Everyone Needs a Quiet Place — Why Sarah Found Hers on the Beach
Christian beach read lovers, this one is for you — and I think it might be exactly what your heart needs right now.
A Little Girl, a Creek, and the Sound of Peace
When I was a little girl, I used to go down to the creek near our house, find a big flat rock, and just sit there. I’d close my eyes and listen to the water babbling over the stones. I didn’t know what meditation was back then — I just knew that something about the sound of that water made everything feel okay. All the noise in my head would get quiet, and for a little while, the world felt simple and safe.
I didn’t have a word for what I was doing. I wasn’t following a method or reading a book about it. I was just a kid who found a rock by the water and let the sound wash everything else away. Looking back now, I know exactly what that was — it was my soul finding rest. It was God giving a little girl exactly what she needed before she even knew how to ask for it.
Finding That Same Peace in South Beach
Years later, when I lived in South Beach, I found that same peace all over again. I’d walk along the water’s edge barefoot, letting the waves lap at my feet, feeling the sand between my toes, listening to the rhythm of the ocean. It was like that creek found me all over again — just bigger, wider, and even more beautiful.
There’s something about the water, sweet friend. Something about the way it moves and sounds and never stops. It doesn’t rush you. It doesn’t ask anything of you. It just invites you to be still. And every single time I stood at that water’s edge, I could feel the tension leave my shoulders and my breathing slow down. The world got quiet again, just like it did on that rock by the creek.
As Psalm 23:2 reminds us, “He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” (<a href=”https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+23%3A2&version=NIV” target=”_blank” rel=”dofollow”>Psalm 23:2 NIV</a>) That’s exactly what the water has always done for me — and that’s exactly why I had to write it into my book.
Why Sarah Goes to the Beach Every Day in Sarah’s Gift
That’s exactly why I knew when I was writing Sarah’s Gift, I had to give Sarah that same kind of healing place. Sarah struggles with anxiety, and every single day she walks down to the beach with her sweet dog Bella. The sand. The waves. Bella by her side. It’s where Sarah breathes again. It’s where she finds her calm in the middle of the storm.
Sarah gets sent to Miami to use her extraordinary gift to track down a thief. Sounds exciting, right? But here’s the thing — she never imagined that along the way, she’d find her heart instead. This book has mystery, romance, a gorgeous Miami sunset backdrop, and a story that will keep you turning pages long after the sun goes down. It’s part of The Luck of The Irish Gift series, and if you love a strong woman with an incredible gift, a little danger, and a whole lot of heart — this Christian beach read is for you.
But underneath all the mystery and romance, there’s something deeper. There’s a woman who is learning that she doesn’t have to carry everything alone. That peace is not something you chase — it’s something you walk toward, one barefoot step at a time. And that sometimes the most healing thing you can do is just show up at the water’s edge and let God meet you there.
Your Quiet Place Is Calling You
I think we all have a place like that, don’t we? A place where the world gets a little quieter and our soul gets a little lighter. Maybe it’s a creek. Maybe it’s the ocean. Maybe it’s a garden or a front porch swing or a trail through the woods. Wherever it is — that’s God whispering, “Come rest with Me for a while.”
Life is loud, sweet friend. It’s busy and demanding and sometimes it feels like the noise never stops. But God always provides a quiet place for us if we’re willing to go find it. He did it for me with a creek and a rock when I was just a little girl. He did it again with the ocean in South Beach. And He did it for Sarah with Bella and a Miami sunset.
Grab Your Copy of Sarah’s Gift
So whether you’re actually at the beach, curled up on the couch, or reading on your lunch break pretending you’re at the beach (no judgment here), grab your copy of Sarah’s Gift and get lost in a story you won’t want to put down. It’s the kind of Christian beach read that stays with you long after the last page.
If Sarah’s story sounds like something your heart needs right now, it’s available now on Barnes & Noble — and I truly believe you’ll see a little bit of yourself in her.
I’d love to know — where is YOUR quiet place? Where do you go when you need to breathe and just be? Tell me in the comments below, sweet friend. I have a feeling we all need a little more of those places in our lives. 👇💛
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With love and faith, Marilyn 💜