Have you ever been caught in a RIPTIDE in your life time? Perhaps you will find you have been in more than one, after reading the following.

The following is an example of a riptide situation, a death threatening one.

A young girl, who had lost her parents in an accident, was taken by her grandfather to Hawaii for Christmas vacation, as he had taken the whole family for years past. Upon arrival, she insisted on a swim before unpacking their clothes. The grandfather allowed her to do this, even though the beach was almost vacant at their hotel and the lifeguard was gone. The sun was still shinning and he took his book and a chair and watched occasionally as she swam.

As they were checking into the hotel, she heard two bellboys discussing a riptide which had been on the further shore of the island. All swimmers were asked to get out of the water when a riptide occurred. One asked the other what if someone was caught in one. His answer was to swim out into the ocean, not toward the shore. Swimming in was against the riptide and would drown a swimmer who fought it. Swimming out allowed the swimmer to go past the area of the riptide and then they had to swim left or right to bypass the riptide before starting into shore. Only good swimmers were able to conquer the riptides. It was always dangerous. So far, none had been on this side of the island.

After being in the plane for several hours, the refreshing water helped to ease the pain of her dead parents and relax her to try to enjoy the vacation her grandfather meant to give her. She was swimming out and not down the beach as she had always been taught, when she looked back to the beach where her grandfather was sitting, reading. She was too far out and it alarmed her. She turned to go back into the shore, but experienced resistance to her strokes and she went under, coming up to strangled coughing. She tried again and found the same resistance and panicked. Like a flash she remembered the conversation of the bellboys. She then realized she was in a riptide, even though one had not been acknowledged on this side of the island. What to do????

The young girl had been a good swimmer and placed well in tournament meets back home on the school team. She soon realized she would have to continue to swim further out into the ocean to reach the point where the riptide ended and she could then swim parallel to the shore and head back once she found she had by-passed the riptide. This is what she did, although it was terribly frightening and tiring. She made it back to safety.

We have all experienced a "riptide" in our lives and if you have not, you will. It seems an invisible force takes over and you cannot get out of the situation, a riptide in life.

I went through one some time ago when I was alone in a 12 room farm house and tried to sell the farm. My pastor, his wife and 2 ladies of the church came out and we prayed in the house and walked around it, praying also. We then joined hands in the front drive and agreed the farm would sell.

An answer to prayer which is delayed, is not a denial. I had to wait 2 years and 11 months and 4 failed contracts before I knew in my heart God had answered the prayer with the fifth contract. I was so sure, I packed all my things, rented the first and only duplex apartment I looked at and my son and his family and some of his friends moved me into the apartment, and I had not signed the closing on the farm, nor had I received one dollar from the buyer.

I had many bills that had to be paid. When the signing occurred, I was told he still had 3 days to back out. Yes, I was frightened, but still believed in God's promise. And God did not fail me. I had finally reached the boundary of that "riptide" and God had brought me through. I give Him the glory. All my bills were paid and I did not forget my church for the part I personally received.

You can write your own story of the riptide you are going through or one you went through. When God brings you out, He increases your faith in the Almighty Power of our NEVER failing belief in His Greatness. HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

By: Betty J. Ivey