Dear Jesus,
What a joy to be here on the beach with you! After the drama and excitement of the past weeks, it was nice to get away from it all, to go back to what I know, my simple life — the life I led before I met you.

But then as I sat in the boat with Peter and the others, idling in the last moments of a long night, catching nothing, we saw you calling to us from the shore. Peter plunged into the water and swam in, while the rest of us laughed and got the boat into shore as quickly as we could. It’s you! I am so thrilled to be here with you.
Did I really think my life would ever return to “normal”? What was I thinking? What in the world is normal to me now? I’m sitting here with you, my beloved friend, as you make me breakfast and ask how I am. Yes, I’ve been a little overwhelmed by the events of recent weeks as I tried to stay with you through it all. I’ve been so joyful that you are back and are with me at such a deep level. But what does that mean for my life, Jesus?

What will happen to me now? How will this joy I feel in you and for you affect my life? You ask if I care for you. Yes! Yes, dearest friend, I care for you and love you so much. I will feed your sheep. I will tend to your flock, to the poor and the downtrodden, as you have. Is that what you are asking of me? Is that how I can continue to feel you in my life — to care for your sheep?

And then you looked so deeply into my eyes, with such love and understanding and said, “Follow me.” I will! Yes, I will follow you! Maybe I held back a little on the boat, afraid of taking the plunge into the water as Peter did, but no longer. I am ready to follow you, to feed your sheep. Show me where, tell me how!

Thank you, Jesus, for such joy! My heart is soaring with love for you. Thank you for holding my hand past the fears of the unknown and asking me to follow you. I’m not sure what my “yes” is or where it will take me, but yes!