After hitting several roadblocks attempting to get a second opinion on my recent diagnosis, my sister, Vanda — frustrated, sad, and tired — set out on a walk last week. She told me that as she strolled she was gradually inspired. This beautiful story, based on the Gospels and this website, is the result. I’d say she was inspired indeed:
“What happened when we let Jesus in the boat . . .
“On March 17, my sister Ann and I hopped into a small wooden boat to escape the bad news from a CT scan of her chest. Ann’s cancer had spread to both of her lungs and there were multiple little tumors. ‘Eighteen to 20 months,’ the doctor said. The waves carried us out further to sea than we had intended to go. Ann and I rowed hard and realized we were in serious trouble; the waves were getting higher and higher. No one could hear our cries for help from the middle of the sea. As the wind gusts and the waves beat down upon us, we felt helpless and hopeless. Then, we began to feel foolish. What were we thinking . . . taking off in such a small boat all by ourselves in this weather? Despite our efforts, we could no longer control the boat.
“Every time we survived a wave, another one came and knocked us down. Each time it was harder to get back up from the deck of the boat. There was no sign of the storms letting up any time soon. ‘Lord,’ we prayed – ‘just give us enough strength to withstand one more wave and, hopefully, eventually the waves will just go away.’ But the wind was still against us and neither of us could swim . . . .
“Jesus, watching from afar on the shore, finally said, ‘Enough is enough. I will walk out to Ann and Vanda and tell them to not be afraid, even though they should know better by now.’ So Jesus came walking across the water, yet we still found it hard to believe that He could work miracles. After all, why did He allow us to get trapped in this situation in the first place? But, we invited Jesus into the boat anyway. Suddenly, the wind and the waves stopped. I sobbed and sobbed with relief; Ann crouched low on the deck, tormented by fear and exhaustion. And then we remembered what our father and the Scriptures had taught us — Jesus always comes to us in the storms of life.
“And Ann asked Jesus to let her walk on the water, too. But as she did, she became afraid and started to sink, crying, ‘Lord save me.’ Jesus grabbed her hand and asked, ‘Why did you doubt me?’ Then almost as if by magic, the boat landed immediately at the place to where they were going. Jesus had not wasted any time answering our prayers and the prayers of family, friends, and strangers.
“In an instant we understood that Jesus had waited until the boat was as far from land as possible, when all our hope was gone, before approaching us. He was removing every human prop. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To show Ann and me that the very thing we feared — the raging, seething water — was merely a set of steps for Him to come to us and revive our trust. Jesus came to us as we crouched in the little boat of fear and paralysis in the middle of a vast stormy sea called ‘cancer.’
“And although Ann and I have a long way to go in our life walk with Jesus, we are growing in our faith day-by-day and keeping our eyes, ears, and hearts open to the angels he is sending our way. Amen.”
Angels have been sent, and He has indeed walked on water. I’ll tell you how in the next post. Thanks, Sis!
Share the strength.
Sharing the Strength 
Very inspired and beautiful indeed!
Thank you so much — I’m glad it spoke to you!