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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Fearful (08/23/07)
Be not fearful says the Lord! Be not fearful? God doesn’t seem understand what it’s like to be a mother. First cries. First steps. First day of school. I could go on with a whole list of firsts which bring fear to every mother. The fear of letting go. The fear of letting them make their own mistakes. We cherish the precious moments with our children, it’s a shame how often our fear for them overpowers our joy.


My personal experience with fear came in August 1998. Our boss held a party for work at her house for a day of games, raffles and a swim in the pool. Children were welcome and participated in the many activities. All was well until I won a raffle. I carefully took inventory of the where-a-bouts of my children before picking my gift. Seeing my son , Alex, standing near the deep end and my daughter, Vicki, standing beside the pool I went to pick my gift. I already knew what I wanted, the tiger stripe blanket ,so it only took me a moment to grab my goodie.


Back to the watchful eye on my children. Being four my daughter could not go into the pool without an adult and Alex at the age of six was an awesome swimmer and allowed to be in the deep end. I walked over to the pool where Vicki was standing.

“Where is your brother?” I asked.

“At the bottom,” she said quietly pointing.

I glanced into the pool to find his lifeless body on the bottom. Shear panic took over and I screamed, “Someone get him out!” Not being able to swim I was not able to do anything to save my son. Fear gripped me. What happened? He is alive? What will I tell his father? As fearful thoughts ran in my head my boss and a fellow co-worker pulled Alex’s lifeless body from the water while someone started CPR. I watched in fear. Terror took hold. I couldn’t even stand near him I just kept calling his name.


Finally water spilled out and Alex took a breath. His lips were blue and he was not responding, but he was breathing. Keep breathing I prayed, please keep breathing. Someone called 911 but before they came a member of the fire department who lived four houses away arrived on the scene, God had provided help so close. I contacted my mother-in-law and told her to go find my husband who was golfing. I told her to tell Brian Alex had an accident at the pool but he was breathing. The ambulance arrived and lifted Alex who was wrapped in the tiger blanket into the ambulance. As we pulled away I left a scene of people gathered around the pool hand in hand praying to God.


Arriving at the hospital I found my husband in a fearful state. We were greeted by the hospital Chaplin. This was not the person I wanted to see. Her presence meant there could be a bad outcome to this situation. Alex still was not responding and once again I was fearful for my little boy. How could I let this happen? Will I ever forgive myself? Where were his angels? While the medical team evaluated Alex, I made phone calls to gather the family. As I was on the phone with my dad, Alex cried out. My fears eased, I knew he was going to make it.


Later that night I slipped away to the Chapel with my husband and I prayed like had never prayed before. I thanked God for the life of my son. God had given us our son back. Doctors said he would make a full recovery. No brain damage. No problems at all. The doctor who saw him made the statement, “You should call him Lucky, this type of recovery does not happen often.”

Alex became "Lucky" for a few years and he continues to amaze me with his kind spirit. To think the fear which wrapped itself around me. The fearful thoughts which consumed me. Why hadn’t I just trusted God to begin with? No matter the outcome, it would have been God’s will. Today I touch the blanket which has endured nine years of torture and I remember what God did for our family that day in August. He wrapped my son in His arms and saved him, He saved us all. Why should I ever be fearful?




***Authors’s note: This was hard to write. I have not really dealt with the fear involved in this situation before. I thank Faithwriters for giving me a way to complete this circle of fear in my live. I balled my eyes out writing this but as a had to narrow it from over 1,000 words down to just 750, I began to deal with the fear and began to realize how present God is in every situation. Alex is such a treasure to us and his kindness towards others is unbelievable at times. Thank you God for bringing him back to life!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Josiah Kane
08/31/07
Wow. This was one of the most moving stories that I have read. I do not think that Alex should have been called “lucky”, but something closer to “Saved by God”.
Rhonda Clark
09/01/07
I wish I could hug you. This is an awesome story and you have me wiping tears from my eyes.

God bless you and yours.

Fantastic job.
Jacquelyn Horne
09/03/07
What a beautiful story. Not only filled with fear, but faith as well. I have been through a similar situation and, thank God, he was there for me too.
Laury Hubrich 
09/04/07
Brenda, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I can't imagine going through what you did but God gives us what we need when we need it. Enjoy your son! God must have big plans for him!
Dee Yoder
09/04/07
Oh my goodness! Thank the Lord He was and is watching over your precious son. This has got to be an example of a parent's worst nightmare. I'm glad you were able to share this testimony of the miracle child you can still hold in your arms. God bless you for being so open with this painful memory.
Julie Moore
09/04/07
God Bless you Brenda. I held my breath as I read till I found out he was okay. Thank you for sharing your story. It was very well written and only a couple mistakes. I wrote a true poem about my daughter a couple weeks ago and I also cried the entire time. I read it out loud till I could do so without crying. It was hard, but in the end it helped me to do so. Great job, keep writing.
Sharon Henderson
09/07/07
Writing can be such great therapy. Thank YOU for sharing this gripping story with us. I, too, held my breath until I knew he was ok.