A Prayer for a Surfer Girl

Ginny: It’s just really important to realize how powerful the water is and you need to have somebody watching you from the shore because anything can happen.

VO 1: FOR 15 YEAR OLD GINNY RAWLS, THAT “ANYTHING” ALMOST COST HER HER LIFE. IT WAS A CLOUDY, OVERCAST DAY IN VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA. SUMMER WAS COMING TO A CLOSE AND GINNY WANTED TO TAKE ONE LAST DIP IN THE OCEAN BEFORE HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL.

Mom, We arrived around 5 in the afternoon and everyone was ready to swim, no-one noticed there were red flags up and there was an undertow.

Ginny: I wasn’t even past the break yet.. so that’s about 2 feet out and about 3 feet deep and so, one wave came and just knocked me to my knees.

Mom: I was looking out at the water and I could not take my eyes off my daughter.

Ginny: The next wave came and kind of knocked me a little dizzy and everything.

Mom: When the 3rd wave came, my daughter disappeared. I could not find her. I ran into the water hysterically. PU I got on my hands and knees and felt around the ocean and could not find my daughter.

Ginny: My life just kind of flashed before my eyes PU I was under the water..

Mom: I instantly started praying. PU 1:45:43 As this was going on, I found an uncontrollable peace that the Lord had her in the palm of His hand.

VO 2: GINNY’S MOM FOUND HER DAUGTER’S ANKLE AND PULLED HER TO SHORE. THERE, HER BROTHER IN LAW HOBIE—WHO JUST HAPPENED TO BE AN EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR-- TOOK OVER.

Doc: 1:05:43 I think that Ginny probably wasn’t breathing for a good two, probably three minutes. PU So she was very close to not making it at that standpoint. PU 1:06:35ish I reached around her and gave her a few back thrusts… PU And as she came around, finally the first thing that I recognized is that she expelled some air. And then she started taking breaths after that.

VO 3: AT THIS POINT, THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT GINNY COULD HAVE LUNG PROBLEMS AND A NECK OR HEAD INJURY. SO AS SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE ENLISTED TO PRAY. –INCLUDING GINNY’S GREAT UNCLE KENNY AND CBN.

Uncle: The Lord led me to call CBN, as I usually do and pray for her. PU 2:04:40 The counselors are trained to pray and PU 2:05:15ish God just touches them with the anointing of his presence.

VO 4: SO, HOW DID ALL THE PRAYING PAY OFF FOR GINNY?

Doc: There were no effects from this near drowning for her.

VO 5: WITHIN HOURS, GINNY WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL— AND EVERYONE WAS CONVINCED THAT CHRIST ALONE SPARED GINNY’S LIFE.

I can look at this incident and analyze it medically. .. PU I can explain it all away if I want to, but I don’t want to. I have a measure of faith that allows me to believe that this was all orchestrated by God.

Ginny: I think I probably would have been seriously injured if prayer hadn’t been a factor.

Mom: We serve an awesome God. He’s sovereign. He’s the beginning, he’s the end. PU And there’s nothing that he can’t do for us.

Uncle: When we pray, God moves. Always moves. Prayer is the key to the kingdom.