Presented by PeaceSpeaks.earth
TODAY’S PASSAGE
From “Voice Of Jesus 2” by Michael Canfield:
One of my favorite memories was the annual Santa Cruz fireworks display. We would load Billows Rage with family and friends, food and drink, and anchor directly offshore beneath the fireworks launched from the boardwalk. Ash would drift down on us as we watched from the water. Emily and I were returning from an overnight getaway, sailing back to Santa Cruz in thick fog. Visibility was no more than one hundred feet. Out of the fog behind us, two large fins appeared, moving fast. Moments later, fear turned to joy as we realized they were porpoises. They swam alongside the bow, one on each side, escorting us all the way to the harbor entrance. It was simply breathtaking. Living in close quarters aboard a sailboat gave Emily and me the time and space to truly know each other. We shared incredible adventures, but we also faced real challenges. At times, our marriage felt stretched to its limits—sometimes even like open warfare.
REFLECTION
There’s something profoundly beautiful about this moment on the water—the way fear instantly transforms into wonder. Michael and Emily are navigating through thick fog, barely able to see what’s ahead, when suddenly those fins appear. In that split second, their hearts must have raced with terror. But then comes the recognition: these aren’t predators. They’re guides. They’re companions sent to escort them safely home. How often does God work exactly this way in our lives? We see something emerging from the fog of our circumstances, and our first instinct is fear. But when we look closer, we discover that what we thought was a threat is actually divine provision—grace showing up exactly when we need it most.
The honesty in this passage cuts deep. Michael doesn’t just share the magical moments—the fireworks, the porpoises, the breathtaking beauty. He tells us the truth about marriage, about closeness, about what happens when two people commit to truly knowing each other. “Open warfare” isn’t a phrase we usually find in devotional literature, but it’s real. It’s the truth many of us live but rarely speak aloud. Living in close quarters—whether on a sailboat or in a small apartment or simply in the intimate space of a committed relationship—exposes everything. There’s nowhere to hide, no room to pretend. And that proximity can create both incredible intimacy and intense conflict. But here’s the thing: both are part of the journey. Both the porpoises and the warfare are real. Both the adventure and the struggle shape us.
What strikes me most is that Michael holds both realities together without trying to resolve the tension. He doesn’t say, “We had challenges, but we overcame them all.” He simply acknowledges that the same relationship that brought breathtaking moments also brought him to his limits. And isn’t that the truth about anything worth having? The same faith that fills us with wonder also tests us in the fog. The same love that escorts us home also demands everything from us. The same commitment that creates space for knowing each other also reveals our sharpest edges. We don’t have to choose between the beauty and the battle. We’re called to embrace both, trusting that the One who sends porpoises through the fog is also present in the close quarters where we face our greatest challenges.
THIS SPEAKS TO ME BECAUSE…
What fog are you navigating today? What fins are emerging that might be divine escorts rather than threats? And in what close quarters is God inviting you to truly know and be known—even when it stretches you to your limits?
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This passage is from “Voice Of Jesus 2” by Michael Canfield — a profound journey into love, faith, and the voice of the divine.
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