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What I learned about hope from surfing
By 
Lucy Macdonald2025-07-17T05:58:00
Lucy Macdonald shares how a surf session in Jeffreys Bay became a vivid picture of what it feels like to wait on God through disappointment and deferred hope.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” — Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)
This morning I paddled out at Point — one of my favourite local surf spots in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. We’d been gifted some crisp June sun, and I was buzzing. My friend, Zander was there with his signature Colgate smile, and Lana, always full of fight and flair. The kind of people who make you feel lighter, even in a wetsuit.
After what felt like an endless set of waves, we spotted a lull and went for it. The paddle started well — until a rogue breaker launched me straight onto the rocks. Classic. And there I was, praying with desperation: “Lord, please help me!”
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