Janie Slaven: THE PREACHER'S DAUGHTER: Not Alone

Jun. 25—I was baptized at Cool Camp when I was 8 or 9 years old. If you're a local, you'll know the place. I remember looking around at the muddy water of the Cumberland River wondering if a snake or a snapping turtle would emerge. I found comfort in the chain of hands we held wading into the water, led by my Pappaw. If I kept my eyes on him then I would be ok. There might have been 6 or 8 of us baptized that day. It's one I will always remember.

Our pastor preached out of Isaiah Sunday. I was transported back in time, during these verses:

"Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." — Isaiah 43:1-2

As a child, I was fearful standing in deep waters, yet I wasn't alone. I thought about other situations in my life that involved faith, trust, obedience. Times when I felt like I might drown. I survived all of these uncertain times, because I've never been alone.

Even during seasons in which I pushed Jesus into the hallway and shut the door, I imagine him sitting there, shaking his head, waiting on me to crack the door back open. Never leaving, not once.

Like anyone else, I've walked through fire, crawled at times, but the savior of the universe, the one who calls me by name, he's crawled alongside me, nudging me to hold on. Figuratively holding an oxygen mask up to my face, he's literally held me in his arms when I couldn't walk.

A couple of summers ago floods ravaged my husband's hometown. Hearing this scripture reminded me of that season as well. I can't imagine the difficulty of wading those waters physically and mentally, and I thank God for his protection over our family. He had his arms wrapped around them, they weren't alone. It's hard for me to think about that without crying.

For the non-believer, I'm sure it's hard to picture a presence like that of Jesus, but it is a constant prayer of mine that they come to know the peace that passes all understanding. Never alone. Never without hope. Never not held by the master of the wind.

No matter the situation, no matter the season, no matter the storm, we are not alone.

Erinn Williams is originally from Williamsburg, and now resides in Owensboro, Ky. The daughter of a teacher and a preacher, she hopes to make a difference through her words. She serves as an elementary educator in Daviess County, and writes for Owensboro Parent magazine in Western Kentucky. She can be contacted at [email protected].