that surround you, stronger than the currents that toss you, and more eternal than the air that sustains you. Dive deep.

Blessings and peace,