as deep as the shallow end. But God was calling me to deeper water – the place
where there is nothing but faith beneath your feet.
Even in my panic, I knew that I could have let go of the kickboard and swam. I also
knew that if I faltered, it would be my fear, not the water, that would drag me down
because my body was meant to float. In fact, the deeper the water, the better you
float. Even when you can’t swim, you can float. It was the first thing my instructor
taught me—how to float on my back. But floating on your back in a moment of panic
requires trust—in God, in yourself, and the water around you. I didn’t have it.
My sobs deepened as I realized that everything I wanted was at the deep end of
the pool. The greatest adventures, risks, and triumphs of life only exist at the deep
end.
The shallow end requires only what you already have. The deep end requires ev-
erything - from you and the universe that surrounds you. It is true that the risk of be-
ing sucked down is greater the deeper you go, but it is also true that every molecule
beneath you exerts an equal force to lift you up and keep you afloat.
I got back in the water that day-even though I didn’t want to. I learned to swim
without a kickboard at the deep end of the pool, not because I had to, but because I
understood that it is where my destiny and the deepest desires of my heart lie.
The deep end still scares me, and I struggle not to rely on my favorite lane where I
can reach for the edge anytime I’m frightened. What I know now is that the distance
between the shallow end and what lies beyond is equal to the depth of faith required
to do the things that God has called me to do. With every inch, my faith grows, the
farther out I can swim.
Summer is always a good time to let loose and learn something new. I hope that
you will wade deeper into your own dreams this summer and stretch out to make
them real.
8 Naleighna Kai Literary Cafe Magazine July/August 2017