COURTESY PHOTO

Last year my mom, dad, brother Ali­stair, and I visited the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia. My dad and I planned to scuba dive. First, I needed to get certification. While I was a bit nervous about this, I tried to settle my thoughts, knowing this was a great opportunity and one I shouldn’t miss! So I thought about how no harm could come to me because I am one of God’s children. And how, as I’d learned in Sunday School, God’s everlasting love is always present. God’s love protects and shelters me and all of His children, constantly. 

After a lot of classroom work, I put on my gear and entered the pool, which is shallow where you enter, but drops off to about 15 feet. As soon as I deflated my buoyancy control device and submerged, I felt like I wanted to stay down there forever. It was such an exciting, unfamiliar feeling, and I loved it! 

When you descend to another depth, you must “equalize,” which means using a technique to lessen the pressure on your ears as you go. I was descending as instructed but found I was unable to equalize. My ears hurt and I felt afraid. 

I trusted in God and kept going, knowing I was glorifying God through the joy
in my dive. 

I was able to touch the bottom of the pool with my feet, and I ascended slowly, as my training required. But before going down again, I took a moment to pray. I thought about how what felt like injury or pain was just an illusion and not part of the perfect me, the real me, since I am spiritual and a child of God. 

I descended again, trying to remain with the idea that God was with me, guiding and protecting me. I tried to equalize but still could not. Instead of panicking, I trusted in God and kept going, knowing I was glorifying God through the joy in my dive. When I reached the bottom, I was not in pain and was able to equalize. 

The rest of the training went without a hitch, and I was so grateful. When we were finally able to do our first ocean dives in the Great Barrier Reef, for a moment I worried about equalizing because we were going much deeper than we had been in the training pool. But I prayed again, reminding myself that God is in total control. I was able to equalize easily and had an amazing experience that I will never forget!

I have since gone on night dives, wreck dives, and more open water dives with no fear, knowing that I am safe with God. And I appreciate the harmony and beauty that I find underwater, which reminds me of the spiritual beauty and harmony of God’s kingdom.