Swimming In Victory

We have all had to roll with lifes punches to the gut. Some of those punches have connected and took the wind out of our sails, much like depression where you just can't get out of bed or even take a shower. Other punches have stung us enough to cause us pause, like an anxiety attack in the grocery store in the middle of the day or a traffic jam on the interstate causing you to be more than late. Many of lifes gut punches have left us brused and battered mentally. Ever heard the saying, sink or swim? Are you sinking or swimming?

I'm not a swimmer in the literal sense. You won't hear me say, I'm going for a swim. Why? Around the age of 11 or 12  I almost drowned and that feeling of helplessness in a body of water was horrific. I was literally drowning. My family was in Portland, Oregon for a family reunion. My mother pressed and curled my hair. She told me that I could go to the park, but don't get in the pool. It was hot and at this time I loved swimming. Did I mention it was hot? Well, I made up in my mind since it was hot as fish grease, I was going to get in the pool and I won't get my hair wet, and I will be dry before I get back to the house. Bright idea gone bad. Did I mention I had my bathing suit on? As I was enjoying the pool that I was instructed to not get into, I suddenly could no longer stay afloat. I couldnt dog paddle, breast stroke, nothing.

I was in the deep end and going down, alone. I tried to swim but kept going down. Panic crept up and shook my little brain. I could see the side of the pool, but I don't remember seeing anyone. To make this short, I bobbed up and down a few times and suddenly, I was at the side of the pool. I was horrified. No one helped me because no one was there in the area of the pool that I was in, and the people that were there either did not see me struggling or Lord forbid didn't care that a little girl was drowning. I got out of that pool and I have not been in a swimming pool since. Hottub, yes. A pool, not a chance. I've tried but the anxiety I face has been stronger than my desire to swim.
Nothing could have prepared me for the horror I felt and I surly was not going to share that event with my mother.

Living life is like unprepared events that will gut punch you. You will get that gut punch by life's circumstance and lay on the ground in dispare and agony, dread, heartbreak, and sometimes fear. Fear of standing up to fight again. But fight you must. It's the sink or swim tactic. Events can cause you to be unlovable, unappreciative, and down right nasty to anything or anyone that resembles joy and peace, especially during a crisis when all you want to do is magnify all that is wrong in your atmosphere by complaining until you are blue in the face. The world today is full of complainers already, don't be one of them.

The key to treading life's events is staying afloat and maneuvering with precision. It's about being laser focused on your end and not your beginning or even the during. It's knowing deep in your gut that God has equipped you with everything you need to reach the finish line. You must swim those laps of life like a master, breast stroking, breathing with calm, holding your breath for a time, and breathing again as you glide to your victory.

My brothers and sisters, today I'm still not ready to swim again, but my desire is growing. I am building my faith muscle so that one day I will jump in, even if it's a cute belly flop. My prayer for you is that your faith muscle gets stronger. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that you hold the power and ability to swim for your life. There is nothing that can hold you down but you. Your inaction should not be the sinking end of you and the greatness that is within you. It doesn't matter how many times you get hit and go down. What matters most is how many times you get up and hit back. So suit up, jump in, and swim towards all that God has placed in you to be VICTORIOUS in all that only you can do and be for the world to witness. Let your faith muscle keep you afloat.