My first trip to the Dominican Republic was when I was 17 years old. We went as a family with Compassion International to see for ourselves what they were doing around the world and how we could be ambassadors.
The last few days were spent at the resort to rest and process all that we had seen. We were with another family who has a daughter my age. She is very adventurous and I am...not. But I aspire to be! So when she asked me if I wanted to go scuba diving with her of course I said a faltering yes. We signed up with two others in her family and we were trained by an instructor in the pool. The next day we woke up way too early and geared up in some sexy suits to meet Sebastian and Flounder.
The boat stopped in the middle of the ocean and a rope was dropped down into the water. We jumped in and went one by one down the rope with the instructor. When it was my turn I grabbed the rope and went under, but the instructor and I had barely descended when what I was doing suddenly hit me. If you have read some of my earlier posts about fear you know the kind of person I am and how utterly out of character scuba diving is for me. I started to panic and race towards the surface but the instructor grabbed my shoulders. He motioned for me to look into his eyes and all I saw was calm inside of them. My fears immediately abated and I gave him the OK sign. We descended and I was not prepared for the beauty that met me. The ocean floor is another world. We know less about the ocean then we do about space (Just a little trivia there for you). I was blown away by the colours I had never seen and the creatures swimming around me. It was incredible.
It ended too soon and I came back to my family shouting "I SCUBA DIVE!" ('What About Bob' anyone?)
To think what I would have missed out on had I given my fear a foothold.
When I look back at this year and all that changed, I can't help but think of God as that instructor. We are in transition right now and until a few days ago didn't know where we were going to be in the coming months. I was certain that we wouldn't be able to raise $31000 in 2 weeks, but thank God that He doesn't agree with our certainties.
My God is incredible. While my whole world has been caving in around me, He has grabbed my shoulders and motioned for me to look into His constant eyes.
Nothing about our current situation troubles Him, though suffering will come, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. That's enough for this learning girl right now. I pray it is enough for you as well, and that in the midst of whatever you are facing, you will never lose sight of His eyes.
