“Jesus! Jesus help me please!”, I screamed the instant my head beat the hard sand. It happened so fast, but your reaction was even faster. Black doesn’t even describe how dark it was. My eyes look around but cannot see. I can’t feel my body, as if it has floated away. My breathing is the only thing I can feel because of how fast it seems to leave.
You were surrounding me the instant I called on your name Jesus. My fear was embraced by your protection. You focused my cloudy eyes, and breathed calmness deeply into my skin and bones.
I focused in on the words flowing out of my teammate’s (Mariah) mouth calling out to you, Jesus. You were already there by her side. You two make a great pair. I could feel you all around me, all through me, all within me. I was still scared that my body was hurt in some way, but I just wanted to lie there in your presence.
You met me there at the bottom of the sand dune…. And you knew what it would finally take for me to see you as my protector. I couldn’t see with my worldly eyes and I couldn’t feel my flesh. But with your breath of Peace, you restored my body.
The last time that I felt God’s presence in this way was 9 years ago when I was so scared that he wrapped this arms around me. This past Saturday, I crashed while sand boarding on our off day. It was extremely fun, no doubt. Mariah got a video of it, and we honestly have no clue what went wrong because it happened so fast.
Thankfully, I only have a slight concussion and a deeply bruised sacroiliac joint (lower back hip).
But if I’m being fully honest… I would go through that ALL because of the way I experienced God.One of my goals of the World Race is based off a Hillsong United Song. The lyrics say,
Lord I hear You I know You’re there
Closer now than my skin and bones could dare
Breathing deep within me
You are always with me
I can see You where eyes can’t stare
Brighter now than the sun could ever dare
Breathing all around me
God I know You’re with me here
My goal was to be so close to God that my skin and bones can’t dare. I had no clue that I would find the answer to my desire in this way! Jesus was so close to my body in pain, so close that I could feel his presence in my skin and bones. My breathing was rapid, but my chest was taking in his calming breath. And then, the lyrics say “I can see You where eyes can’t stare“. I couldn’t see ANYTHING momentarily. Complete pitch darkness, then blurriness are two things that you don’t normally see on an everyday basis. Jesus was breathing all around me and I knew He was there with me.
It is just so surreal to see God show up in ways that I could never imagine. He is a MUCH better story writer than I will ever be.
Laying upside down…at the bottom of a sand dune in South Africa, with tears streaming down my face God showed me that He is my strong and loving Father and I am his daughter.
He protects me. I am under his wings.
The video is on my facebook page if you want to see the awesome wipeout!
