The same God who provided a ram in the thicket for Abraham provided rescue and kindness following a terrifying situation I recently experienced.
On Sunday morning, my two best friends and I were packing and cleaning up from a fun weekend at the lake with our three families. Sarah and Jaclyn were in the living room with most of the 10 kids, while I was doing some laundry and inventorying our supplies before the upcoming rental seasons gets underway.
As I came up the stairs, I heard several people saying, “Where’s Rachel?” I ask that often, and usually find her hiding behind her rocking chair or beneath the utility sink. The kids started checking some hiding places, and others of us walked outside.
We couldn’t find her. I had no concept of time, but we’re talking several minutes at this point.
I looked more than once down along the shoreline, which is a fairly long walk from our house, and sent other kids up the long driveway. Rachel must have been in a blind spot caused by the curve of the land when I looked toward the water because then Sarah spotted her on the dock. Sarah later told me she moved quickly but slowly because she didn’t want to Rachel to jump into the lake and isn’t sure she was ever so relieved to touch another human.
I was relieved too. I made my way down and met them on their way back up to the house. I hugged Rachel tightly and the spanked her, immediately telling her she couldn’t go down there alone. I made it back to the house with my girl – the youngest among our three families – before I started sobbing. Worst-case scenarios and what-if circumstances flowed freely in my mind as I hugged my most fearless child who must have escaped the house while people were going in and out preparing to head to church.
I told her I was scared when I couldn’t find her. She growled like a monster. I reworded my statement: “I was so sad when I couldn’t find you.” She asked me why I was crying, so I repeated my answer. “Go fishing,” she said, offering her explanation about why she had ventured down to the dock where some dads and older kids were fishing the day before.
Those few minutes drained me and I loaded my family and our things into our minivan grateful we were all back together.
As I started processing the situation, I remembered several months ago I had asked Sarah, my friend who rescued Rachel from the dock, to pray for Rachel’s physical safety. My third-born child’s personality is full of curiosity and lacks fear. She thinks she can do anything the big kids do and does her best to keep up with them. She’s resourceful and persistent. All these qualities will take her far in life but wear me out as her mom.
Sarah has faithfully been praying from her home more than four hours away and then was the one to hand Rachel to me after a terrifying few moments. While texting a few days later, Sarah reminded me she had asked how she could pray for Rachel (and the rest of my family) on Dec. 11. The rescue she made to potentially save my daughter’s life happened exactly three months later. I can’t help but think God prepared her to be present this way.
God is our rescuer, and sometimes
he provides a friend to help.
*****
I’m joining the Five Minute Friday crew with this post inspired by this week’s prompt: PROVIDE. Admittedly, it took me about twice the allotted five minutes to write, but this post has been brewing in my head and this seemed like the right time to tell it.
Such a frightening situation to face. I cannot imagine and don’t think I would have made it to the house before breaking into tears. And you know Rachel has become loved by so many of us as you share your children with us. I am grateful for God’s protection and for His provision of friends who faithfully pray!
Well, I think I was feeling so many emotions at once that it was hard to know what to feel, if that makes sense. But when the tears came, they CAME. Lots of tears. I’m so grateful for that provision too, and for the way you love our family from afar. xo
Terrifying. I remember when the same type of thing happened to and it was my no-fear daughter! That little booger may need a leash. xo
Children are stressful sometimes. 🙂
Beautiful example, friend. Thank you for sharing. And praise God for good friends.
Thank you for being here, Lauren! xo
Oh my word, I would have done the same thing. We have had a few incidents that were as this, scared me to my core.
Praise God for keeping her, and providing this friend too!
Thank you, Meghan!
Awww, Kristin. That IS scary! I’m so glad God kept your Rachel safe, and that He used Sarah to pray for you and to help you. When my youngest was wee-small, I had taken the kids to the park with a friend. My little wandered off to the parking lot. When I looked for him, I had never felt such terror as when I couldn’t see him anywhere. A man walked him toward me a few minutes later, but oh, my. There’s no way to truly describe that fear, is there?
Oh my is right! Those times are so scary! Thanks for being here with encouragement, Jeanne! xo
What a scary situation. I’m so glad she is ok. God often does provide friends. This week I was so thankful for friends as we grieved and celebrated our friend together.
I’m glad you also got to experience the blessing of friends despite hard circumstances. Thanks for being here, Tara!
Wow, Kristin. As I read all of the comments here, I don’t think one of us hasn’t been touched by a moment like this. Sometimes, kids escape despite our best efforts. Our third child was like that, so much so that we had to put a wrist-leash on him. I remember saying once that “I’ll never do that,” but when we were traveling to South Africa with 12 suitcases, 11 carry-ons and 4 kids, I was soooo glad to have him tied to me.
Thank You, Father, for protecting Rachel!
Thank You, Father, for great friends who fill in the gap when we need extra help!
Thank You, Father, that you love our kids even more than we do, and that we can trust you completely with their lives and destiny!
Amen. Thank you for being here with encouragement, Shauna!