While swimming in the Pacific Ocean, Gwyn began to wrestle with a violent current known as a riptide. At the same time her soul was battling an overwhelming wave of depression. The Lord's hand reached down miraculously into the rushing waters to save her body from drowning, and then God spoke life to Gwyn's soul through his mighty Word, completing the rescue. She has never been the same since.
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Gwyn's Riptide Rescue
I thought you might enjoy reading this true story about how God rescued me from nearly drowning in a riptide.I was in San Diego, California. I was a semi truck driver and I will never forget it.
I took a 3-day layover so I could rest and enjoy the beach. My husband was with me. I was the driver and he was the lumper. We had dropped the trailer at the terminal and bobtailed down to Mission Beach. It was October and we practically had the whole beach to ourselves.
The water was cold--I would guess around 62 degrees. But that made no never mind to me! I am like a fish! I have always loved to be in the water.
My husband and I played in the waves for about an hour; we were having such a wonderful time. He got chilly and tried to get me to go back to the truck with him to warm up. But I was no where near ready to get out yet. It was my first time in the Pacific Ocean and I intended to make the most of it! So I watched him stroll up to the truck.
I continued to play in the heavy rolling waves. Then suddenly it seemed as if I were in a battle with the waves. They were getting much stronger and they began to knock me down. I would get up to face the next wave, and see if I could stand and keep my footing.
Waves of Sadness
Soon an all too familiar deep, heavy and dark sadness came over me. I began to think of my children and all of the heartache and pain they had suffered, because I had chosen to stay with their father for so long. I had remained married to him for 16 years. He had been a very evil, cruel and abusive man. He caused such pain, anguish and devastation in our hearts and lives.I felt my children's pain so intensely, and I began to think of what our eventual divorce had put them all through. When I finally walked away from him, I left him everything. I did not want to fight anymore.
Wrestling with God
So, there I was in the waves--waves of salt water and waves of violent inner pain. I began to wrestle with the waves like I was actually wrestling with God, and with life, depression, and agony. My tears mingled in with the ocean water as they fell from my face. I felt I could not go on living any longer in this pain. I could not bear to see my children all using drugs and alcohol to try and medicate their own pain and suffering. I felt like I had abandoned God when I divorced my childrens' father. I believed that since God hates divorce, then surely he hated me too.I felt unloved by God. My children were angry at me. My family was angry with me. My friends were unhappy with my decision. I was angry with myself for giving up! I truly felt smothered in a deep, heavy, black blanket of anguish and despair. I felt life as it was, just wasn't worth living any longer. Not that I would take my own life, but I kept wishing someone or something would.
As I stood there wrestling with the waves, I cried my heart out to God. I noticed I was quite a distance from the shore and I had drifted side ways, far from where I had begun. Then suddenly I felt a large vacuum of water pulling me out farther and farther! I knew I was in a riptide and that they were very dangerous!
I was already extremely exhausted from the hours spent wrestling in the cold waves, and from crying. I knew in my heart that I was face to face with death! I dug my toes deep into the sand as the massive waves poured back out to sea pulling me with them. I realized that unless God intervened, I was doomed to die. Now I had my chance. I could call upon God and choose life, or let go and let death take me out of this world.
Choosing Life
I am here today to tell you this true story because God loves Gwyn! I chose life. I called out to God and I felt something like a huge hand on my back. Each time the riptide waters would force over my body, the hand (as I call it) would hold me firmly in place.The waters were rushing so fast and hard that I thought they would tear my clothing off. It was the most powerful physical force I have ever encountered in all my life. As the water rushed out it would completely cover my head. I had no strength left, and I was shivering uncontrollably. I held my breath until the water would roll back in, and then I would take a few steps. I would dig my toes down in the sand, and let the hand keep me from being swept out to sea.
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