Written By: Amy Nehrig| CSUS Staff Support
Photo By: Solveig Jobbins
When all the elements are just right for surfing, my life goes into complete chaos. So when Southern California got the “best swell in 10 years” (I hear that at least once a year), my entire household became complete maniacs. With king tides and a south swell from the South Pacific, this swell brought massive waves and colossal upheaval to the Nehrig family.
Surf plans began around 6 p.m. the night before, and no one talked about anything else. We went over the plan 15 times during dinner and checked Surfline every five minutes. Then everyone agreed we needed to go to bed early.
After loading boards, packing snacks, and friends coming over all night to crash at our house, no one went to bed early. The alarms started going off at 3:45 a.m. for the first group heading to Lower. Then, for those who overslept/got left by my husband, David, alarms continued to go off for the next two hours.
The first crew came back around 9 a.m., so David could head to work while all the boys went straight back to bed. About four hours later, they crawled out looking for food before heading back out for an afternoon and sunset surf. Once everyone came home for a late-night dinner, the cycle repeated itself for three more days.
Everyone was exhausted. Bodies hurt. Work had been procrastinated, and it looked like a tornado had hit my house.
The funny thing about a great swell is that everyone spends days praying for it, watching for it, and planning for it. Then it arrives, and by the end of it, everyone is completely exhausted.
The waves were everything you hoped for. The surf was incredible. Memories were made. Yet after several days, everyone was worn down, sore, sleep-deprived, and running on fumes.
Spiritually, that’s often how we approach life.
We tell ourselves, “If I could just get that opportunity, that season, that vacation, that promotion, or that answer to prayer, then I’d be satisfied.” But even the best experiences have limits. The greatest swell eventually fades. The perfect trip ends. The exciting season passes. The things we love, no matter how good they are, cannot sustain us forever.
Only God can sustain us forever. Our exhaustion reminds us that we were never meant to live on excitement, achievement, or even the things we love most. We were created to be sustained by Him. Isaiah 40:29 says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
God offers a different kind of renewal — a strength that doesn’t come from more rest, better conditions, or another perfect swell. Sometimes God allows us to reach the end of our own energy so we remember where true strength comes from. Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
As you go into this week, pray that God alone will be the source and strength that sustains you, knowing that every good and perfect gift comes from Him and that He is the greatest gift of all.