The Village Chapel of Bald Head Island

God Encounters and Seashells

As you walk the beaches of Bald Head Island, you will be amazed by the many ways to experience God in the seashells you find.  If you are into shelling, this will make it more special for you.  If not, perhaps it will give you new “God thoughts” as you walk our island beaches.  Romans 1:20 reminds us:  For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.  Therefore, the seashells tell us of God.   The following are “thoughts from the seashells.”

Slipper Shells

I always talk with God when I am on the beach.  One day, as I was walking on the beach, I told God that having Parkinson’s was hard for me, and I just needed to know that He cared for me and would help me live with this terrible disease.  As I was walking and talking, I looked down and saw not one but a pile of slipper shells.  I sensed God‘s presence very strongly at that moment.  I felt Him saying, “I know what it is like to walk in your shoes (slippers), and I will walk every day and every step with you.”  Since that day nine years ago, every time I go to the beach I only have to take two or three steps before I find a slipper or two.  I only make it through the day because I know that God is walking with me every step, every day.  – Carol Sauder

Olive Shell

I always look for slippers for Carol because she says that is how she knows God loves her.  And I love olive shells because they say, "I love you" to me!  You know, Olive You!  – Mimi Galef

Tiger's Eye or Shark's Eye

Jingle Shells

My favorite, the Atlantic Jingle is such a parallel to the complexity of God's master creation -- man.  Like the Jingle, with its varied colors and translucency, man has such variety of personalities and transparency that he defies full comprehension by his fellows. Only God fully knows each man. –  Judy Knott

Calico Scallop Shell

I am a Calico Scallop collector.  They come in so many different colors.  The colors are so vivid that each one reminds me that all of God's creations come in many shapes and colors, each having something different to offer.  – Merry Bradley

Angel's  Wings

Years ago after a hurricane I found a set of angel wings, still attached together, on the beach.  I was in awe -- that mighty storm, yet the shell was undamaged.  Each year at Christmas, I attach the shell to my wreath to remind me that we often "attend to angels, unaware" and no matter how mighty the storm, nor what kind of storm might come, God is with us. – Jane Johnson

The National Day of Prayer:  A Bald Head Island God Encounter:

On May 6^th, 2010 the Chapel participated in the 59^th Celebration of The National Day of Prayer.  Carol Sauder played beautiful music as people were praying for Our Nation.  The Prayer we focused on was written by Franklin Graham, the 2010 Honorary Chairman of The National Day of Prayer.  We were also given a prayer guide to lead us in our prayer.

Sitting in the beauty of the Chapel, looking out the windows at the marsh and hearing Carol  on the piano and organ, one could sense the presence of God.  The thoughts that came to mind were:  Keep our men and women in the military protected and out of harm’s way.  God, no government organization can thwart Your plans - give us wisdom as to how to carry out Your plans.  Heal the fractures of our Island, of our State, of our Nation and of the World.  Forgive us for fearing man and being intimidated by the world’s ways instead of standing up for Your ways.  Finally, we may not be able to change the world, but we can start with ourselves and our family and say as Joshua said: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.  It is an audacious thought that person by person, family by family things can change. 

I wondered what God would say to us as we sat there.  Listening quietly the thoughts that entered my mind were:  Live your life by accepting all My Son paid for!  It seemed that the heart of God was impressing on me the thoughts of how a parent is impacted when they give an outrageously wonderful gift to their children and it is not appreciated.  I thought I heard God sigh and say “I wish My children truly appreciated and accepted all the gifts and resources I have provided for them.”  Thinking of the hatred toward America as well as all the hatred in the world I focused on the Bible verse where God says that His Children will be known by the Love that they exhibit – not human love, but the love God provides for us to love each other with.  What would happen  here if we loved each other with God’s Love?  Also, what would it be like if we exhibited an Attitude of Gratitude?  There were thoughts of what it would be like if we would stop worrying, fearing, hurrying and being anxious and replace these activities with TRUST in our awesome God.  What would happen if  joy reigned in our lives?  Circumstances might prevent happiness but Joy is the Flag that Flies When The King is in Residence.  Yes, I had God thoughts as I sat in the Chapel praying for our nation and realizing that one by one, we can choose to listen to God and as we obey, He promises His resources to handle our lives.  Yes, it is a God Encounter when we realize that God wants to do something BIG and it just might begin with me! 

The recent God Encounter I feel drawn to share happened on another island.... the island of Jamaica.

My then 15 year old Granddaughter, Carryl Tinsley, joined a church mission trip in June. Carryl was younger than the other high school kids and was scheduled to work on a Bible study with young children rather than the construction projects assigned to the others. The first day of the Bible study she found that a flu outbreak caused the cancelation of the planned week. Carryl was upset after having prepared for this time to share with and teach the children. When she went the next day to the work site, she noticed some children including a very withdrawn 2 year old that no one could reach. Carryl’s story follows:

A girl named Latany:   She was 2 years old and very shy. The first couple of days of us being on our worksite, her house, she didn't talk to anyone or let anyone hug her or even talk to her. On the second to last day, she finally let me pick her up, but she never responded as I tried to talk to her. On the last day, I was so sad because I knew I wouldn't see her again until we got to Heaven. As I told her goodbye and gave her my last hug for a little while, she wrapped her arms and legs around my legs and tried to hold on, as she was saying the first words I had ever heard her say, "I love you." Those three words are very common and I hear them time and again, but this time, it was different. This one moment touched my heart because it made me realize real love. I know my parents love me and I know my siblings love me (most of the time :)) but if this little girl, who I had just met a week earlier loved me and trusted me, and if she loves me this soon, I realized the absolutely huge and amazing love from my savior and my Father in Heaven.”

Returning, Carryl described to me the trip and its impact on her … she feels a true calling to work with children and this has been completely validated. I clearly felt God’s hand on the unfolding scenario … from the cancelation of the VBS to meeting and touching this wonderful and needy little girl.

Our son, Matt, worked as a tram driver on Bald Head Island during his college years.  One day began as any other but it definitely did not end up as “any other day.”  It was at the beginning of tourist season (early March) when many first time visitors arrive on the Island.  Matt was driving down South Bald Head Wynd with a full load of visitors to deliver to their vacation destinations.  As he passed the Club there was a girl standing in the road in near hysteria yelling for help because her older sister was drowning.

Background:  People from Ohio that didn’t know the power of the ocean, had arrived and the two girls put on their bathing suits and rushed into the water.  Rip Current was a word they didn’t know – however one of the girls was caught in the rip current and was fighting with all her might and going under.  Our son stopped the tram right in front of a spot where he had surfed for years and took off into the water.  At the same time, someone with a cell phone called the rescue squad and asked that they report to the beach immediately.  Matt, familiar with the current, floated out to the girl, angled them out of the rip stream, and then allowed the normal current to bring them back in.  Just as they neared the shore, the rescue squad, including the Chief of Police, arrived, took the now unconscious young woman out of the water and immediately began to perform CPR.

This young lady did not know  she had had a God Encounter!  Everything was orchestrated for her to survive that moment, from the fact that she was swimming in a spot that Matt knew intimately, the fact that he was driving by at that very instant, to the rescue squad's arrival at the very moment Matt and the young lady reached the shore.   God organized all of these seeming coincidences, and put these people at those precise places at those precise times, to protect that young lady.  And once it was over, the day progressed just like any other day.   Matt delivered his passengers, the girl’s family left the Island and the Police Chief and Rescue Squad returned to work.

However, this moment allowed us as a family to have our own God Encounter.  The Rescue Team and Chief of Police insisted that Matt receive the recognition for the rescue, although Matt's was one of many players in the drama that unfolded that day.  Based on the Chief of Police's recommendation, Matt was nominated for the Governor’s Award for Heroism and Bravery.  We all traveled to Raleigh to attend the ceremony unsure of what we would encounter and were humbled and sobered by the fact that many of the people receiving the Governor's award did so posthumously.  It was at that moment that we all realized that God had been looking over Matt that day just as much as he had been looking over the young lady he was attempting to help.

As a side note, my initial reaction as a mother following the ceremony was to tell Matt “NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.”  However, it is only by listening to God's calling in such situations, and reacting to the opportunities that God puts in front of us, that Matt was a tool that God used for His encounter with this young lady.   Matt’s God Encounter was brought to light the day we were part of a ceremony where others had paid the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives attempting to rescue others.