There’s a lot going on these days — including a brand-new website that I’m still learning how to manage. (Note: the website still has a few bugs) Since I’ve been spending most of my free time in my closet recording the audiobook for Surfing in Heaven, my writing had come to a complete standstill.
But that changed last Sunday.
Marla and I went to Twin Lakes Church in Aptos where Pastor René Schlaepfer’s sermon on Hope really caught our attention. His message was part of a series tied to the launch of the new Twin Lakes Church Hope Center, a facility being built on campus to serve the needs of the Santa Cruz community in food distribution, faith-based healing programs, Bible studies and meetings. On Sunday, René invited Katie Kelly to share her story of hope — and what she said stopped me in my tracks.
Katie spoke about the hope she has in Jesus, even after the death of her husband, Ben Kelly, who was killed in a shark attack off Sand Dollar Beach in Santa Cruz County. Her words were humble, brave, and filled with light. I immediately thought back to Chapter 26 of Surfing in Heaven, where I wrote about Ben’s story (Kicking Out).
I clipped four minutes of her talk to share with you — not only to honor Ben, but to offer you the same hope in the midst of your own trials. Katie’s faith in Jesus, even in the face of deep tragedy, is the kind of strength that speaks louder than anything I could write.
Thank you again to this amazing community for your support of Surfing in Heaven. As the book begins to ripple out into the world, new stories are already beginning to surface — and as soon as I get a handle on this new website, I’ll be telling those stories through this blog. So please: spread the word if you haven’t already.
One last thing: if you’ve read the book — or even part of it — would you take five minutes to leave a quick review on Amazon or Goodreads? Your words will help others find the story and, God willing, find some hope in it too.