There are moments in life where we know, without a doubt, that it was God’s hand that carried us through. For me, those moments came in the most unexpected places — in the water. Three times in my life, as a child and teenager, I nearly drowned. Three times, I should not be here today. Yet three times, God reached in and said, “Not yet — I still have a purpose for you.”
I was just four years old when it happened the first time. The town pond had flooded, and I found myself caught under the water, unable to breathe. At that age, I didn’t understand life or death — but I remember the fear, the darkness, and the moment I thought I would never rise again.
But I did. God pulled me out of those waters, even though I was too young to grasp what had really happened. Looking back now, I know it wasn’t luck. It was His mercy.
The second time came years later, in a rushing river, in the foreign country. The water was stronger than me, and I felt myself being pulled under, fighting against a current that seemed determined to take me.
It was terrifying, but somehow, I made it out alive. Once again, God’s unseen hand was over me. He wasn’t finished with my story yet.
The third drowning happened in a lake, far away from home, in another country, in a third-world country. You would think by then I might have been more careful, but life has a way of pulling us into unexpected currents. This time, I remember going under and thinking, “This is it.”
But it wasn’t. Just like before, God saved me. Three times I should have died in water. Three times He rescued me.
Today, when I reflect on those near-death experiences, I see more than just accidents or survival. I see a pattern: God had His hand on my life long before I understood who He was to me.
He was teaching me something:
You may not have drowned in water like I did. But maybe you know what it feels like to be drowning in grief, bills, responsibilities, fear, or uncertainty. It feels like the current is stronger than you, and you don’t know how you’ll come up for air.
I want you to know this: the same Father who pulled me out of water three times is the same Father who can lift you out of whatever is pulling you down today. He has not left you. He never will.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” — Isaiah 43:2
My book, Father Never Leaves Me, tells the fuller story — not just of the waters that nearly took me, but of the grief that nearly broke me when I lost my brother and my mother. Through it all, I found the same truth: God never abandoned me.
If you need hope, encouragement, or simply a reminder that you are not alone, I pray this story speaks to you.
👉 Get Your Copy of Father Never Leaves Me
Your story can encourage someone today. Tell us how Father Never Leaves Me helped you, and let us know if we may share your words.