Sharing the Word of God and surfing were my husband’s two great passions. One we had in common and the other not at all. When I asked him how a surfing session went he would sometimes say, “The waves weren’t any good but it was great to be in the water. My response to that was always, “It just sounds cold to me.”
My husband didn’t surf when we met. Two years before he had come to know Christ and left behind a hedonistic lifestyle. Giving himself to Jesus meant giving up some life-long friends and the sport he dearly loved, both necessary to sustain a changed life. My mother-in-law said that she had never seen anyone change so much, which she said was a good thing or I would have never married Richard.
When our oldest daughter was 16 she begged her dad to teach her how to surf and in doing so his love for the water was rekindled. Besides teaching our five children, he taught countless others how to surf. It was something he loved to do.
The beach and surfing became a means for sharing Christ’s love and truth with others, meaning our garage was full of surfboards and foamies. Our church ran a surf camp for years where many young people learned how to surf and to love the truth of God. The beach and surfing were also an integral part of our outreach to international students.
Our Passions Can Help Us Share Christ.
Richard’s passion for Christ and the Word of God changed the course and outcome of my life and that of many others. His passion for surfing gave him an opportunity to share his passion for Christ.
Is there something besides the Word of God you have a passion for? Can that passion become a means for sharing Christ’s love with others? May God use your passions in the year ahead to share his goodness and truth with others. We hope that the resources Richard developed will help you do that.
Thanks for sharing surf camp was always fun and enjoyable