I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. ~ Psalms 22:19

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Instead of re-writing the story, I figured I'd just insert some clips from my journal that tell the story:

Aug. 29, 2008
Today we drove the three hours from the Hector’s home to the Pacific Ocean. Swimming there was great! We were wading out as far as we could, and then being swept in as big waves would knock us off our feet. The power of those waves was beyond words. It was so much fun! But because the waves kept coming in with such force we weren’t able to get out to where they were just beginning to break.

Toward the end of the day after playing in the waves, running up and down the beach, playing catch and digging holes in the sand, I decided to try getting out there one more time. I was very exhausted going in, but didn’t see any danger in it. It didn’t even cross my mind as dangerous. I figured it would wash anything up to the shore with its amazing force! So out I went. There were a few guys with me, but I was faster moving out than they, keeping about ten or so feet in front of them. All of a sudden I got out to where a wave broke between them and myself! This drove them inward, but only pushed me farther out. Immediately I started swimming for shore. The swells were huge out there. Between the swells in one valley, I remember touching the bottom, but otherwise I was swimming. It took me no time to realize I didn’t have the energy to fight back. I was under the waves a lot... ...I tried rolling on my back to float, but I’m not much of a floater, and I took in a lot of salt water. I knew I didn’t have a chance. I broke the surface and yelled for help, and the next wave broke behind me! It must have been a huge wave to break that far out, but it drove me in to where other waves were breaking, which drove me back to shore... ...Thinking back, my last words before ‘help!’ were ‘now I’m ready for something big!’. That was back immediately before I was separated from the other guys. At that point I was just excited to have finally made it out to where the big waves were beginning to crash.

Walking away from it... ...It’s obvious God has his hand on my life, and without him I’m truly helpless! Life is truly a vapor. The fact that I’m alive tells me he has more in store for me... ...BTW, from re-reading what I wrote it sounds like I was out there a few seconds. There were a lot of details I didn’t fill in. I spent a few minutes out there struggling, going up and down, and drinking salt water before I finally called for help. I honestly don’t think I could have survived much longer. Even afterward, when I was wading into the shore in thigh deep water, the waves that hit me there kept knocking me over.

Right now I’m laying in the back of the Hectors van cause every muscle in my body hurts. Literally, even the muscles in my feet ache. I’d be sitting, but that hurts my back muscles so bad. Haha… Even eating dinner hurt. I was holding onto my sides during dinner cause of the pain of stretching the muscles with what I had just put inside me... ...I guess there’s a lot to be said for a vigorous aqua-cise after all! :)

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The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust... ~ Psalms 18:2

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. ~ Psalms 28:7

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ~ Psalms 46:1

In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. ~ Psalms 62:7

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. ~ Psalms 73:26

The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. ~ Psalms 118:14

O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. ~ Psalms 140:7

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. ~ Isaiah 12:2

...Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. ~ I Chronicles 28:20

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. ~ Psalms 18:1