Into the eyes of death

Staring into the eyes of a drowning student.

When we were missionaries to the students down in the small mountain town of Durango Colorado we did a lot of outdoor activites with the students. There was a bridge to jump off into a river, rafting and tubing on the river, hiking, caving... a ton of stuff. 

And Master Plan has a lodge in the mountains where we would have retreats twice a semester. A nice hike away there was spud lake. That's really it in the picture. Amazing what God did huh!? Beautiful!

The first week of school pretty much ever year we would take around 20 students on a hike to spud lake for an afternoon. One year some students decided to jump in a swim across. I was not super worried. These were college students after all, not 2 year olds. Surely they wouldn't jump in if they didn't think they could make it the whole way across.

But I failed to think about thier attire. One guy who jumped in was wearing jeans. He got to the middle of the lake and stopped and then started to swim back. I stood on the shore watching him, wondering why he was coming back. When he was a few feet straight in front of me in the water he looked at me with a face of desperation and said, "help".

I was incredibly confused, trying to figure out if he was joking. He was right there at the shore, I thought, 'All he has to do is put is feet down'. So paralyzed by not knowing if he really needed me and not knowing exactly what to do, rendered me useless in the face of this drowing student. He was about to drown and I did nothing! Someone behind me ran into the water and pulled him out and helped him down the mountain. It was after this students life was saved that I  realized he was serious, it was a matter of life or death.

How easy it is to be that person paralyzed by not knowing if someone really needs us or not knowing exactly what to do in the face of a dying and going to hell person. After that experience, I want to error on the side of stepping to action instead of paralyzyed by fear and confusion. 

How beautiful that God can make an object lesson out of such a horrifying situation and use it to further His kingdom! 

Oh Lord, would you transform our minds, hearts and emotions and make us people who know You deeply and who are quick to action. Quick to have conversations about You and what it means to know You personally. Conversations about how to recieve forgiveness. Conversations about how incredible You are. Make us vessels of Your message for Your glory.

Praising God for these beautiful gifts:
#237 The beautiful leaves in our back yard
#238 Many leaves for the boys to jump in
#239 Chaos. I mean loud, rambunctious boys where I can learn peace is not soley a setting.
#240 Getting to go to relevant next year
#241 Getting to submit to my husband when it's not easy
#242 Time to read yesterday
#243 The desire to speak and teach God's Word
#244 Desire to learn
#245 Ability to learn

I'm linked up with these great ladies:
Nebraska Graceful, Beauty in His Grip, A Holy Experience, Laura Boggess, Finding Heaven Today & Pause on the Path.