Waves and the Sea

" I will not die I will live & I will tell all the works of the Lord. I will not die I will live cause He's a great God."

     Saturday (yesterday) was my free day along with all of the teachers here at Rancho Sordo Mudo. Alisha, Olivia, Jason,Christopher and I we going to go to Tijuana to feed specific people that need food. The trip there got canceled but Alisha, Olivia, and I still wanted to go to the beach and have a fun day. So Saturday morning we got ready to go and at the last minute I invited Jason, he decided that he wanted to join. Alisha drove her car and we all followed in my car. We stopped at a beautiful place between Ensenada and Rosarito to eat brunch. Sitting we overlooked the beautiful beach break and people having a great day in the water and on the sand.  When we finished eating and found a way to the beach walking down these awesome stairs which ended right on the hot sand. Walking out on the hot sand I was ready to jump in... we all (except Jason) forgot bathing suits. Our feet went into the cold water right away and all of us knew we needed to get in.  So warm, so clear, and so beautiful! God had blessed us with this break from school to enjoy Him, to enjoy His creation. He blessed me with my favorite get away, giving me a little bit of home.
    Alisha decided to sit and read with our things while I swam then we would switch and she would have a chance to swim. I ran and splashed into the waves, knowing my clothes would have to dry later but it would be worth it! The waves were decent size, we dove under them to go out  more and more while laughing and having fun.
   I can not even remember how it started but at the point I knew what was happening I looked  at Olivia and told her we gotta get out. We were stuck in a strong rip tide.
   I have grown up swimming, I love the water especially oceans and pools. I've also grown up not having a pool so the beach was our place as a family. The only bad experience for our family that I have heard of at the beach happened on the sand. When my older sister was little she ended up far down the beach.  This feeling was like nothing I have ever felt, the feeling of pure panic. Remember, we had clothes on not just a bathing suit... Olivia was wearing shorts and a t shirt and I had on skinny jeans and a shirt both very difficult to swim in.
   Waves kept forming then crashing down hard. I started to pray... well more like calling out to God. The water was up to my ears and at times only the front of my face could get up for air (when my hair was not blocking my nose or lips).  Again and again I took in the salt water. It felt as if the water was pouring into me with a hose nonstop and clogging me up. With all that was within me I tried continue swimming. I don't remember ever stopping my prayers they just kept coming and so did the waves. At one point I remember thinking I cant do this anymore I cant go anymore I really cant breathe anymore. My body was not getting enough oxygen. My body felt like some serious jello. Then I looked back and this massive wave formed I let go stopped swimming and it crashed pushing me out of the deep. I let Him push me, I let Him help me. God was in the waves. Still very deep I got a glimpse of who was in front of me I saw Jason in more shallow waters looking at me. I remember he was shouting to me. I think he was asking if we needed help, all I could do was put my hand above the water and sign yes! Jason was trying to swim out to me, it felt like forever that we were out in the water.  Before Jason got to me I was thinking wow I am going to die out here? I looked around and could not see Olivia anywhere then her head popped up from the wave and she was defiantly struggling also and I could hear her crying out. Then something in me fought ... out loud I said " NO, I will not die here in this ocean". I kept thinking I know this is NOT the plan God has for me, I know it! And I remember I was kind of making noises... like sobs. Then Jason got to me and helped guide me telling me to swim parallel. At that point it had been a while we were stuck out there and I was exhausted so it really was the perfect time that he came. I felt like all I was doing was trying to stay about water and not sink. We saw some boogie boarders and yelled out "help" when ever I came up from a crashed wave I yelled out. One guy came over seeing that we needed help and gave Olivia his boogie board and took her to shore. I remember clinging on so tight and not wanting to let go of Jason... at one point a giant wave came and slammed me around and around and I came up. It seriously felt impossible and I knew God would get us out but I was just so tried. My clothes felt like giant weights and I was thinking "get them off!" because they were holding me down... modesty at that point  was not important compared to life. But ha I did not have to because over and over giant waves pushed us closer to the shore. I knew it was God, only God that saved us. No coincidence. In my head the words "You came to my rescue" played non stop. We got to the shore and I just fell down in shock, crying to God.
    I felt like I was put in a washing machine for a long time and spit out dizzy and shaken up. Lots of burping up salt water, it was coming out my body did not want it any longer! After that we didn't talk for a few minutes. Alisha did not realize what had happened until Jason ran up to her and told her. Then she ran back up the stairs to the restaurant to get waters for all of us. We sat and lay there in the sand, our bodies weak.

I kept thinking about all that I was thinking while in the water... one of my thoughts was of my brother, Landon, who is a swimmer and a life guard. At that point in the water I realized here in Mexico they dont have any life guards. I think that was when I got strength and new hope. Knowing that our God, Yahweh is our life guard. He is our Protector, our Healer, and our Strength.  Just let go and let God take control.  He has us and is not finished with us. He has a plan for each of our lives that is bigger than what we can see.  There on the sand I started to weep.

Still shaken up we talked and we waited an hour or so before we headed home. Our drive home was interesting (remember we live in Mexico), we all couldn't wait to get back home. Last night I went to sleep around 8:30 thanking God for life.

This whole experience reminded me the constant real battle everyday. Satan is trying to pull us down and under daily everything awful. And if we allow God, He can take control to help us, guide us, lead us to safety. He is waiting for us to surrender all. He is on our side. He loves us and wants to use us. We need to constantly wake up and see Him on our side fighting for us.

Thank you Jesus for life, eternal life that you have given to those that love you.

Psalm 145:18-21
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
²⁰ The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.