Seems I have always felt the presence of God in my life, even when I wasn’t living a life of obedience. I always knew He was there, and He seemed to be guiding and protecting me in order to rescue me from the messes I got myself into. He even rescued me from things that I had no control over.

One time, while commuting in California, a truck was driving next to me on my way to Los Banos. I was in the middle of nothing. Then, a child rolled down the window and said, “Hey your tire is about to explode, and my dad has an air tank in the back! We’ll follow you in case your tire blows.”

What on earth? How could a person with an air tank in the back of his truck just happen to be driving beside me right when I needed them most? 

I mean, I wasn’t even walking with God at that time in my life. Sure I believed in God and would pray, but I wasn’t really walking with Him. Yet, God was walking with me!

Sure enough, my tire exploded, and I had to pull over. The man helped me change my tire and got me back on the road.  

I have so many stories where God had sent a guardian angel to rescue me. 

One time, I was selling real estate and was at an open house. While there, I sensed my son was drowning in the swimming pool at home. He was barely two years old and was at home with his dad and his two step-brothers. 

I was worried that I called home twice to see if he was okay and if he’d been in the pool.  My ex-husband laughed and said he was fine.

I arrived home and didn’t notice that the boys had left the back sliding door open. As I looked out my bedroom window, I saw the 12-year-old step-brother pumping water out of my sons chest on the side of the pool!! 

Both me and my ex husband ran outside after the step-brother had gotten the water out. My ex gave him mouth to mouth resuscitation.

He started breathing on his own. The ambulance came and raced my son to the hospital. He was unresponsive for awhile. Finally the doctor said, “Taylor, would you like some candy off my desk?” That was the perfect thing to say. My 2 year old opened his eyes and said, “Yes!!” He hopped off that table like nothing had happened. By that night he was full of energy and running down the hospital halls. The nurses said they had never seen someone who had so much energy after drowning like my son did.  

We  went home and learned that while the step-brother had been watching TV, he felt a tap on his shoulder and a voice said to go get Taylor out of the pool.  It was a clear, audible voice speaking to him and touching his shoulder.  He looked and no-one was there.  

But he raced out to the pool and found my son floating face down in the water. He had no training in saving lives, but he jumped in and pulled him out and immediately began pumping the water out of his chest.  

Even though he had no training in saving a drowning person, the compulsion from God was leading him to what to do!  Amazing isn’t it?  I know God reached through time and space to save my son that day.  There is no doubt. In that moment of weakness and horror, God brought blessings.  He saved my son’s life.

Moments of tragedy can bring us closer to God.  We lean on Him, we pray to Him, and we give Him glory and gratitude. 

We can know today that God is watching over us, even when we don’t realize we are in need of it ourselves.   God came to save us from our sins, even while we were still sinners. Imagine a love so big and deep and wide that God was willing to take our sins and our imperfections onto himself even though we were still sinners and had not yet received it.

Will you receive the gift God is offering you today? The gift of eternal forgiveness, healing and love? A love that is not compared to anything on earth. A love that goes beyond the physical. An eternal love that truly knows our heart and every hair on our head. A love that a freely given to those who freely choose to accept it. 

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Dear gracious heavenly father, thank you for all you have done to make heal our relationship with you and for how you keep watch over my every step. Please forgive me of my sins, forgive me for the times I haven’t trusted you. I accept your free gift of forgiveness and salvation and eternal life with you! I believe you are the son of God in heaven and that your death on the cross has washed away my transgressions. Take me Lord and remake me today to be like you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.