Jonah 2:2 “He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.”
I grew up in a catholic family and was blessed to be part of a charismatic renewal in my teen years. I witnessed a lot of people being healed and professing the miracles that God performed in their lives and how they felt God’s presence and touch during worship or when being prayed over at retreats. I had been to numerous meetings growing up and never once experienced the kind of ground shaking presence of the Holy Spirit or event that changed their lives that some people testified to. My relationship with God was based on what I learnt growing up, that God IS and I took that for granted. I didn’t question it but also didn’t rely much on God’s help. I prayed but didn’t completely let go or rely on Him.
That changed around June 2009. My daughter Sarah was 2 1/2 yrs old. My family along with a group of friends went to San Juan Islands for whale watching. We saw some whales swim by and had our lunch at Lime Kiln State Park. The park is a mountain cliff overlooking the waters with a narrow walking trail. The lighthouse was at one end and parking at the other of the trail. We decided to walk to the lighthouse after lunch and were busy cleaning up. The kids, there were about 5-6 kids including my daughter in our group. They were playing while we cleaned up. I had barely spoken to Sarah about 2 mins earlier when I turned round and could not find her in the immediate vicinity. I panicked and walked a short distance in both the directions asking other trekkers if they had seen a little girl. No one could recall seeing her on the path. By this time all the adults in our group split up and started looking for her. I was too frightened to move. My body was paralyzed with thoughts of abduction or the possibility that she may have fallen off the cliff into the waters. I was so overwhelmed with my despair and guilt that I was moments away from jumping off the cliff. I couldn’t imagine my life without my baby girl. In that moment of despair from the depths of my heart I said ‘God help me’. I am not sure what I was asking help for. To refrain from ending my life or to find my child. But the second that plea came from my heart, someone yelled out ‘they found her’.
I cried with relief. I felt a huge weight falling off of me. Sarah was found safe and sound, pretty cheerful too pretending to read the visitors information at the lighthouse.
I thank God to this day for watching over her and for being there when I called out to him. HE brought my daughter back to me and me from the brink of destroying my soul and my family by giving into my fear and not reaching out to HIM who loves us and watches over us all the time.
Janet
Bothell, USA