Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: River (08/31/06)
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TITLE: CROSSING THE RIVER | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rose Spagnola
09/02/06 -
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It was two years ago that it happened. His big brother was crossing the rain-swollen river about ten yards ahead of Sam when Mackey slipped. Sam saw his hero plunge into the churning water and disappear. Rescue workers found the 17-year-old’s body downstream later that day with a big gash to his skull. That year the high school football team lost badly without their star player. That year Sam lost his best friend.
Sam and his brother were only 18 months apart but it looked more like three years because Sam was so skinny and short. At school, “Muscle Man” Mackey had been Sam’s protector and trainer too. Well, after this month, Sam wouldn’t need a protector any more. After Sam graduated, he was moving away. He hadn’t figured out where, just away, away from the Hames River.
“One more time,” Sam muttered to himself, “One more time I’m gonna cross you good.” Then he took a deep breath and leapt to the first rock. “Made it!” he thought while clenching his lips tight. Leap, leap. Three down, three more to go, but the next one was the hardest one. Sam shifted the weight in his backpack a bit and leapt again. His foot slipped on the slimy rock as he landed. Sam let out a “Yipe!” but he quickly recovered his balance.
“Two breaths to get across today. That’s not good,” Sam whispered to himself. The river just gurgled past the rocks as though to say nothing else existed but the flow of the water over the menagerie of rocks. Teetering back and forth, Sam was starting to quiver on the jagged granite pier. Coaching himself, Sam whispered “Got to get across. Not gonna go down like Mackey” but it wasn’t doing any good. Inside he was panicking. Then, suddenly from the depths of his soul a verse arose, “I have plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Immediately, Sam took another leap and then another. He made it. He was on the other side, on terra firma once again.
After assessing his limbs and heart, Sam sighed a deep breath of relief and thanksgiving. That scripture had popped out of his heart with such strength that Sam knew it wasn’t him alone. Today he had won the battle over the Hames River but not without some serious help from God.
As Sam continued on his walk to school, he pondered the powerful scripture in Jeremiah 29. “God has plans for me. Hmm. A hope and a future. Wonder what kind of future?” Sam thought some more but how Jesus had suffered and died on the cross so Sam and Mackey wouldn’t have to spend eternity in hell. “A hope and a future. I guess such a promise from God has got to mean a lot.” As he picked up his step a bit on the dusty road to school, Sam’s voice trailed off…“I look forward to seeing my brother again, Lord.”
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