Throughout the summer, I spend a decent amount of time babysitting on the beach. It's both fun and chaotic at times.

One particular day last week, I was watching a six-year-old named Hudson. The waves were rough. It was high tide, and the waves were big and crashing almost right at the shoreline. Hudson still wanted to swim, so we waded into the water together.

Every 20–30 seconds another wave would crash. Because of the size of his little body, each one would send him completely underwater. The current was strong, pulling in one direction, so every time a wave hit, he wouldn't just go under, he would also be swept sideways, farther away from me. I, on the other hand, was tall enough to keep both feet firmly planted in the sand. I never lost my footing, and my head never went under. No matter how hard the waves crashed, I remained steady.

So this is what happened over and over again:

A wave would crash over Hudson and pull him away. As soon as his head came back above the water, he would immediately look for my hand. It was always just close enough for him to reach. He would grab it tightly, and I would pull him back to me before the next wave came.

Again and again, this happened.

Standing there, I couldn't help but think of Christ.

Christ is our Rock, firmly planted, secure, and unshaken by the tides. He is never swept away by the current, and He will never allow those who cling to Him to be lost. Through every season and in every moment, His hand is always outstretched toward us. Sometimes all we can manage is to lift our heads above the water long enough to look for Him. But when we do, we'll find that His hand is already there strong enough to hold us, and faithful enough to pull us back to Himself before the next wave comes.

This past winter felt as relentless as those waves I stood in with Hudson. One challenge after another came crashing in, each one threatening to knock me off balance. Just when I felt like I had caught my footing, another wave would come. It felt hard to catch abreak, and somewhere in the midst of it all, discouragement crept in. I found myself questioning God's faithfulness.

Now, looking back, I can see it.

Every time I thought I was being swept away, His hand was there. Every moment I felt like I was drifting, He held me close. He never lost His footing, even when I felt like I had lost mine. His faithfulness wasn't absent in the storm, it was the very thing keeping me from being carried away.

Sometimes we don't recognize His steady presence until we're looking back from calmer waters. But He was there all along, unwavering.

While I still don't know all that God has planned for my future, I know without a doubt, in every challenge that comes over these months abroad, that just as I was there for Hudson, He will be with me through every crashing wave.