Unmistakable

I have friends who insist there is no divine being after death - that we can do whatever we want and it won't matter, because there are no consequences. One of these friends in particular used to be super religious. He even introduced me to Veggietales when we were sixteen.

I don't want to argue or cause a rift, but I absolutely know that there is a divine entity. There's one instance specifically that comes to mind:

When I was a teenager I visited Lake Medina in San Antonio to go cliff jumping with my cousins. There was a drought that summer, and my aunt who owns a lakehouse nearby estimated that the cliff we had chosen to jump from was at least one-hundred and forty feet high at the time.

My cousins were all quite nervous, and even though they were a year older I wanted to prove myself to them, and I opted to go first. I had also opted not to bring my life jacket. After several minutes of wavering my cousin Lindsey shouted, "Just Go!" I jumped impulsively, flying through the air screaming. Unfortunately with my screaming I didn't see how quickly the water was approaching. I only managed a hint of a breath before I plunged straight down into the murky waters.

Several seconds passed. I had no air, and I was still sinking lower. There was a lancing pain in my leg where it had hit the water wrong, but I finally managed to kick my legs, moving frantically upward. I could feel my lungs burning and straining, desperate for oxygen. At last I could tell I was getting closer to the surface as light grew brighter, but, as I reached forward in desperation, the horrific realization that I wasn't moving fast enough sent me into a panic.

Then, as spots were appearing in my eyes and I'd just about given up hope, a hand reached into the water and pulled me up, breaking the surface of the lake. I could breathe... I gasped for air like I had never tasted oxygen, and I could feel the life pouring back into my lungs. The man pulled me to a cove of rocks; he asked if I was all right, and I vaguely nodded. I caught my breath for several seconds. Then when I looked up to thank him... he was gone - nowhere in sight.

My aunts and uncle, who had been watching the cliff jumping from my uncle's boat, all told me that they hadn't seen anyone help me out of the water when I asked where the man was. I looked around wildly at the few other large boats scattered around, and there was no one, absolutely no one nearby who looked like the man I had seen.

I have absolutely no doubt that I was saved by an angel or whatever divine equivalent there is.

I don't know why, but I have been saved from death through divine intervention three distinct times in my memory, probably more. And I know that I was saved for something far greater than to just "be happy" however I want. I wish my friends could see the way I see. I wish they could know how much they are loved by a Divine Creator - who gave them life, love, and the opportunity to experience it to the best of their abilities.

And even though it is my lot in life to suffer a multitude of emotional and psychological agony at times - I know it will make me stronger, and my joy that much greater when I've completed my journey on this earth.