Sunsets

I believe in sunsets. I believe in the moments where I see God’s handiwork illuminating across the sky. I believe in the vibrant colors that bring forth a peace to my spirit because it reminds me that God is present. I believe in the resonating image of the sun peacefully fading into the clouds. I believe in the feeling when everything fades away because you are so in awe of the Creator’s perfect creation.

Ever since I was little girl sunsets have mesmerized me. I remember when I would go to the beach and would beg my mom to go on sunset walks with me. I still treasure those special moments to this day. As time progressed, my obsession with sunsets increased. When I started my photography page on instagram I feel that the majority of the content consisted of pictures of sunsets. I think sunsets are a perfect memory maker. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or anything that may divide us because all of our divisions are united by the single fact that we all see sunsets. We all view God’s glory and majesty manifested in the creation surrounding us.

The other week I went on a prayer walk. I remember walking along the seemingly endless path, and then I just closed my eyes. I asked God to speak to me. I immediately thought of the Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes song called “The Blessing.” The bridge goes, “May His presence goes before you, and behind you, and beside you, all around you, and within you, He is with you, He is with you.” I looked at the trees gently swaying in the wind, as the breeze subtly touched the brightest green grass, and I felt the bright sun glimmer upon my face. I felt peace. There was this indescribable feeling that just covered me from head-to-toe in a way that I cannot explain in words. This is the same feeling I get every time I look at a sunset. I see God’s presence hovering over me as the racing colors zoom across the sky. I feel Him next to me, encouraging me, and proving to me time after time of His endless, passionate, and steadfast love for me.

Another thing I love about sunsets is the fact that it means the sun is going down, and the night is coming. Metaphorically, whatever darkness is plaguing our lives, we can take heart that God is going to lighten it. His presence goes with us into any dark night that we might face. His presence is a promise of love that never wavers and never changes. There is always joy in the morning. There is joy in the little things. There is joy in the faithfulness of God. He never leaves us to bear the night alone, but instead we get to see the most beautiful promise that Jesus is with us before we go into life’s most difficult circumstances. He demonstrates His glory, and then promises His presence to go with us through anything we might face. He is with us on top of the mountain and in the deepest darkest valley. He will never leave us or forsake us.

For some reason when I see sunsets I can’t help but smile. My friend Alexis has often told me that there are two types of smiles: a normal one and one when you smile with your eyes. Every time I look at a sunset I smile genuinely with my eyes opened to the glory that I am experiencing. This enormous smile reminds me of irreplaceable childlike joy. When a kid sees a sunset it is so captivating to them. They smile with the biggest, most radiant smile imaginable. I want to have that child like joy again in my life. I want so badly to find joy in the most simplistic things in life. I took my nine year old cousin on a jet ski ride the other day during a sunset and he kept on saying, “Bae Bae this is so fun. Ahhhh. Bae Bae go faster.” Something I take so much for granted, someone else can find endless joy in. In Cuba, I remember standing on top of the mountain in Jiguani, laughing and smiling with my two sweet kiddos, Michael and Claudia. We watched the sunset together on top of that mountain and just simply enjoyed every single moment. For a moment it seemed that all the stresses and worries of everyday life faded away as the sun slipped behind the clouds. We raced across the mountain as the colors raced across the sky. We were content with the joy that we were experiencing in that unforgettable moment. The joy found in something so simplistic such as a sunset is so beautiful. I firmly believe that there can be joy found in any moment if you are content with exactly where God has you.

Sunsets have such a special place in my heart. Chasing sunsets on a boat, running on the sand dancing, speeding on the jet ski in sport mode hoping to make it back to the house in time before the DNR catches you because you are out too late, going outside just to take a thousand pictures to keep the memory alive forever, being told I love you for the first time by a guy that isn’t your dad, hiking Arabia Mountain with some of your best friends, waiting in line at Universal with all your Church Camp friends while everyone just stares at the sky in amazement, having deep talks with your sister while drinking dunkin donuts, and so many more countless memories that I have experienced while a sunset abounds in the never ending sky.

Everyone in the world sees a sunset. There is this one moment when you have to just stand there in silence and be in awe of the painting God has blessed you with. The most fulfilling and peaceful moment when you are overflowing with an innocent childlike joy.

Another reason I love sunsets is because they are for everyone. God doesn’t personally select someone to see the sunset, but instead He gifts us all with the opportunity to witness His majesty and splendor. The person who cries themself to sleep, the person who claims to be atheist, the person who lost a parent, the person who just got a divorce, the person who tries to be happy all the time, the person who got their heart broken, the person who lost their best friend. The point is that everyone can witness a sunset. Everyone can experience this unexplainable joy and peace. Everyone can feel the luminescence of the sun shining upon their skin. Everyone can close their eyes and feel the gentle breeze drift across their skin, everyone can hear the innocent and genuine laughter of a child, everyone can see the trees swaying in the wind, everyone can hear the water crashing against the bank, everyone can find joy and gratitude in the simple things.

Sunsets are a gift that makes me reflect on some of the greatest moments of my life. Every evening, when I watch the sunset I think of God’s endless grace and how faithful He is to keep His promises. Ultimately, I believe in sunsets because they remind me of God’s love for me. God calls mankind the crown of His creation. To me, sunsets are the most beautiful thing, but God looks at me and says that I am even more beautiful. I just cannot fathom that. The Lord thinks that I am more beautiful than the sunset that everyone is so captivated by. The Lord is captivated by His perfect creation. Even though we have fallen short, broken our covenants with Him time after time, and sinned endlessly, God still chooses us. He loves us with the irreplaceable love of a Father who desires only the best for His children.

God looks at me and says that I am worthy of His love. He says that I was worth the price of dying for. I believe that God paints me a picture every day to remind me that in the midst of all my worries and anxieties that He is still working. I believe that genuine joy is found in life’s most simple moments. I believe in grabbing a friend and running through a field of grass laughing, dancing, smiling, and chasing the sunsets. I believe in taking a risk and telling someone you love them. I believe in taking a moment from our busy lives to just sit in awe of God’s glory. I believe in illegal sunset jet ski rides with your best friend. I believe in eating ice cream on the dock and having long talks while watching the vibrant sky. I believe in family sunset boat rides. I believe in coffee and sunsets. I believe in my favorite thing ever: sunset Bible studies. I believe in long walks while looking at the sky. I believe in taking a thousand pictures of the sky in hopes of making it last a second longer. I believe in having endless dance parties and singing until your voice is gone while watching the sun go down. I believe in taking a moment every day to just take a second to watch God’s display of His endless love for me manifested in the captivating glory of a simple sunset. I believe in sunsets.