Susie
Maroney did something that nobody
else had ever done. On May 12, 1997 the 22-year-old Australian
became the first
person to swim from Cuba to the Florida Straits. For 110 miles
in shark
infested waters she swam nonstop for 24 1/2 hours. To protect
her from the
sharks she swam in a special cage pulled by a boat moving with
her. To
encourage her along the way her mother and brother rode in the
boat cheering
her on. Along with this amazing feat of endurance she arrived in
the Florida
Keys she was dehydrated, sunburned, and covered with jellyfish
stings. Even
more amazing to me is the fact that Maroney was born with
cerebral palsy. She
took up swimming at the age of four and began competitive
swimming three years
later. As a teenager she had pushed herself to the point where
she could
compete in long distance swimming contests.
Life is
lived in a turbulent world with
obstacles that seem to challenge us at unexpected turns. Health
problems.
Financial concerns. Family conflicts. Career upsets. Sometimes
the challenges
of life make us feel like we are swimming with sharks and no
shore is in sight.
Jesus has
the perfect solution for handling
life’s ups and downs. To those who have obeyed Him in baptism
and who strive
daily to maintain their faith He offers peace. To His disciples
He proclaimed,
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the
world gives do I
give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid” (John
14:27). That promise is just as available today as then. Jesus
will surround
His faithful followers with a peace the world can never
penetrate. Live your life
with determination and faith and Jesus will give you peace.
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