J. Randal Matheny

On July 4, 1952, a young woman named Florence Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island with the intention of swimming the channel to the California coast.  Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.

The water was numbing cold that day.  The fog was so thick she could hardly see the boats in her party.  Several times sharks had to be driven away with rifle fire.  She swam more than fifteen hours before she asked to be taken out of the water.  Her trainer tried to encourage her to swim on since they were so close to land, but when Florence looked, all she saw was fog.  So she quit…only one mile from her goal!  Later she said, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land I might have made it.”

It wasn’t the cold or fear or exhaustion that caused Florence Chadwick to fail.  It was the fog.

Read the great application at the link above.

Daniel Collins may not have been literally flushed down the toilet, but he might as well have been. Daniel was working on the Raymore, Missouri sewage system as part of a crew employed by Rosetta Construction. Usually the work is safe, and he had a safety line hooked to him. The trouble for the worker began when that safety line somehow became detached, and he was suddenly plunged down a pipe only 27 inches wide. He kept going down that pipe for more than a mile. Meanwhile, his fellow workers and firefighters were frantically searching for him. Daniel was able to call out one last time loud enough for someone to find him. One of the firefighters, who is also a paramedic, heard Daniel and was able to bring him to safety. The man had bruises, and may have swallowed some of the nasty water; but everyone believes it is miraculous for him to be alive, and in such good physical shape. Daniel did at least a couple of things right during his ordeal that helped him to survive. He did not give up, and he kept on calling out believing that someone would hear him, and come to his rescue. If Daniel had given up on the hope of rescue any sooner, he might never have been found. If he had believed that dying in the sewer pipe was going to happen whether he called for help or not - then, it would likely have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. At times, you may find yourself in a situation in life that feels like you have been flushed down a toilet or worse.

Though from a denominational preacher, this devotional is spot on in this truth, and spoke to me today. Give the whole article a close read.