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Monday, August 22
Gasping for air.
Swallowing water with each breath.
Reaching for anything to grab.
Going under for the third time in water depths twice my little height.
Frightened beyond words.
Will anyone notice?
Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me up.
I clung to an inner tube from a truck tire that just happened to be in the deep end.
Rescued.
Around the age of eleven, I was with some friends at the pool. Some of the older kids played a game with other kids on their shoulders in the deep end of the pool. I don’t remember if they were playing “chicken” or not.
One of the older girls asked if I would get on her shoulders.
“Sure,” I said. “Just don’t dump me backwards in the deep end.”
Into the shallow end we went and up on her shoulders I went. And what does she do? Yup. She dumps me backwards off her shoulders into the deep end!
I couldn’t swim very well. I could play around in the water if my feet touched the bottom of the pool; I felt safe there. I always struggled to swim. I had no body fat to keep me afloat.
I tried swimming lessons but I told the instructor that I would sink. He didn’t believe me. On the first lesson, I made it across the width of the pool just fine. But halfway back...I sank!
I almost drowned in the deep end that day. The deep end still scares me. My lungs even close up when I see someone struggling underwater on television or in a movie.
I didn’t have a storm around me, though it felt like it, so I wonder how Peter felt, as he looked at the raging waves billowing against him, when “immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” (Matt. 14:31 NKJV)
He heard my cry, just as He heard David’s plea, “Reach down from heaven and rescue me; deliver me from deep waters” (Ps. 144:7a TLB), and He answered, as David said, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me...You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.” (Ps. 138:7 NLT)
Jesus calls us in the midst of the rushing, storm waters to come to Him. Ever so gently He calls...Come a little deeper. Come on. I’m right here. I’ll not only rescue you but I’ll teach you to swim in the deep end. I won’t let you drown.
There is no fear of sinking, for He reaches out, grabs us with a mighty grip, and will not let go. He is our Life Preserver.
Have you been swimming in the deep end lately?
~~Today’s post is part of Peter Pollock’s One Word at a Time Blog Carnival on the topic of childhood.
And...
Coming soon...
I feel like I'm drowning in the deep end a bit right now. Your words bring comfort to me, Lynn. Thank you for letting Him speak so clearly through you.
Oh, Jen! I so know that feeling. I'm sorry the waters are rising around you. I'll be praying for you. Blessings to you, dear one!
Great post, Lynn. Jesus is our life preserver; better than an inner tube any day.
Thanks so much, Carol! Always love seeing you, sweetie! Bless you!
I used to feel that way. Not anymore. I've finally gotten to the point when the water begins to get too deep I just float up on His Word and promises into the light of His love, grace and compassion. In other words, I don't worry as much as I used to. Still not perfect with it, but much, much better. I too almost drowned in the deep end of a pool when I was eight. I remember being mad at the life guard for looking at the blond in the bikini instead of me. When I sank the last time, a friend pulled me over to the side of the pool and one of the other mom's helped me. Funny the things you think of during crises. Great post as usual, Lynn. Love your analogies and stories.
Oh yes, Lynn, I have been swimming in the deep end and He threw me a life line. Just when it felt like my head was going under, He came through in a mighty way! Thank you for this post. God is faithful!
Blessings,
~Erin
Thanks, sweetie! I'm with you, Ceci! I try not to worry and turn it all into praise. Blessings to you!
Erin, He's always there with that lifeline, isn't He? Praise the Lord! Thanks so much, sweetie! Blessings to you!
Thank goodness we have a mighty Savior to call for help when the water gets too deep...I think of Peter and how he walked on water until he took his eyes off Jesus, then he went under....The same for us; when we take our focus off God, we go under but He always faithful to pull us out of the deep water...
Thanks for a great post.
Peter freaked out the second he took his eyes off Jesus. I freak too when I look at what's going on around me. A lot of scary stuff out there. True peace is Jesus Jesus Jesus.
P.S. As a mom I insisted that my three kids take swimming lessons until they could handle "funny stuff" like your friend pulled on you.
Love ya, Lucy
I've spent most of my life flirting with the deep end. I jumped off high cliffs as a kid, so high that when I hit the river I sank in the bottom of the river mud.
God has a place for people like all of us, thankfully. I've finally found peace and joy sitting, watching, and avoiding the dangerous places of life.
Nice job.
AS soon as I finished swimming lessons (I was 8), we went to a pool, and the very first thing I did was jump into the deep end to show off -- and panicked. So my very first swim on my own was also my one and only time to be rescued by the lifeguard.
Oh, amen, Nancy! I'm so glad He's always on-call! Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate it! Blessings to you!
Oh, Flucy-girl, I freak, too, when I take off my blinders. There is a lot of scary stuff out there. So glad you insisted on your kids taking swimming lessons. Thanks for stopping by, sweetie! Bless you!
Wow, Floyd! Jumping off cliffs! So glad you weren't injured! Glad you're in a safer place now. :D Thanks so much for visiting. I'm honored. Blessings to you!
So glad nothing happened to you, Glynn! We would all miss your wonderful poetry! Thanks for stopping by. Always glad to see you. Bless you!
Lynn - this is such an encouraging post. At times I feel as if I'm drowning in the deep end and if I take my eyes off Jesus, I will sink. Yet, He is always there, ready to reach out His hand and rescue me.
Thank you for this!
Visiting from On My Heart Tuesdays and Soli Deo Gloria.
Blessings,
Joan
Joan, I am so honored to have you visit. Thank you so much for your comment. Yes, the Lord is always there...always! It's usually our feelings that cause us to sink. Saying a prayer for you! Blessings to you!
I've been in the deep water these past two months. I just keep reaching for the life boat. And it is always there. I guess this is what living a life of faith is; to keep reaching out to Him who we cannot see, with full knowledge that he will deep us from drowning.
Lynn ~ I have a very similar childhood story, so as I read that I remember gasping for breath and struggling to try to get my head above the water. A young man reached out his hand and lifted me up that day.
Much like Jesus lifted me up when He saved me and continues to life me up when I start drowning in my circumstances.
I LOVED this post and I love thinking about how Jesus is my Life Preserver! Thanks for the way you let God use you to speak life to our hearts!
I've don't have a near-drowning experience to share, but I choked and held my breath with you. So scary.
I grew up on a lake. There was sand to the end of the dock, but then--muck and sticks. And if you jumped off the raft and went down too far and touched the muck or sank into it a little--panic city. So glad He also pulls us from the muck.
Peter's words were so simple, Lynn!! "Lord! Save me!" Drowning in a sea of despair? Cry to Jesus!
Blessings Lynn and thanks for the lovely post!
Such a vivid portrayal of our drowning but Jesus reached down and saved us. He holds us close and it is up to us to relax in Him. He does the rescuing, so we do not need to struggle, but only to surrender to Him. Not of works lest we should boast.
I totally relate to this, Lynn.
I love that it's all about keeping our eyes on Jesus. When He is all we see, we can swim wherever we are, no matter what, because it isn't us swimming at all, rather Him buoying us along every single breath of the way.
Shanda, thanks so much for commenting. My heart hurts for your troubles. Praying for you. Blessings to you!
Wow! You, too? I'm hearing so many stories like this. I'm so glad there was someone there for you that day. And I'm so happy the Lord is always there for you. So comforting to know, isn't it? Blessings to you, dear one!
Oh, so cool to grow up by a lake, Sandy! {{sigh}} I love the water. Thanks, sweetie, for stopping by. Bless you!
Hey, Bernie! Thank you so much for visiting and commenting. I'm honored. Blessings to you!
Joyful, you're so right. It is our surrender that saves us! Thank you for stopping by. Bless you!
Oh, I'm glad you can relate, Kimberly! Oh, wait...maybe not?! LOL So glad to see you. Thanks so much for the comment! Bless you!
Oh, amen, Cindee! Love your comment. It is Him buoying us up! Thanks so much. Bless you!
I know all too well how that feels.
In fact, I need to get back to my nursing books.
Thanks for throwing me a life-line. :)
So glad you stopped by, Duane! Thanks so much. Blessings to you!