The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

-Psalm 19:1

So much of my current planning with summer seems to revolve around the weather. 

Is it going to be rainy? Crazy hot? Big old thunderstorms? As I am taking note of what’s happening outside, this verse is reminding me to recognize God’s unrivaled power and creativity in His creation. I’ve been thinking a lot about how vast He is, yet how personal He is too. His skies and oceans are massive—but the petals on the new flowers in my garden are so tiny and delicate. The work of His hands is all around us!

The details of creation speak to just how intentional our God is. These things around us didn’t just come to be by chance. They were thought out and were given to us for a purpose. God is connected to His people and His world in a very intimate way. I see his power and his gentleness through nature.

You and I are part of His glorious handiwork too! In fact, we’re His most beloved handiwork. He loves us more than the oceans, more than the mountains, more than the plants or animals. We have been created with intentionality and purpose through His great love. The one who spoke the heavens into being cares for us deeply.

So, how do we apply this verse to our lives? Here are my 3 tips:

1. Slow. Down. It’s so easy to get going with the day and walk right by God’s creation, missing out on His reminders of His love for us. Dwelling on this verse has helped me to see more of the beauty around me this month. 
2. Appreciate and care for God’s handiwork. It’s important to do our best to care for what God has created here on earth.
3. Preach it! If I truly believe that the heavens and the skies proclaim God’s glory, then I have no excuse not to do the same! I should be motivated to share his love with those around me.

As I continue on with my summer, in light of this verse, I can't help but think about how the beach and the ocean speak most clearly to me about God’s glory. There’s something about standing at the edge of the ocean that draws me in and makes me feel closer to Jesus. Every summer (for my entire life), I’ve taken a family vacation to the beach. It’s probably not really unlike lots of other family vacations—except that it includes 60+ people from my mom’s side of the family ALL being in the same little beach town together for a week. And, they’ve been doing this trip for over 60 yrs! Without fail, each time I go on this trip, I am reminded of God’s glory and his love for me. I see it through nature, and I see it through a growing and changing family around me.  God’s creation changes through various seasons just like our lives do—sometimes those changes are graceful and sometimes they’re stormy. But there’s never a season that is beyond God’s control. There’s never a season that is wasted. And, there is always evidence of hope and magnificent glory.

- Where do you need to slow down and appreciate God's creation?

- Who can you share the love of God with today?

Melody lives in the "sweetest place on earth", Hershey, PA. She is a wife, mother of 3 great kids, and teaches essential oils classes for DoTerra. Follow her @thesweetestplacetolearn.