SAILING
WITH DAD

Topics: Confidence; God as Father; Trust

References: Romans 8:15–17; 1 John 3:1

When I was learning how to sail, Dad would often say to me, “Go ahead and take the boat out, but take a friend with you.”

A forty-two-foot sailboat on a body of water the size of Lake Michigan is a big responsibility. But I’d find a junior high friend, and we’d sail past the breakwater, hoist the sails, and head out to open water. If I saw any cloud formation coming our way or the wind seemed to be piping up, I’d head back toward shore, take the sails down, and regain my normal breathing pattern only when we were safely tied up in the slip. Most of the time it was fun having a friend along, but in a storm I knew the kid wouldn’t be much help.

Other times my dad would come home from work and we’d take the boat out together. When I was sailing with my dad, I’d actually look for cloud formations and hope for heavy air. I loved the feel of the strong winds and huge waves when I was with him.

My dad had sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. He had endured five days of sailing through a hurricane. He was a veteran, and I was confident he would be able to handle anything Lake Michigan could throw at us. Everything changed when my dad was on board.

—Bill Hybels, The God You’re Looking For (Nelson, 1997)