Swimming in the Deep End

photo via niascissorhands @photobucket
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.

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