One of the most awesome miracles Jesus performs in the Gospels is the Calming of the Storm at sea. Awestruck, the disciples famously say: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). The stories below demonstrate that God works incredible wonders by land and by sea, sending His angelic messengers to rescue people from the perils of the ocean. Be similarly awestruck—and filled with sublime wonder—as you discover the presence of the divine in beaches throughout the world.
One summer day, when legendary actor Dick Van Dyke was a young man, he paddled out into the Atlantic seeking an adventure. But the calmness of the ocean, coupled with the heat of the sun, made him doze off on his surfboard. Sometime later, when a splash awoke him, Dick discovered—to his shock—that he was floating in the middle of the ocean. When menacing, triangular fins began circling around him, he braced himself for the worst. Then, one of the creatures popped its head above the water. Dick couldn’t believe his eyes—or what happened next…
During a family get-together at the beach, Kristina and her uncle Peter decided to go for a swim. Having started to regain her strength and energy after suffering from numerous illnesses, Kristina felt excited to wade in the water. But then a strong undercurrent began to overtake her. She tried to fight the waves, but to no avail. I may not be sick anymore, she thought helplessly, but I’m not strong enough for this! Find out about the divine deliverance that reinforced Kristina’s belief in a good and faithful God.
“Have you ever had an encounter with an angel?” The pastor’s out-of-the-blue question transported Ronald back to Christmas Day many years before, when he and his wife, Judy, were vacationing in Maui. “Help! Ronnie!” Ronald had spotted Judy in the distance, struggling against the waves. They’d been snorkeling together, and it appeared that she’d swam too far. Now, when Ronald shared with his pastor his wife’s miraculous rescue that day on the beach, he was puzzled when Judy interrupted. “That’s not the way it happened at all,” she said. Discover what Judy had to say—and how the miracle in Maui reinforced her and her husband’s belief in the presence of angels in our lives.
Carol was at the beach with her infant son, Edward, when she decided to wade in the water. Holding her baby securely, the young mom tip-toed into the surf, careful not to venture in too deep. Suddenly, too late, she realized that they were caught in an undertow. The sand beneath her feet had disappeared! Struggling to keep Edward’s head above the surface, a panicked Carol prayed for deliverance. God help us! Read about Carol’s mysterious rescue—and the awesome discovery her mother made later at the beach that very day.
Juan had been alone at sea for 85 days now. Flights to his home country, Argentina, had been cancelled due to Covid-19, and his only way home was by sailboat. Lonely and yearning for comfort on his 2,000-mile journey, Juan prayed to God for a sign. Learn about the incredible answer to his prayer…
