The Angel in the Boat

The summer of 1952 was magical for sixteen-year-old Bob and his two friends. They loved taking their boat out on one of the tributaries of the Ashley River near Charleston, South Carolina and waterskiing all day.

One day, they ventured off their normal course to a tidal lake, giving them more room for their fancy ski maneuvers. As they sped along the water’s surface, Bob, on the skis, couldn’t see another boat on the lake and relished their complete privacy.

Suddenly, without warning, the boat sputtered, and Bob went down in the water. His friends yelled out that they’d go get it fixed and be back as soon as possible. Bob, a very poor swimmer, had dropped the rope and was quite a distance from the shore. He wasn’t wearing a life preserver. The boat had rounded the corner and gotten out of earshot, so Bob was on his own.

“After about ten minutes, the boat had not returned, and Bob, treading water but already tired from a long day of skiing, was beginning to panic. Frantically, he began praying, asking God for help.

Just when he thought he couldn’t stay up another minute, a rickety old boat pulled up behind him manned by an elderly gentleman wearing a hat. “Do you need help?” he asked.

Bob, almost too tired to speak, managed to nod “Yes.”

The man helped Bob into the boat and headed toward the only dock on the lake. He didn’t say a word. When they arrived at the dock, Bob got out and collapsed from exhaustion. When he turned around to thank the man, the boat was nowhere in sight.

“You would think anyone kind enough to pull me out of the water and get me to a dock would ask, ‘Is there anything else I can do for you? Do you need anything?’” said Bob.

Only an angel would have known Bob’s friends would return shortly and take care of him.

Excerpt From

Angels Among Us: Powerful Friends Who Guard, Guide, and Protect

Zoe M. Hicks

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