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Torrey Pines Christian Church Surf Ministry |
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Surf Ministry Testimony |
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TPCC Surfing w/Coach Bob – written 11/4/07 by James Bishop I went surfing with Coach Bob the other Saturday at 15th Street, Del Mar. I arrived, and he said, “We are going out to the reef.” Now, I’ve never been surfing over a reef, much less, I’ve only surfed once at Del Mar and according to me, the waves were big and fierce! I had the fear of the unknown. But we went out anyway. I prayed to God for a big wave for me to catch. And in the first 2 minutes, Surfer Bob said, “Take this one! Turn around! Go!” I turned my 8 foot board around without even one look at the 5 foot wave behind me! I looked back and saw a wave 2 feet above my head about to crash over me. I felt a lift and a slight push, I stood up, and I felt like I was going 70 mph! But before I knew it I found myself in the water, covering my head to protect it from the slicing fins. I got on my board, got pummeled by a few waves and was back out on the horizon. I went for another 5 foot wave, got a 3 second ride, and found myself in the same position. I got out easier though, after Bob taught me how to turtle (turn over under the wave to get past it). We were talking for a little, while the waves were flat. I paddled back to where he was after trying to get past waves that were going to topple right over us. He said, “Yeah, whenever you see big waves that are going to catch you in the curl….paddle your BUTT OFF!” We talked and saw dolphins pop up their dorsal fins about 3 feet in front of us! I said, “Man, if I were still up there, and saw that gray flash under me, it would’ve scared the heebie geebies out of me!” After all, that was what all the shark attack victims said they saw! But dolphins meant NO sharks, and it was a sign to me that Christ was with me, like a dolphin to the sharks (the devil). We waited, and I pointed my finger in awe of a 7 foot wave approaching us. Bob said nothing – it was Christ in my mind telling me this was my wave, the wave I prayed for, a glassy, 7 foot righty, and I was in the perfect spot to catch it. I looked left and saw the other surfers go backward over the wave, looked right and saw the same thing. This was the wave I prayed for! I was so full of stoke! I stood up, turned right, and caught a wave 3 feet over my head for the most stoke-filled 10 seconds of my life! I glided across the water going 70 mph (that’s what it felt like anyway) and let my hand feel the wave as I rode. I was in touch with the wave; we knew how each other worked, much like me and Jesus. Now, I can’t fully explain the feeling, for the only way to truly know would be to do it, and take the risk – the risk of being rejected by friends, and do what Jesus has called us to do. I saw the wave closing out on me, and went up on the wave. I sprung off the board like a rocket being launched. I was washed in the water like a baptism for all of my sins. Mission accomplished, I caught white water and rode in to land. Surfer Bob introduced me to man named Milton Willis. I talked to him like any other friend, not knowing he’d caught the biggest wave ever recorded, 100 feet tall! But still, I talked with him like anyone; he said it was just luck. Surfer Bob said, “Yeah! And muscle, skill, determination, confidence and little fear of the unknown!” I thought, well this really does all relate to Jesus. We all have the fear of the unknown. We do not know Jesus truly until we’re in heaven, we don’t know the stoke of the surf until we do it! I thanked God for this lesson and thanked Him for the opportunity for a better life. I’ve had experiences like this before with Jesus, and how you get thrown off track, but He forgives you for your sins and before you know it, you’re back on board, worshiping Him more than ever before. |
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