Hi friends, did you know I have been writing devotions for over 25 years! So I’m changing it up a bit. Starting April, 2026, my devotions will release on the first and third Tuesdays of every month, rather than weekly. Thank you for sharing them with your friends and encouraging them to sign up! It means the world to me! And now for this week’s encouragement…
The current was swift and fierce. I could feel my body being swept away like a hollow reed.
I was just a wisp of a girl—a six-year-old, forty-pound monkey with gangly arms and legs who vowed she could do anything her eleven-year-old mischievous brother, Stewart, could do. Standing on the sole-blistering sand of Bogue Inlet, N.C., I watched as my brother and his friend plunged into the briny waters at the end of the island where the Atlantic Ocean merged with the Intracoastal Waterway.
The boys had one goal: swim across the water to a sandbar some one hundred feet away.
This was the spot at the end of the island where waves gave way to calm, salt water gave way to fresh, and sand gave way to soil. What looked like tranquil water on the surface was, in reality, a strong undercurrent that sucked the ocean away from its home. Like a lovesick puppy mourning its master’s absence, I watched as the boys dove into the water and swam away from shore.
“I want to go too!” I called out after them.
“You’re just a kid!” Stewart yelled back. “You stay there! You can’t come!”
“It’s not fair,” I stormed. “He gets to do everything!”
“You stay here with us,” my dad instructed. “You’re too little. It’s not safe.”
My dad’s words only made me more determined to prove them all wrong. “If he can do it, I can do it,” I mumbled. “I always get left behind.”
When my dad turned his back to talk to a friend, I saw my chance and dove into the water. My thin limbs were no match for the sucking force of the undertow and the pull of the current. Very quickly, my lithe body was swept away with the ocean’s salt, sand, and silt into the fresh water.
My salty tears mixed with the briny water, and my small cries for help went unheard. The strong ropes of the current continued to pull me away from my family as they grew smaller in the distance.
Dad turned from his conversation to see the boys had almost reached their mark. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed my small splashes far to his right.
Propelled by panic, Dad dove into the water and cut through the menacing current. Like a fisherman’s hook, he reached out, grabbed my flailing body, and reeled me to his side. With one arm, he fought the current; with the other, he held me tight. We finally made it to shore. My dad had rescued me.
My dad wasn’t a perfect man. He certainly made his share of mistakes. But on that day, he represented a good good Father to me.
Have you ever been in a similar situation? Perhaps you’ve jumped into deep waters—into strong currents that appeared calmly benign on the surface but hid an undertow of trouble.
Perhaps you envied others who were headed in a certain direction and felt you were missing all the fun. “Don’t go there,” your Heavenly Father warns. “It’s not safe.”
“But why do they get to have all the fun?” you whine. “I always get left behind.”
Then, when you think God isn’t looking, in you jump. Before you know it, you’re being swept away in the current of poor choices, sucked down by the undertow of self-centeredness, and pulled farther and farther away as your Father grows strangely small.
When we ignore our Father’s warnings, we forfeit the safety of His shore and plunge into the ocean of harm’s way—the undertow of wrong choices, the rising tide of moral danger. Perhaps that’s where you are right now. If so, there is hope. You only have to call out to your Heavenly Father for help, and He will pull you safely to shore.
David cried out, “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (Psalm 31:2). “Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters…” (Psalm 144:7).
As God told Moses at the burning bush, He sees, He hears, He is concerned, and He rescues (Exodus 3:7–8).
“But Sharon,” you might say, “you don’t know how far I’ve fallen. You don’t know what a mess I’ve made of my life.” You’re right. I don’t. But I do know how far I’ve fallen and how badly I’ve messed up. And I also know this: there is no place you can go where His arm is too short to reach down and rescue you.
No matter what your relationship with your earthly father has been, you have a Heavenly Father who sees you, hears you, is concerned about you, and is ready to rescue you.
If you believe that today for yourself or for someone you love, leave a comment and say “amen.”
Dear Heavenly Father, I am so glad that Your arm is never too short to save me—to pull me out of the difficult places of life. Forgive me for ignoring the Holy Spirit’s warnings and jumping into treacherous waters I should have avoided. Give me the strength to walk away when I feel that check in my spirit that says, “Don’t go there.” I love You, Lord, and thank You for being my Rescuer, my Rock, and my Redeemer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Digging Deeper
Today, you might be praying for someone you love. A young child, an adult child, a husband, a friend. When we don’t know what to pray, we can pray the Word of God. And when we pray the Word of God, we pray the will of God. Click here to discover the many prayer resources on my website. You might find just what you need to become the prayer warrior you’ve always wanted to be.
Comments 116
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
AMEN! I have made so many wrong choices in my life but I know that God watched over me.
Today’s Devotional is true to what is going on in my life right now. Wanting to do what others do without the means to. I pray for faith and the wisdom to allow the will of the lord to guide me into his will for me .
AMEN
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Thank the Lord for saving me again and again. I pray once again for His hand of deliverance to guide me back home to Him.
Amen!
AMEN
Dear Sharon, Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I want to tell you how much your devotions mean to me. Excellent! I always look forward to them. I have known the Lord for 70 years and He has taken me on many adventures around the world during that time. But now that I am retired, our Lord has given me a new adventure-writing. The first year, I wrote every day, but now I’m down to two days a week. Your blog is such a blessing to me! Thank you for being obedient to the Lord’s call on your life. God bless you, Sharon Woods
Dear Sharon, Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I want to tell you how much your devotions mean to me. Excellent! Each one is so well written and encourages me to draw nearer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I always look forward to them. I have known the Lord for 70 years and He has taken me on many adventures around the world during that time. But now that I am retired, our Lord has given me a new adventure-writing. The first year, I wrote every day, but now I’m down to two days a week. Your blog is such a blessing to me! Thank you for being obedient to the Lord’s call on your life. God bless you, Sharon Woods
Amen!
Amen thank you Sharon
Thank you, Sharon. This just what I needed today. Amen 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Sharon, your devotionals have been a blessing for me. I know where I was at one time in my life & by the grace of God I found my way back to Him. AMEN ✝️🙏❤️
Amen
Hi Sharon,
I have been connected to your wonderful devotions and read several of your books. Right now I teach a class at my work. I am the Life Enrichment Director at a Senior Community in Atlanta. I love sharing your book “If You Don’t Like Your Story” with my residents. We were reading and discussing Forgiveness and I shared the 4 pg. letter Cindy wrote to Verma regarding forgiving the drunk driver that killed her mom and her daughter (chapter 5). One of my residents made a comment to our group that she would love to know if Verma responded back to Cindy.
We thought it was a beautifully written letter and a true testimony of God’s love and what the definition of forgiveness is. Could you please reach out to me and let me know if Cindy heard back from Verma. I would really appreciate it.
In Christian Love from one of your Girlfriends in God, Marsha
Author
She did reply and they became friends. Such a sweet story.
Amen
Amen! Thank you God for always being there, ready to catch me and reel me in! Thank you, Sharon, for this post today. It really hit home!
Amen, I am so thankful I will still be getting devotionals from you. Tuesday mornings I look forward to yours.
Amen!!!!
Amen
Amen. Thank you, Sharon.
Amen. 🙏🏼
Amen!!!!
Amen!
Amen, God continue to use you! God has used your devotions to minster to my life and comfort, but also correct. I have been calling on the Lord to rescue me for 3 years, I continue to wait on Him by faith. I’ve try to get out but sin will enslave, deceived you as word says. 🙏🏼
Amen!
Thank you for your devotions every week. I really enjoy reading them. They get me through my troubles a little easier. My husband was diagnosed with neurologic dementia. The last 2 years he has been in assisted living which basically took all of our savings leaving me with nothing. But God has always so far made sure I had enough for our bills. It is hard right now but my belief and devotions like yours get me through. Thank you
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I’m so sorry. My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s when he was 56. I know the financial toil it takes to be in a facility.
Anen !
Amen
Amen
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Amen
Amen! So grateful for God’s watchful Presence and His strong arm to retrieve me from a foolish situation! ♥️
Dear Sharon thank you!!!
AMEN!!!
Amen. God’s arm is not too short for me or my husband who seems far out to sea the last few years
Thanks Sharon for using words to create a picture in my mind that is true and encouraging
Amen
Amen!
Amen
Amen. 3 year after I was baptized as an adult, I reflected back on my years when I was not walking with the Lord. What I recognized, was his hand was still in my life. He was still clinging to me though I was not to him. He was still protecting me and wanted me as his daughter. He wanted relationship with me. Now, I thank God for pulling me from the pits of darkness and opening my heart to hold relationship WITH him! Thank you God for always reaching your hand out no matter how far of a stretch. You’ve always got us.
Author
What a wonderful story! I just want to give you a hug, have coffee, and talk long.
Amen!
This brought a tear to my eyes this morning. All my growing up years when I had a problem or concern, my mother would tell me “God’s arms are never short.” I have not heard that expression since she went to be with Jesus 30 years ago. Thank you for reminding me of the ever reaching love of our Savior and the love of a mother who sought to teach me Christ’s love for me.
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What a wise Mamma.
AMEN!
Amen !! Thank you Sharon.
Amen!
Amen! Thank you! These words I needed to hear today!
Amen
Amen!
Amen! Thank you Sharon. My Dgroup ladies and I are studying your book “Never Less Than.” Thank you for your biblical teaching!
Amen. I was just gifted Praying for your child from head to toe. Just finished part one and anxious to get started in part two!
Thanks Sharon. Beautiful once again. Please everyone pray for my backslidden Christian son Ty who turns 15 today. We appreciate it. I hope and pray he’ll come back to me soon. I read that teen boys especially pull away from the Mom as they’re growing into their masculine traits; however, we were extremely close as I’m a widow twice. We are both suffering due to his defiance and while I know God has him, it’s really hard. I had to take everything away as I cannot reward his rude behavior toward me. He blames me for everything. He’s not letting it sink in that his Dad & Step-Dad didn’t take care of themselves, drank too much like my Dad did. Thank God for Alanon and I’m trying to get him to Alateen. God bless you and keep the prayers a’flowin’! Shell
I too saw people on the sandbar, laughing and having fun. I told my 15 year old self you are a strong swimmer go out and join them – so in I dove. The more I swam, the further away I seemed to be drifting. I grew tired. I yelled help! I went down, but came back up and swam some more, getting further away. HELP! I cried a second time, but no one heard me. Finally, with every ounce of strength I had left, I yelled HELP! And down I went. I saw moments from my 15 year old life flash before me. Then suddenly I was standing on a precipice and there was a dark chasm beneath me. I looked up to see a tall figure, with long golden ringlets standing on a cloud. Behind him, there was a gate with brilliant white light all around it. The figure had his hands outstretched toward me. It was the brightest light I had ever seen. Suddenly the vision was gone and I heard a man’s voice telling me to hold on, the lifeguards were coming. I could not open my eyes, but I could feel his strong arm around my shoulders. When the lifeguards came, my eyes opened and the man was gone. I have never gone out too far again. I listen.
Amen!
Amen
I stood on the shore, watching people on the sandbar, laughing and having fun. My 15 year old self said you are a strong swimmer, go out and join them, so in I went. The more I swam, the further away I seemed to be drifting. I grew tired. Help! I shouted. I swam some more, but I was being pulled further away by the undertow HELP! I cried a second time, but, again, no one heard me. Finally, with every ounce of strength I had left, I yelled HELP! and down I went. Scenes from my 15 year old life flashed before me. Suddenly, I was standing on a precipice and there was a dark chasm between me and a tall figure, with long, golden curls, standing on a cloud. Behind him, there were two gates and shining forth was brilliant light behind the gates. His hands were outstretched toward me. In a split second, the vision vanished and I heard a man’s voice telling me to hold on, I could not open my eyes, but I could feel his strong arm around my shoulders. The lifeguards came, and put me on a board. My eyes opened but I could not see the man. I knew he must have been my guardian angel.
Amen
I’ve always tried to be perfect and God has had to reel me in about that. An overachiever who tries to control the world around me. Saying to others here’s how you do it or I do it this way. You can’t bet I only have a few friends right? So he has rescued me from the isolation I’ve created in my life to being who I am in him. Amen and thank God.
Amen!
AMEN!
Amen!
Amen!!
AMEN!
AMEN!!!
Amen!
Amen
Amen!!
70 years old & have been in rebellion all my life long. Sensually abused from age 8 to 13 by the 1 person I should have been able to trust implicitly…(dad) then gang raped at age 18 ( that I didn’t report as I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be.
But all that ruined my ability to trust.
Sooooooooo I’ve made lots of bad choices as a result of wanting to control what happens in my life…
It wasn’t until recently that I could believe that it isn’t too late to obey what God wants for & of me
& so I surrender to Him
Amen
Amen 🙏🏾!! Hallelujah! Amen…
AMEN!
Amen!
This was really good to ponder on. Same story applied to me but I was 69 and my son saved me!! Your right Gods always there waiting right by our side. I was kidnapped in Egypt at the base of the largest pyramid by a camel man. What happened on that day was a giant miracle from God when I called on Him!! He will never forsake us when we call upon Him. He shows up instantly!! God is my savior and He is wonderful!!
Amen
Please rescue my son Scott.
Amen
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much. Would you pray for my family and especially my granddaughter and her friends
Amen
Thank you for that beautiful picture of a father rescuing his daughter. That’s what my Heavenly Father does for me every day.
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Yes He does!
AMEN!!
Amen! Needed to read this.
Amen and Amen again!
Amen
Amen.did your brother and his friends make it to where they were going?
Thank you for reminding us of our great Rock, Refuge, Healer… Please heal my body as only you can. Amen
Amen!! Thank you for reminding us of our great Rock, Refuge, Healer… Please heal my body as only you can, Dear Lord Jesus.
Just what I needed for this week…thank you!
Amen.
Amen
Amen! Thank you, Sharon. I always look forward to your devotions, they are a blessing and comfort.
Amen
Amen
Thank you so much for these words that you share. I unconsciously look forward to reading them every time until I realize that they are my life line. God bless you and Amen to the prayer.
Amen
Amen! Thank you Lord.
Amen. Thank you so much for your encouraging words, Sharon! I’ve looked forward to receiving your inspiration in my inbox for many years. Much love and appreciation to you for making a difference in my life and in the lives of so many.
Amen
Amen!! I will miss your weekly devotions so much!
AMEN!! Yes I too will miss your weekly devotions. I want to thank you for helping us to grow stronger in our walk with the Lord. May God guide you as you listen to Him.
Amen!!
I too can remember being knocked by a strong wave and being rescued by my father. I love that our Father in heaven can reach His arms to wherever we are. I will miss your weekly devotions!
For Maxine and her family situation. Amen xx
Amen, Amen!
Thank you…Amen🙏
The devotions have been so impactful in my life, especially momma moments with God. Also, praying for your children from head to toe. It has given me the words when I didn’t know what to pray. I’ll be using year after year. Thank you so much. I’ve even felt God speak to my own heart through the prayers and verses for myself. The prayer card for husbands is powerful too and I’ve used it to pray for my husband.
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Thank you so much!
Amen!
Amen!
Amen