When life takes a turn,

when life as you know it HALTS –

leaving your head spinning, your heart swirling, your soul sinking . . .

God is there, holding you.

Seeing you, steadying you, saving you.

He is closer than your heartbeat, working a marvelous miracle.

You begin to see, too.

What started you sinking has actually lead to your rescue – a rescue from shallow sight, from pride, from a grip on the illusion of control.

You look down at the dark, around at the unknown, and then you look up,

realizing your eyes are slowly being trained to fix upward, searching for the glimmer of sunlight through the rippling surface overhead.

In the sinking, you become unable to breathe on your own.

Your lungs learn to draw oxygen solely from the Life-Giver.

You look to the left and to the right and see your children . . .

you did not know they could navigate the waters so well,

and gratitude overwhelms –

grace upon grace upon grace.

Had the halt not happened, had the waves not suddenly swept over you to take you under,

perhaps your shallow heart would continue bobbing lightly along like a buoy atop the surface and never behold the wonders below.

Perhaps the halted and sunken life actually leads to the abundant life, to the slow transformation and steady sanctification you plead for.

Perhaps the unknown positions you to know the Anchor more than you ever could have known otherwise – to know Him as the Trustworthy Sustainer, never failing nor forsaking but continuing to strengthen and to surprise with His limitless provision, His lavish love, and the joy of His presence over and over and over again.

When life takes a turn, when life as you know it halts,

God is there . . .

teaching you that sinking leads to surrender.

It is here you can finally receive true peace and rest. Your arms are stretched upward and your hands are now open to embrace the joy that transforms your heart and mind as you lie still, steadily breathing dependent upon the Giver of life and the Sustainer of your soul.