Danger in the Water
I couldn’t get to the surface. Was I going to drown?
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print“Race you to the water!” my cousin Emily yelled.
My cousins Emily, Meridel, Hannah and I were at the beach, having a blast on our family vacation. The four of us splashed into the ocean and started swimming, and pretty soon we were in water up to our chests.
Suddenly, Meridel and Hannah screamed, “Wave!”
I looked up to see a huge wave coming right at me. Wham! It slammed into me and swept me under before I even had time to take a breath.
The water was chilly before, but now it felt like I’d been pushed into a pool of ice cubes. I kicked my feet like crazy and paddled with my arms, trying to get to the surface, but I couldn’t tell which way was up! The salty water burned my nostrils. My lungs ached. I've got to take a breath! Please God don’t let me drown…
Then, suddenly, something grabbed hold of me…a warm, firm grip around my body, lifting me toward the surface. I still couldn’t breathe, but a peaceful calm swept through me.
Splash! Finally, I popped up above the water and took a huge gulp of air. Thank God one of my cousins pulled me up! I turned around to see who’d saved me.
But the three of them were swimming toward me from so far away, there was no way they could have been my rescuers—and no other people were anywhere near me.
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Something very similar happened to me while I was in Kauai. My cousin brother and I were just enjoying the beach then, suddenly, the bottom of the ocean was swept from under my feet. Our uncle jumped in to save us, but only found himself drowning as well. I was praying, and swimming harder then i ever had before, and suddenly there was a smiling man who just walked right to me, grabbed my arm and pulled me to shore. After I took a few breaths, and turned to thank him he was gone. I was the only one who saw this man. And the same thing happened with my cousin Anna.
Our guardian angels are always with us. About 50 years ago, I was driving from Dana Point to Torrance, California. To this day, I do not remember the drive. I was suffering from depression and did not see my guardian angel or remember who drove me home but who else could it have been? Thanks for sharing your experience.
I thank you each for these wonderful testimonials of Gods love and His power to save us. Its so hard for me at times when life throws so many hurts to know He knows my needs and has a way to take care of me and my needs. Your story and each of you who made comments has been an encouragement to me to hold fast! This has been a reminder for me of how He has protected me in the past. May I never forget !
My heart has been very heavy for many weeks and months as my wife has been wanting a divorce. Finally two weeks ago she took our daughter and moved out. There is another man she is wanting to marry as soon as the divorce is final. I am committed to her and pray that she will see her ways as God surely must see this and return and work to save our family.
Most every day some new thing comes up that would make it appear as if there is no way our marriage can be saved. I show her love and forgiveness in every way I can and daily pray God give me wisdom. I know He has ways to bring about a desire in her heart to repent and return.Please pray for me/us. God bless you all !
Sometimes you have to let go.She may be ready to move on and you can bless her and still be in your daughter's life.
If it is meant to be she will return.She left for a reason.
Blessings to you
My dear troubled friend,
I truly empathize with you as I have been down similiar roads myself. My ex-husband (along with the help of some of my CLOSE family members) succeeded in cutting me out of our son's life for the past 5 years, but you know what? My son's father is now allowing him (slowly but surely) to come back into my life. This only happened when I begin to pray for God to soften my ex's heart & to please help him to rid himself of the anger & bitterness he had toward me & to please not punish our son any longer by keeping us apart. So in saying all of this, I can not only promise you but I can GUARANTEE you that if you keeping trusting in God & really BELIEVE that He is going to help you right this terrible wrong in your life --- He absolutely will!!! The thing we have to always remember is to have the faith & trust of a little child when it comes to trusting our Lord Jesus. He will NEVER let us down or forsake us & when we think He is not listening or not even there for us -- just remember He is right there beside us wanting us to trust Him for EVERYTHING!!! Also my friend, ask Him daily to open your eyes & help you to see everything He wants you to see & also ask Him to help you not to be afraid of what He is going to show you. I promise you, when you pull so close to Him like that & believe everything you ask Him or say to Him, I promise you, He will leave you standing in amazement for what He is about to do in your life. I hope these words help you greatly because this is exactly what I have started doing since January of this year & He has literally left me breathless & so excited at the wonderful things He has allowed to happen in my life since I have begun to trust Him for EVERY SINGLE THING, PROBLEM, NEED OR WANT in my life.
God Bless you my dear sweet brother in Christ. I can't wait to meet you one day in Heaven so we can rejoice together for all the wonderful things that He did in our lives on this earth!
With the most sincere regards,
JoAnna Hight Sanders
Gordon, The Lord tells us in His Word (the Bible) to trust in Him with all of our hearts, and not to lean on our own understanding. In all our ways to acknowledge Him and He shall direct our paths. (Proverbs Chapter 3:Verses 5 through 6). So as hard as it may seem for now, do just that, for Jesus is in the saving business and the family is important to Him. Nothing is too big or too small for Him. Too difficult or impossible for Him to do. So pray for your wife earnestly. For the Lord to change her heart and to heal her hurt and yours. Request prayer from Ministries by email, or by phone. Find comfort by reading the Psalms and the Book of John in the New Testament. Stay strong in the Lord. Pray for His wisdom, direction and guidance for you and your wife and may He bless you and your marriage bountifully. Take good care of yourself for you need to be there for your wife and your daughter when they return home. Love and blessings in Jesus. P.S. See Isaiah 59:Verse 19. Lamentations Chapter 5: Verse 19 through 21. Stay strong in the Lord for He loves you and sees your pain!
Thank you for your kind reply. I am praying as you suggested and will begin praying scripture over her as another wrote here. I really appreciate this as I feel also alone so very often. I have requested prayer for us here at Guide Posts and many others are also in prayer for us. She is a good person who daily since we met read her bible on her knees two times daily and prays. We have been weekly in church and daily devotions and family worship and prayer and Christian school for our daughter. Then she met a man at work. but I have been praying a hedge about her and that the Lord will block her ways and bring her to repentance. And thank you for the reminder that I need to take care of my self. I have not wanted to eat so have lost 30 lbs which is part good. But I need to now do as you say. Thank you all for your comments and prayers. Lord bless !!!
Hi Gordon, I am so happy to hear you are walking with the Lord, for in Him there is so much love, life, rest from our daily burdens, His forgiveness when we repent,and most of all, His gift of Salvation. Praise His holy name that you know Him!. You and your wife, are children of the Living God so as His Word says He will never forsake you, nor leave you. The enemy's desire is to destroy us, and he attacks the family structure because he knows how much that means to our Lord. You are doing just great by praying for your wife. Plead the blood of Christ over her, you and your little daughter. Claim Bible verses and incorporate your names when you claim them. The Lord is watching over you and your wife. He won't forsake you, believe that. Sometimes in our weakness, we may try to walk away from Him for a season, but when we know the truth,it is just a matter of time before we return to Him. So your earnest prayers are not in vain, and will one day be honored by our Lord,that's when you'll see a change take place in your wife. Do know I am praying for you and her to reconcile. Here are some Bible verses I have chosen for you to claim: Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8, Joshua 1:9, II Samuel 22:29, 33 & 34 and 37. Psalm 46: 1 & 2, 5, 7, and 11. Job 6:23. Continue to take care of yourself. I know it must be hard, for everything seems to fall on your shoulders, but you are the one with a bit of strength (in the Lord), so you must pull the wagon for you and your family. Surround yourself with Christian friends so you won't feel so lonely. Get involved in Christian projects, that way, you won't idle thinking and hurting. The Lord bless you three and keep you in His loving care. Don't give up the good fight (in the Lord), alright?. Bless you too and bountifully!
Gordon,
Keep praying & trusting God because He is faithful. He wants you to continue to trust Him. Other advise--pray Scriptures verses of blessing over her continually. God is trustworthy & will minister to you.
I just prayed for you and her.
Gordon, hang in there and never lose hope. Just talk to God and ask Him to deliver his will. He knows what's best for you. Don't force anything. Just ask for an answer. The answer will come. Be patient. Have a peaceful heart, not a heavy one.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God". Phil 4:6-7
Twenty five years ago, while at Flathead Lake in MT. I had a scarey experience while swimming. I somehow managed to get into water where I could not touch bottom. I am only a adequate swimmer, and so it was not long before I could not stay up. Just as I was really in a panic and out of breath, two boys on a tube came by and I was able to grab a hold to get to shore. Those boys were not in the area when we went in just seconds before, and I always wondered where they came from in the nick of time. :)
Also, Brenda, I have prayed over my car to get it going as you did your washer! I firmly believe in prayer and God answering our needs. He has watched over me so many times in my life and sent help countless times. More than I probably know!
The same thing happened to me. I was out at Virgina Beach playing with my younger cousins that knew how to swim- I did not. I was jumping up each time a wave came and the next thing I knew, my feet could not hit the bottom of the sea floor. I began kicking my feet and trying to swim to shore. My Uncle grabbed my arm and pulled me and I was kicking and winded up pushing him away from me. The next thing I knew, a calm came over me and I stopped kicking and wildly moving my arms. The water was over my head and I did not take a breath, I saw some guy running towards me and he got behind me pushed me. He pushed me just enough to allow me to walk out the water. I was so tired from fighting for my life. My younger cousins never will forget that day. I will not either.
When I was a teen-ager I was swimming in the ocean when a wave swept over me too. I remember my eyes were open. I remember it being a very scary experience. I survived although something embarrasing did happen which I don't feel I should post. I am thankful that I was not afraid to go back into water after that although as I have gotten older I prefer a pool over open water, and I do admit that I sometimes have an irrational fear of suffocation when I have to pull something over my head. God is good though.
I can relate, when I was fourteen after my best friend died I went into a church which had a wax body that looked very real lying in an open glass enclosure. It scared me so bad I ran from the church and was about to cross the highway when a force stopped me and an car crossed where I would have been if it were not for that "angel" that stopped me dead in my tracks. So yes, I do believe in angels. Mary Stanley
Praise the Lord! He is so good to us and the promises He gives, He keeps. Wouldn't want to be without Him in my life.
gods good to me too amen!
It reassures me to hear stories like this. I had grown up in an older home, built in the 1920's, the basement was not well lit and often very wet and very dirty... not the type of basement to be finished for living quarters. As a child, I was very nervous to be alone down there as my childish imagination typically got the best of me. Once when I was very young I was helping my mom with laundry in the basement and was given the task to carry a load of clothes up. The basket was seemingly just as tall as I. Rounding the tight corner carrying the tall and heavy load of clothes I ascended the stairs and could see my mom through the stairs still loading the washer on the opposite end of the basement. Typically it was here I began to run up the stairs fearful of what lurked in the dark under the stairs; however, the basket was much to heavy to even consider racing up the stairs and too my mom was in sight so nothing in my childish imagination could grab my feet as I went up the stairs. As I neared the top of the steep and narrow staircase the basket became so heavy I struggled to lift it high enough to clear the steps; without warning the basket bumped hard into the step in front of me and without any ability to grab hold of the railing next to me I began to fall straight over backward-like a tree knocked down by a lumber jack. The adrenaline raced through my core as I knew I was going down but thankfully my mom happened to already be behind me and pressed her warm large hands firmly on my back standing me back up to my feet and laundry basket still gripped tightly in my hands. I made the last step up to the kitchen setting the basket down and turning with a mix of tears and a smile to thank mom for catching me but she was not there. I stood there speechless for a second and even rubbed my back where I had felt her hands firmly press upon my back... righting me from what felt to be a horizontal position, certainly a fall that would have been down steep stairs to a concrete floor and old slate stacked wall. I hollered down to my mom just to hear her voice and know where she was... she was still at the washer loading clothes. When my mom finally came upstairs I told her what had happened, she simply replied my guardian angel was watching over me. However, in my heart... it was so much more than just that... I felt the hands and I knew the magnitude of my situation... even then... it seemed way more then her simplistic and nonchalant reply. I have never forgotten that day 30+ years later and am always thankful in my heart when I think of that day...
this one may seem so silly to alot of u but when i was a girl my parents were wonderful but believe in the old fashion punishment of the belt ... we had just fixed our washer machine and i was told if it broke again i was sure to have to b belted ... well here i was putting clothes in the washer it filled up with water but it didnt wash the clothes it didnt do anything oh my goodness i started bawling scared for sure i was going to get the belt ... well crying dont solve nothing so the washer just sat there full of water ... but i knew one way to solve problems through prays so i began to pray earnestly praying and that washer began washing ...by the way i did try lifting that washer to see if the belt came loose but being full of water ofcourse i couldnt... i was so thankful i thank god everytime i think about that incident ... and sometime i think how silly to pray over a washer! however silly it seems if its important to u and god sees it his will that pray will b answered! Amen!
Dear Brenda , Nothing is to small or trivial to pray about, or bring to God in prayer. He is concerned with every aspect of our live. Keep on bringing EVERY THING to God in prayer.
IT'S WONDERFUL HOW GOD ANSWERS A REQUEST FOR HELP!
IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD BELIEVE IN HIM THINGS WOULD BE MUCH BETTER FOR ALL! IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SOME SAY OH, IT'S
ONLY MYTH OR STORY! PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO CHURCH & FIND
OUT ABOUT OUR LORD! THEY WOULD BE SURPRISE AT WHAT HE GOULD
DO FOR THEM!! SOMETIMES I THINK THEY ARE AFRAID OF
FINDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THEMSELVES!
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU . THANK YOU DOLORES
God is great, greatly to be praised. It can only be divine intervention. praise God in the most high. amen.
The very same thing happened to me while white water rafting on the Ocoee River. Our boat overturned on churning water called "Broken Nose". I went way under water & hit my head on a rock. I thought I was going to drown. I could literally see moments of my life pass before my eyes. Then suddenly I felt a pull on my life jacket (which did not keep me afloat)and I was pulled to the surface. I looked for someone to thank for pulling me up, but they were all dealing with their own trauma and disorientation. Nobody said they pulled me to the surface.