At camp this past summer, I decided to participate in a challenging swim in a lake. It’s called the Cherry Swim because we swim from the shore of the lake to a little island called Cherry Island and back. When I’d done this swim with other campers in the past, it was really hard. I got tired, and it was hard to breathe.

This year, as the swim started, the same thing happened. I was frustrated because I wanted to finish the swim, so I decided to pray. I go to a Christian Science Sunday School, where I learn about God, so it was natural for me to turn to God for help.  

ANNA LITWILLER — STAFF

Hymns have always helped me when I’ve prayed before, so as I swam, I sang a hymn that I know from the Christian Science Hymnal. It begins, “Shepherd, show me how to go / O’er the hillside steep” (Mary Baker Eddy, No. 304). To me that means that God will help us whenever we need Him—even when we’re swimming. (The camp I go to is a camp for Christian Scientists, so I felt comfortable praying and singing out loud.) 

During the swim, our counselors were our lifeguards, and they paddled near us in kayaks. One of them paddled over to me and asked if I was OK, because she could tell that I was struggling. She also heard me singing a hymn, so she suggested that we sing another hymn. This one starts, “We are walking in the light of God” (Zulu trad., No. 592, Eng. trans. by Gracia Grindal), but she suggested that we sing, “We are swimming in the light of God.” I loved that idea. The thoughts from these hymns helped me so much that I stopped worrying about my swimming. 

I finished without any trouble, and when I got back to shore, I learned that I had done the swim seven minutes faster than last time!

I’m really grateful for camp because it helps me grow closer to God and have healings like this one. I can’t wait to go back next summer and swim in the light of God!