My husband, Doug and our son, Paul both thrive on a bit of adventure. So when Paul acquired a new boat for his charter business and wanted to sail up the coast from Miami to SC, I wasn’t surprised. Nor was I surprised that Doug wanted to go along.
I shared some of their excitement as they planned the trip, but the gravity of it hit me as the time approached for their departure. They would follow the strong current of the Gulf Stream. For 3-4 days they would be far from land, dependent on electronics for navigation, and our only communication with them would be by text messages via satellite phone, at scheduled intervals. Sailing the ocean in a forty-foot sailboat is a much different matter than being out there in a cruise ship.
Both Doug and Paul are experienced sailors, as are the other two men who would be with them. I knew they would exercise good judgment, but I had concerns. I prayed, and asked friends to pray also.
After taking care of some mechanical issues and dodging some weather, they were on their way. Initial updates as they headed out to sea indicated everything going well. That changed with an unscheduled 2 a.m. text–Wind and waves were really picking up–pray for safety. They didn’t have to ask. I had been praying since before they were on the water. Prayers continued.
With the 4 a.m. text, there was no improvement. 6-8 foot waves surrounded them, and also 35 knot (40 mph) winds. I knew they were probably exhausted. Up to this point I did not experience a lot of anxiety about the trip. But as scenes from the movie, “A Perfect Storm,” ran through my mind, prayers became more fervent. As I prayed, God brought the essence of a succession of Scripture verses to my mind. First, Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. I knew that passage went on to say, so we will not fear when the mountains crumble or the seas roar. As I pondered that, He reminded me of Isaiah 41:10: Don’t be afraid, I am with you. I will strengthen you and help you, and uphold you with my righteous right hand. Then Nahum 1:7: God is a refuge in times of trouble for all who trust in Him. With each reminder, I felt my anxiety dissipate. Then one more verse, Genesis 28:15: I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. Often whenever I consider this verse, it is those few words that I think about, but I knew there was more. In context, God addressed Jacob as he fled his brother Esau’s murderous threats. God promised to bring Jacob back to the land. Now, as I thought about my husband and son flailing around on rough seas in a small boat, I knew the Lord was assuring me He would bring them to shore.
.
The next scheduled text came at 10 a.m. Everything was fine. They expected to reach land about midnight.
They docked about 1 a.m. It was quite an adventure, but they were safe.
Life itself is a grand adventure. It is not always smooth sailing. But God is faithful. He knows how to guide us, and preserve us, and reassure us.
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. Psalm 62:5-6 NLT
Blessings,
Phyllis
I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay
Copyright 2023 Phyllis L. Farringer
Thank you Mom, God is faithful and did allow us to get back to shore safely. Thank you for the prayers.
P.s. I had the movie “Perfect Storm” playing in my head all night long as well😊
God is always faithful. He is with us, whatever the circumstances.
Phyllis,
I knew at some point they were having troubles. I didn’t know it was as bad as you described here. Those scriptures were perfect! God is so good in reminding us what we need to hear. His timing is perfect!
Praising God!
Thank you, Elizabeth.
Phyllis,
You shared a recent “rough waves”—need to survive–story. So glad your husband and son got to land safely! I think many will identify as they face life’s storms. I will forward your blog to our home study group.
The Scriptures you cited & prayed are powerful ones. I want to affirm the last of Psalm 62:6— Because God is with me: “I will not be shaken.”
Thank you, Charlotte
It’s really amazing how they got through all that.
Prayers help
The conditions were actually worse than their texts indicated. Whatever the circumstances, we can always reach out to our faithful God and know He cares.