Kept

So a few posts back, I divulged the story of my oldest son nearly being hit by a car in Washington, DC. Well, last month something even scarier happened. Now, anyone whose had the honor of a swim park birthday party knows that most swim parks have immaculate kiddie pools with extremely shallow water and spray jets and animal slides...pure, safe, awesomeness! However immediately upon our arrival to the kiddie area I told my husband, "I don't like how this is set up." Why? Because the kiddie area was combined with 3 feet of water that led into the drifting lazy river. I thought to myself, what moron created this?!

Anyhoo, as the afternoon went on, I sat in the most shallow part of the water and watched as my nephew and my youngest son went up the tiny slide and into the water. They had a rhythm. But at one point, the rhythm was off. I hadn't seen them come down the slide yet. I looked to my left, where the 3 foot area was and saw my nephew, who is tall enough to stand, having the time of his life. But where was my baby?! That's when I see a man I don't know literally lift his forearm from the water with my baby boy clinging to him for dear life.

How did that happen? I was watching them. They had a rhythm. It took a minute for it all to register as I couldn't tell if my son was making new friends and disregarding our "stranger danger" talks, or if there was more to it. There was clearly more to it. My son followed his cousin into deep waters. Out of nowhere he was snatched from the danger that awaited him and saved from potential tragedy...

Once I got over feeling like a failed mother who was embarrassed that I wasn't the one to see him first and save him (yes that was the emotion that followed my relief, judge me if ya want), I realized that God was proving to me the power of my daily prayers. See I pray His covering over my boys daily. It is a constant worry to be a mother, especially of black boys in a world that has shown extreme hatred toward their likeness for centuries. It's scary. I worry. In both of these situations, I saw Him move. I was reminded of His power and His faithfulness. I saw that faith can even be strengthened through really scary experiences.

All of us have been kept. If you still have air in your lungs and sight to read this post, you've been kept. Think back over your life. There are circumstances you shouldn't have come out of. There are days you shouldn't have made it out of bed and nights you shouldn't have made it safely home. God is a keeper. When we trust in Him and lean on Him, we are able to see just how much He keeps us and the ones we cover in prayer. Believe me when I tell you this: Even when we don't notice, God has His hand on us. I don't know about you, but I'm so grateful He does. Be Blessed. XOXO