Is it normal to go through a process questioning and exploring my religion?

Nox, I'm sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time. Nox, unfortunately Mankind is bound to have the characteristic of not being too comprehensive and judgmental. You are not the only one who goes through this situation of questioning faith. In fact, I can ure you that everyone does; perhaps even your own family but of course some people prefer to keep it within them and follow the norms. The thing here is that you've found another source of happiness and Comfort that gives you faith. God is everywhere and in whatever religion you choose to follow, God is watching upon us even in the hard moments Nox. So when you feel so comforted at the beach that is also because God is there in nature form. Nox, you're family may be having difficulty in understanding you at the moment, but soon they will learn to respect your choice. Because life is made of only your choices, sometimes we allow for others opinions to contribute to our decision making process but ultimately the human being is born to make his or her own decisions which will shape his or her own life.