TraceMalin Posted October 4, 2019 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 120 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 105 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/02/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/05/1968 Share Posted October 4, 2019 (edited) I was going to post this in the thread asking, "Can You Lose Your Salvation?" Rather than have this story lost in hundreds of pages of scriptural argument, I thought I'd share it with others who enjoy little tales of faith. About 11 years ago, I made an ocean rescue on the island of Provo in the Turks & Caicos. I was on the beach at Coral Gardens admiring the large waves that had been kicked up by a storm somewhere out to sea. A large bell-shaped coral head just off the beach was perfect for swimming laps. Because it was both a water hazard and a snorkeling attraction, it was buoyed off. I had wondered how far around it was to swim and managed to find the location, complete with buoys, on Google Earth. The ruler in the app showed the distance around the buoys to be 250 meters. Awesome! 500 meters is the magic number for lifeguards. The United States Lifesaving Association swim test is a 500 meter swim in 10 minutes. My girlfriend, Jen, was also a lifeguard. She and I would start our day by swimming 2 laps for a 500. We did the same every evening before dinner. During the day, we went scuba diving. We were on the island visiting a friend of mine who managed a bar & restaurant there. That morning, he joined us for a swim. Jen was already in the water, carving through the waves swimming a fast crawl stroke. My buddy Justin was trailing behind rounding the far corner of the coral head. Suddenly, he began to yell, "Help!" Seriously? Back then, I had been a lifeguard for 22 years and I think I had a victim yell for help once. I took off running (And, praying!). Training quickly took over. You've got to run and swim fast, but also keep your eye on the victim and conserve enough energy to swim back to shore. When I reached Justin, I didn't have any rescue equipment like I would on duty. I grabbed him under the armpit for support. "Hey, man! You ok? Can you swim with me?" His choking and shaking his head told me he couldn't. I put him in an old-fashioned cross-chest carry that I first learned during a semester-long American Red Cross Lifeguard/WSI course as a freshman in college. I tried to tow him back to shore, but I wasn't making any headway. Rip current! I looked toward the buoys to swim there, but we had already drifted far enough away that shore remained the better option. I swam to my left parallel to the beach until I broke free of the rip and headed for shore. During the swim, Justin began to regain his composure, strength, and the ability to converse. "Hey, Trace. I don't want to be taken into the beach like this. Could we go over there?" I saw that my path back to shore had angled us closer to the buoys. I reached the buoys and let Justin hang on to the line. If I was on duty, I would have taken him to shore to make sure that any aspirated water would not have created a delayed drowning reaction. But, for his pride, I waited until he was ready to go to shore. I swam beside him making sure he wouldn't drown. During our month-long stay, Jen and I taught him to swim better and get back into shape. Lessons Learned: 1. Justin knew he was in trouble. He put his pride aside and called out for help before it was too late. As Christians, some of us grow up in Christian homes well prepared to take on the stormy seas of life, like Jen. She grew up on a sailboat and would ride the anchor to the bottom as a little girl. Her dad did missionary dentistry in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Her family traveled and lived on the boat. Some others find God, later, when they realize they are in spiritual trouble and call out to the Lord for help. Blessed are those who do so before they drown on their own. 2. Salvation is easy. "Help!" worked for Justin. Crying out to God for help and accepting rescue through Jesus Christ will keep us from perishing. 3. Being a better Christian takes time and work. Jen and I started swimming as children. We spent much of our lives on swim teams, in lifeguard training, and in the water. Years of hard work allowed us to be physically and mentally prepared to enter extreme ocean conditions. For example, I once went surfing at Virginia Beach during a hurricane. Church, Sunday School, organized Bible study, daily devotionals, Worthy Christian Forums, Christian books and magazines, time with other Christians, and being coached by the Holy Spirit over many years make us stronger. The stronger we become, the better prepared we are to live as Christians, witness to others, and the more sanctified among us could stand above sin even in a hurricane of temptation. 4. Once Jesus has rescued you, you are not alone. He's swimming beside you. If you sink, he'll buoy you up. 5. The motto of the United States Lifesaving Association is "Lifeguards for Life." We never cannot be a lifeguard. It's a calling to always be there for others. The only way you'd lose your "lifeguard for life" status is if you rejected it -- if you chose to do harm to others instead of good. Lifeguards get old. Lifeguards get out of shape. Lifeguards leave the beach. But, a lifeguard will always have that spirit inside. Even if we get out of shape as Christians, the Holy Spirit is inside us. Only by rejecting Jesus and deliberately casting out the Holy Spirit will we drown in sin. Some of you may have watched the lifeguard TV show, Baywatch. The theme song was called, "I'll Be Ready." It could be Jesus' song as our lifeguard. Some people stand in the darkness Afraid to step into the light Some people need to help somebody When the edge of surrender's in sight Don't you worry It's gonna be alright Cause I'm always ready I won't let you out of my sight. I'll be ready I'll be ready Never you fear No don't you fear I'll be ready Forever and always I'm always here. In us we all have the power But sometimes it's so hard to see And instinct is stronger than reason It's just human nature to me Don't you worry Its gonna be alright Cause I'm always ready I won't let you out of my sight. I'll be ready I'll be ready Never you fear No don't you fear I'll be ready Forever and always I'm always here. (Instrumental) Cause I'm always ready I won't let you out of my sight I'll be ready I'll be ready Never you fear No don't you fear I'll be ready Forever and always I'm always here. Forever and always I'm always here. Edited October 4, 2019 by TraceMalin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rontiger Posted October 4, 2019 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 20 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 263 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 210 Days Won: 1 Joined: 12/27/2013 Status: Offline Share Posted October 4, 2019 A riveting story for sure, Trace. I've never watched Baywatch ;but your words remind me of Matthew 14:29-31 where Apostle Peter walked briefly on water but then his faith tired out and he cried out to Jesus when he became terrified of the strong winds and sunk below the waves :"Lord save me." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceMalin Posted October 4, 2019 Group: Junior Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 120 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 105 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/02/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/05/1968 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 14 minutes ago, rontiger said: A riveting story for sure, Trace. I've never watched Baywatch ;but your words remind me of Matthew 14:29-31 where Apostle Peter walked briefly on water but then his faith tired out and he cried out to Jesus when he became terrified of the strong winds and sunk below the waves :"Lord save me." We joke about Jesus being the best surfer in the world. No board required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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